Let Your Voice Be Heard: Don't Vote!
12 February 2008
News Director, WTOP Radio
Dear Sir or Madam:
On this morning of the Chesapeake Primary, one of your reporters advised all listeners to "Let your voice be heard. Vote!"
Why is voting the only way to let my "voice" be heard? If I don't vote, doesn't that fact speak just as loudly as if I do vote? By not voting, I announce my dislike of ALL of the candidates. This announcement expresses my disdain for politicians as loudly and as clearly as does, say, my neighbor's vote for Barack Obama express her admiration for that candidate.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
News Director, WTOP Radio
Dear Sir or Madam:
On this morning of the Chesapeake Primary, one of your reporters advised all listeners to "Let your voice be heard. Vote!"
Why is voting the only way to let my "voice" be heard? If I don't vote, doesn't that fact speak just as loudly as if I do vote? By not voting, I announce my dislike of ALL of the candidates. This announcement expresses my disdain for politicians as loudly and as clearly as does, say, my neighbor's vote for Barack Obama express her admiration for that candidate.
Sincerely,
Donald J. Boudreaux
Chairman, Department of Economics
George Mason University
Posted by Don Boudreaux on
Wednesday July 2, 2008 at 10:47am