Wednesday, April 09, 2008

To vote or not to vote, that is the question.

"Only 54 percent of eligible voters cast their ballots during the last four decades of presidential elections [in America]. Compare that embarrassing number to Italy's 90 percent, Germany's 80 percent, France and Canada's 76 percent, Britain's 75 percent and Japan's 71 percent. We rank 35th in voter turnout out of the world's prominent democracies." (From http://life.familyeducation.com/elections/politics-us/36258.html)

90%? From what I've been hearing the voter turnout in these next elections is supposed to be low. People are disgusted, fed up, undecided, etc. You see, I'm an immigrant, an extra-comunitaria, and as such cannot vote even though I would like to. But you have the choice.

Are you going to vote this weekend or not? This is not about who you are going to vote for but rather the right to vote. Please reply to this post by Sunday!

Sarah

50 comments:

Mary said...

A lot of people say that this year our votes are useless because the elections are uncostitutional. We cannot vote for our representatives, but only for the party, and the parliament is already decided before we go to vote.
Unfortunately, television channels and newspapers belong to only one person and it's difficult for the other little parties to explain their opinions and programs. But we have to keep in mind that in the elections the choice is not between two parties, but among more different parties and maybe some of them don't have any condemned or criminal candidate.
Personally, I'm going to vote on Sunday because we have the right and the duty to vote. If we don't go, it means that we didn't do anything to change the future parliament.

Anna B said...

Of course I'm going to vote on Sunday! I think that it's wrong to criticize our government if we don't vote. And, what is more, even if my preference is only one and does not change the results by itself, it still is a voice. Why shouldn't we vote? Why should we let other people decide who is going to rule us? We all know who is probably going to win, but this is also the main reason to vote!

Elisa rossi said...

Obviously I'm going to vote on Sunday! I think that to vote is important and it is a duty of each citizien. If someone doesn't vote. he/she has not the right to criticize or to complain of the government's actions. I know that, especially in this situation, it is not easy to vote because we mostly dislike all the candidates and we don't trust in politicians, but I think that now to vote is particulary important.

elenas said...

Well, I'm not sure I will vote. You know, I don't live in Pd and it takes me a lot to go home... I know it is not a good excuse, but I don't feel like going home again. I know that the right to vote is important, but I think that not going to the pool is a right as well!

Niko said...

I'm definitely going to vote. My philosphy is: every body can play a role in politics; it may be small, but it is a role anyway. Like in a play, any character is important.
Niko

elisac said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
elisac said...

Well, I will certaily vote. I think that it is essential to express our idea when the 'results' will affect our country and our life!Obviously it is very important to know very well the platforms of the candidates.

Letizia said...

As all of you said it's our right going to vote. I'm going to vote on Sunday! I think we cannot criticize the present government if we don't do anything to change it!!! Nowadays politics has become a way candidates can emerge and "do their interests": this is the idea they show us with their actions!!! However I think it's important going to vote to express our ideas about politics!!!

Marta said...

Yes, I'm going to vote..but I don't think anything will ever change..I'm totally upset with Italian politics..whichever party you vote the situation will not change..But, anyway, I'll go and vote, it's my duty and right..in the hope something could ever improve!!

Crazy Journalist said...

I'm not going to vote.

The right to vote has nothing to do with the candidates nor any party. It's not about ideology or distorted sense of duty/guilt on the lines of 'If I don't vote I can't comlain'. Voting means trusting someone else (an alledged professional) to DO THINGS in our name, based on the assumption that he/she will be capable of doing such things. I sincerely don't see any politician in Italy who seems to know what to do apart from bickering with the other politicians.

The media help confusing us all instead of clarifying the situation. It makes me sick to my stomach to see the same old faces on tv, let alone getting mail or phonecalls (from Casini!) puking propaganda on me. I stopped reading the posts on Beppe Grillo's blog because the issues he brings to our attention are just too terrifying, I just can take it anymore. I don't even wanna get started about the fact that many of our 'onorevoli' have been senteced for various crimes (from fraud to corruption to collusion with the mafia). I am not gonna be so dangerously irresponsible and help them get away with their crimes by allowing them to have 'immunità parlamentare'. If you want to, just go ahead.

I'd like to vote, I really would. I wish somebody would stand up and start saying something sensible, something TRUE. This is my utopia, just as believing in politicians is any voter's utopia.

Belief is the key. But politics should not be about belief: there's a place for belief and it's called RELIGION. Politics should be about facts and, as far as I can see, right now Italian politicians are far from facts and deep in fairy tales. We should not be forced to HOPE our politicians will turn out to be good guys. It's ridicolous! We should not be expected to BELIEVE anything at all, we should be given PROOF that a candidate is good for the job and therefore trustworthy.

Hence, I won't vote for 'the lesser of two(or more)evils' because it's still EVIL.

Davide said...

that's obvious!!! I'm going to vote 'cuz I've the "moral duty" to express my ideas. Going to vote is a chance we have to express our opinion...I don't know why we shouldn't use it...but..since VOTE is a RIGHT everybody can decide to use it or not. God handle the winner!!!!I am really fed up to see politicans doing their own interests...see ya. keep your finger crossed

Elena B said...

I'm going to vote next weekend.
I know, the situation of Italian politics is quite worrying but I think that going to vote is one of the oppornutity citizens have to make people in high position hear their voice and to contribute for the development of the country, our country.
It could seem nothing, but in my opinion it is rather important...

Anonymous said...

I'm going to vote on Sunday! I think it is my last occasion to express the bit of opinion they allowed me to express and I'm going to go and vote!

For those who are not going to vote (who are of course free to decide on their own!): if you do not go and vote , or you'll decide for "Scheda bianca", your vote will be count and divided among the parties (proportionally). If you actually go and tell you do not want to vote they won't count your vote.

I have considered this opportunity, because, like many of you, I'm really upset with politics, but I want to try once more!

Claudia

Alesssia L. said...

Hi everybody!

I've read your comments and I can see that many of us are going to vote next weekend.Personally,I don't think that my vote will be of any use and, actually, none of our votes really are. We are asked to choose, to express ourselves...yes, let put it that way but, as Enrico said, (and I perfectly agree with him), to give your vote to someone is to believe in him/her. I'm really fed up with our politicians' corruption, they're all ridiculous "fantocci" struggling to be as rich as they can (at our own expense).

Is the possibility to vote really our own right!?Oh thank you! But another fundamental right is to be ruled by honest people. And this is a priority over the right to vote. To cut a long story short, I'm going to vote HOMER SIMPSON next weekend! (This is just to make you laugh but of course I was very serious when I said tha't I'm really fed up with our politicians...so go Homer!!!!);-)

Giada said...

I think that we are all fed up with our politicians and with our political system: always the same faces, always the same platforms. But I am really convinced that voting is important and that it is our duty to express our ideas. I'm not feeling idealistic or naive when I say that we really can change the situation because politicians depend on us.
I just read all the comments and I'm very happy to see that so many of us already decided to vote and I don't fully understand nor I sympathise those of you who suggested that it's completely useless or that would vote for Homer Simpson. Of course I respect people who have a different point of you, but I think that Italy needs a change and our vote it's our little contribute so we all should get out on Sunday (or Monday) and vote.

Giada said...

ehm.. I just realized I wrote "point of you" instead of "point of view"..sorry about that!

elenavi said...

On Sunday I’m certainly going to vote because I feel this is my duty as an Italian citizen. It’s a responsibility I have to society and, first of all, to me. Perhaps under the next government nothing will change, but my vote is the only chance I have to express my position in our society. Ok, politicians have clearly shown that they aren’t able to put their promises into practice, but in a way my vote reflects my hopes and my viewpoint as for the needs of my country. I’m aware that my vote is just a little drop, but the ocean is made up of drops! Isn’t it?
Elena V.

Laura Zock said...

Like most of you, I am really disappointed and disgusted by politicians (both of the right and of the left wing) and for this reason I was thinking not to vote...But this is the only tool we have to express our opinion:it's our right and our duty! As Anna wrote "even if my preference is only one and does not change the results by itself, it is still a voice". So,on Sunday I will vote.

chiara said...

Vote is a very important right that we have. Not to vote is quite stupid because this way you leave the others the faculty to decide about our political system and not voting you ignore its importance. At the same time it is not easy to believe in our politicians because everyone seems to care only about their own interest and wellfare.
However it's important not to lose confidence in the power that we can benefit.

ElenaCosta said...

I've never missed the chance to vote so far and I won't this time either. Maybe what I'm going to say is quite banal, but people have struggled and even lost their lives to obtain this right and I think they did it for a very simple reason: it's a way to express each person's freedom of thinking. Now we take it for granted, but what if we lived in one of those countries ruled by a dictatorship? In that case, our will and opinion would be constantly overcome by other people's interests and we would regret the possibility to choose.
Many people say that voting is useless by now because politicians are corrupted and in any case nothing will change. Well, it may be. But mistrust and indifference will take us nowhere. I read the comments of those of us who won't go to vote on Sunday and I perfectly understood their points of view. However, I'm not sure that this is the key to make the situation change. Somebody will be elected anyway and I want to express my voice, although it's just a drop in the ocean. At least I can say that I tried.

Silvia Nicolini said...

As many of you pointed out, I’m disappointed about our government and I’m fed up with the false promises of our politicians. However, I think that we should use our right to vote because it is still an important way of expressing our opinion and contribute to make things change. Not going to vote means that we don’t care about our country and that we let others decide for us. Therefore, I’ll definitely go to vote on Sunday!

Eleonora said...

Yes, I'm going to vote on Sunday. It's true, the political situation has been rather bad lately, but personally I don't think that ALL politicians are the same. Of course, none of them will ever be able to solve all problems at once, however I do believe that some are better than others. Personally, I feel there is still someone who is quite worth trusting... That's why I decided to give it another try :-)

I'd just like to say something about Beppe Grillo, as Enrico mentioned him in his comment. I find him (Beppe Grillo) extremely funny and I think the issues he raises are really important and, at the same time, scaring. He has the courage to say what politicians and most journalists never mention. However, it seems to me he criticizes without ever suggesting a possible solution to these huge problems. I like him a lot but at the same time I'm a little bit disappointed. Whenever I've listened to him recently he just talked for hours and then finished his shows saying "These are our politicians, don't go and vote for them!We need some real change!!"
Of course he might be right, but honestly I don't see any concrete action coming from him, either. Yes, he made us open our eyes on a lot of things, but we shouldn't forget he's also making an awful lot of money with that...
I must say I am a bit puzzled :-|

Serena Santi said...

To vote or not to vote? That's the question! I'm curious to see how many people of my village are going to vote next Sunday. I've been chosen as scruteneer (I think this is the English word for 'scrutinatore')so unfortunately I cannot attend our Monday lesson. Apart from that, I think we have the right and the duty, as Italian citizens, to express our vote. We are really fed up with all those politicians. However, like Claudia said it would be more useful and significant if instead of not going to vote you go and tell that you don't want to vote. In this way they have to minute what you said and your vote cannot be counted and divided among the parties.
About Beppe Grillo, I think he also suggested a clear solution to the problem of Italian politicians. He has proposed that members of the Italian Parliament who have a criminal record should be barred from public office. This is a really revolutionary proposal. So Eleonora let me know what do you think.

Eleonora said...

SERENA: Oh yes, you're right. That was actually a clever proposal. But then I've never heard anything more about it...How did it end?

Anyway, there are some parties in these elections which decided not to candidate anyone who has been involved in crimes or has been condemned. I think this is also a first step towards a better future.

tortina84 said...

Hi,everybody!
I read all your comments and I saw many of us are going to vote next weekend. I'm going to vote as well. Like you all, I'm quite disappointed with Italian politics. I don't like seeing our politicians fight one against the other. Most of them are just able to insult one another. But not all politicians say such stupid things...In my opinion there're some who have good ideas, at least in theory.
So, I'm going to vote for two important reasons:
1. Voting is my right and I want to try to give my (little)contribution.
2. As Claudia said,if you don't vote or if you give scheda bianca, your vote will be counted anyway. And I definitely don't want let other people decide for me! I'm disappointed with Italian politics but I'm disappointed with Italian people as well!

Finally, just few words to those who're not going to vote: do you know that we have the right to go to the polls, rejecting the right to vote? I mean, you can go the the polls this weekend and sign a form in which you declare you decide not to vote. In this case, your vote will not be counted and you don't let others decide for you! It's a great opportunity to let politicians know that Italian people is very disappointed with them! Think about it! ;-)

Martina

tortina84 said...
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Giovanna said...

I'm not really sure about what I am going to to on sunday. I mean, some days ago I was determined not to vote for anyone because I am a little bit hopeless. However, last night I saw a meeting of one of two major candidates on Tv and what he said made me sick once more. Therefore, I thought that would be a terrible mistake letting this person win the elections and I started reflecting on the possibility to vote for the other party. Unfortunately, I'm not really convinced. It seems to me that I have to choose between something bad and something even worse. I wish there could be another way! To sum up, I'm back at the starting point and I think I'll make my decision at the eleventh hour.

Cristina said...

I am going to vote! As good citizens we have to vote! Reading all your comments I see that we all feel quite disappointed and fed up with politics in general, so it seems like we are all in the same boat! But this is only throw the vote that we can express our ideas and thus this is the only chance we have to tell what we want! I do think that voting is important otherwise, if we don’t express our ideas we won’t have the right to be angry in the future if things will go from bad to worse. According to our legal system, Italian citizens have got duty, rights and some duty-rights; going to vote belongs to this last group. What I mean is that voting is a right and those entitled to vote are all protected by the law in order to express their vote; disabled person and senior citizens, are helped in order to reach the pulling station and even people who live abroad can go to the consulate or embassy to assert their right! But voting is also a duty, because as citizens we have to take part in politics and express our vote. So, we don’t have to waste this chance to choose our favourite candidate because who wins is going to govern us! Moreover, for us, women, going to vote is a very recent right (women can vote from 1948) and it is thanks to the fights and efforts of many strong women that now we have got this opportunity. I do firmly think that not voting it’s a step backwards.
So let’s all going to vote and “Stand up for you right”!

Elisa Snaidero said...

As Elena said, I'm not going to vote because I don't live in Padova and it takes a lot of time for me to go home. If I had the possibilty, although, I would vote. The fact is that this time I don't have enough time to go home and come back.

Silvia Lovato said...

Hi! Not only will I vote, but I'll also be scrutinizing the ballots! Our vote is not useless. I still think that the right to vote is one of the most important rights in a democratic country.

veronica bozzato said...

Yes, I'm going to vote on Sunday! As many of you, I'm quite disappointed about the Italian government and I don't think that the candidate who will win the elections will keep all his promises! Moreover, my vote won't change the situation... However, the vote is one of our duties and rights and it's important that all of us go to vote to express our opinion and to contribute to change the situation.

alessandrasq said...

Hi guys,
Reading all your posts I noticed that most of you are going to vote on Sunday... I'm going to vote too!!!
It's interesting to see that our class doesn't follow the statistics Sarah posted in the blog (we don't belong to this 90% of people who will not vote this year) and I quite happy about this result. As all my peers wrote before, I TOTALLY disappointed with Italian politics and most of the time I refused to follow politicians fight one against the other. But the right to vote is something completely different from the content of our choice. In the past our ancients, especially women, did a lot to assure all the possibility to vote, and so nowadays, in my opinion, everyone has to have the moral duty to vote. Our voter apathy and lack of civic responsibility certainly show that we don't believe in the privilege and the obligation to vote. There is a lot of other way to express disappointment.

alicev said...

Hello everybody,

although there's not much choice, since in my opinion all the politicians we are going to vote wouldn't even deserve to lead a government, I'm going to vote tomorrow. I believe it's the only weapon we've got to express our ideas, so why shouldn't we use it?
I agree with those of you, who wrote that it is worth to express the feeling of disappointment that many of us have towards politicians.
Bye!

Raffa said...

As far as I've seen from the other comments, the majority of us is going to vote; and I'll do it too. Probably things are not going to improve, no matter which party wins. Our country would need a change in the way of conceiving and of doing politics. As long as our politicians have such outrageous priviledges and as long as personal interests prevail over the common good, there's little hope that things get better. What annoys me the most is that politicians seem to care about the problems of citizens when these turn into electors. But the truth is that they're just struggling to gain their seat in the Parliament, nothing more.
However, I do think that voting is not only a civil right but also a duty. According to our Constitution the vote is personal and equal, free and secret;this means that nobody can vote instead of us, that all votes have the same value and that we are free to vote for whom we want to and to keep our preference secret.
It is the heart of democracy and we should keep it alive. All of our votes can count, so let your voice be heard!

cappuc cino said...

Hi guys,
as the most of you I'm going to vote tomorrow. Our constitution granted us the right but also the duty to vote. I don't want to blame those of you who aren't going to vote, but the right to vote it's a way to make our voices heard.

The Ghellers said...

I’m fed up with politics but I’m going to vote!
Yesterday evening I watched BBC and I felt very embarrassed. There was a reportage on Italian elections. The journalist gave a perfect report of the Italian situation: a farce! He even named the elements of this farce:
-there are always the same politicians: one travels by bus far and wide, the other one thinks to be God … “Per fortuna che Silvio c’è…”
-there is no confrontation between the different fronts but just a tit-for-tat through press releases


I perfectly agree with this journalist. But, in spite of everything I’m going to vote because if you renounce the right of vote, you renounce democracy.

elenacarlet said...

Hello everybody!!
Tomorrow I’m going to vote finally! I think that who is not going to vote will lose an opportunity to express his/her idea towards these elections...I know that everyone of us is tired of this political campaign but if you are not going to vote you won’t take advantage of your right to vote, isn’t it? Try to think to those people who live where there isn’t the right to vote...Would you be there? I don’t think so...I think it is very important to recognize the right to vote and the freedom to choose who to vote. This is my opinion!
Bye!!

Selena said...

I’m definitely going to vote tomorrow! I agree with most of you. Since we live in a democratic society I think the right to vote is one of our most important rights. Through our own vote we can contribute to influence how our society is governed. Even if we all are quite disappointed with Italian politics I think we shouldn’t let others decide for us!

Martina Urbani said...

Hello!
I think people should vote because it is our right and our duty. I strongly believe that everyone should express his or her preference today in order to change our country tomorrow. Particularly, in these elections, it's important Italian vote for a candidate they trust and for a candidate who can solve important economical and social problems.
I hope Italians will do the right choice and I am confident that even though my own vote doesn't have a great value, it is a drop on the sea! =)

Caroline said...

I won't be voting this weekend because as I don't have the Italian citizenship I don't have the right to vote. However, in my opinion, a lot of Italians won't go to vote because they're confused. I think it's most of all the left-wing-voters because they're disappointed by the Prodi-government as everyone was hoping for a change after Berlusconi. Then, there was no change and the government failed. I think a lot of people exactly know who they wouldn't vote but they don't know who to vote in order to make a change possible. At least this is what I would feel like if I was Italian this weekend.
See you all in class...

Valeria said...

I voted this morning. I appreciated the fact that there were many people in the polling station, among them a lot of people of my age. I know that in Italy politics has problems and many Italians feel disgusted and discouraged, but voting is a way to signal our need of change and our hope to have better politicians…
Bye!

Crazy Journalist said...

How exactly do you guys think a change may ever come if the people you vote are always the same?

(And please, do consider the clear contradiction: 'change' VS 'same people')

giovisperotto said...

I agree with all of you when you say we don’t trust anymore in our politicians. We gave them lots of possibilities, and they always pulled our leg with their false smiles and their ever kept promises. But since voting is our right, I think expressing our opinion is something we shouldn’t give up. Even though we represent a small part of the voters, we can contribute to the future and the development of our country, because by voting we support someone who at least tries to reflects what our needs are.
To answer to Enrico’s question, the only thing I can say it’s it would have been good if the atomic bomb would not have been dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, but on the Italian Parliament. Just to do a quick cleaning!

alessia f. said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
alessia f. said...

Dear Sarah,
I'm really sorry for being so late with my reply: I had some problems with my pc as usual!Without doubt I’m going to vote tomorrow: how can I criticize the present government without doing anything to change the situation? Obviously, I’m going to vote not just because I’m eligible to vote but because I trust someone and I really hope he’ll be the man. I don’t think it’s really important if you feel yourself closer to the left or to the right wing…the only important thing is to be active giving voice to your ideals concretely. The right to vote is something we’re are used to and that's the main reason why it’s quite easy to allow ourselves the luxury of saying “I won’t vote”.

Alberto said...

I'm working in a polling station of my town and I'm voting tomorrow. Our turnout is high and I'm very happy of it.
Voting is a right and a duty. And this is not an opinion: it's a fundamental part of Italian constitution.

Camilla said...

Actually it's a little bit late to say whether I'm going to vote or not, because yesterday I did vote! I think it's one of the few things we can do to improve our country: voting, to eventually have an unchanging government. I really hope this is going to be a turning point: our country needs to change, needs to go on, needs to improve and develop, otherwise we're going to join Africa and leave Europe! We could be such a great country...but we don't trust in ourselves, in our future and in our possibilities...well, the time has come to change, I hope!
That is why I did vote yesterday...no matter if the right or the left wing is going to win, what is important is to have a long-lasting government which can do something.
Camilla

Blogger said...

Hi!
I'm sorry to be in late in my reply, as well.
However, I'd like to say I agree with the majority of you: voting is our right. On this purpose, I went back home last Fri...now I'm knowing first exit pools...and OMG they're saying that Lega Nord and PDL received the greatest number of votes...if confirmed, that'd be incredible to me! And you know what? Try and guess who is discussing on rai2 about PDL results? MASTELLA..doesn't it say anything to you?
I only hope that first datas do not reflect final result.

vale said...

Hi!!!I'm sorry to be so late..I have been working a lot during the week-end...anyway I think voting is an important right we have and it is therefore very important to do it!I voted this morning...now we already know the results...no comment!I'll keep my fingers crossed for the future of this country..
good luck everyone!

Marta T. said...

I did not want to vote but at the end I change my mind. I choose the less worse (I do not know if this word is correct). Now I feel tired about politicians, nobody has fresh ideas or can improve this country in the future. I write this post late because I was ill, now I know that Berlusconi won. I hope he will change Italy better, I hope so, but I do not believe he will be able to do that.