eBay The Vote

Internet Voting writes "Voters in Argentina's upcoming presidential election have found an interesting solution to their political apathy: eBay. 'New and unused' votes are being posted from $0.30 to $95. Electoral authorities say they're powerless to stop it. 'Argentine electoral authorities say they can do little to stop the practice because it falls into a legal vacuum. One of the voters, Martin Minue, a doctor from the northern province of Rioja, told a newspaper it was his way to protest against useless politicians. Mr Minue, 33, told the Clarin paper he felt powerless to change the country's situation. The doctor, who works in the city of Chilecito, posted his vote on an auction website with a price tag of 20 pesos (US$6).'"

Comments

This is HIGHLY illegal in the US

[KingSkippus]

Before anyone gets too excited about the prospect, it is illegal to buy or sell votes in the United States. If you do it, eBay will pull your auction and you will likely be charged by your local authorities to the tune of thousands of dollars in fines, possibly even jail time.

The funny thing is that the most insidious vote-buying in the country isn't politicians (or other citizens) buying citizens' votes, it's corporations buying politicians' votes. If they outlawed THAT, then we might start making some progress.

Re:This is HIGHLY illegal in the US

[Arthur B.]

if by THAT you mean politicians, I cheerfully agree :)

Re:This is HIGHLY illegal in the US

[sdkramer]

Interesting while buying and selling are illegal, in most locations in the US trading isn't illegal. I don't remember if any of you recall the Nader vote trading schemes that were going on in 2000.

Here's an article from wired in 2000 that will explain:
http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2000/10/39860

Re:This is HIGHLY illegal in the US

[KingSkippus]

Well, I gotta say, I liked getting some of MY money back. And I don't think a surplus is a good thing, it means they have too much of the citizen's money. If they have too much, they will find a way to spend it. I don't like the huge debt they have us in now, no...but, if they will bring the war down to a close, and cut some stupid spending (how about stopping a lot of the payments we make to other countries?), I think we'll start to recover financially. I'm still paying about 33% of my income....and that is ENOUGH!! The govt needs to learn to live within its means. Heck, I wish they go to a FairTax type thing...simpler to understand, and would keep a lot of tax dodges by large corps and cash under the table stuff from being lost as tax funds that happen so readily today.

Great, one of those. Man, I could spend an hour going off on you, but I'll just try to stick to the high points.

First of all, it's not YOUR money. Why? Because the US government, in its (lack of) infinite wisdom, has been spending far more than you've been paying it on your behalf. And I hate to burst your bubble, but that's the agreement that you sign onto by having income in this country. As a result, you have a massive debt that's getting bigger and bigger every day, and yet here you are, complaining that you want to pay less and less back.

Second of all, when you have such a massive debt, having a budget surplus is a good thing; it's what allows you to pay that debt off. If you have a credit card with a huge balance, don't you think that it's a good thing if you have a little left over each month to pay towards the balance? According to your logic, the answer is no, you should at most break even each month.

Third of all, if you're paying 33% of your income, then you must be extremely wealthy and extremely stupid. The marginal rate of 33% only applies if you make over $97,925 a year. If your total income tax is 33%, do you have any clue what that makes your income? $694,850. And the kicker? That's before any deductions are taken into account. I'm having a hard time believing that you actually make $694,850. If you do, more power to you, but I don't have any sympathy for your righteous indignation.

Fourth of all, your Fair Tax comment deserves its own full comment, but let's take at least a few pot shots at it:

• The Fair Tax fanatics continually lie about the rate they want to charge. It's not the 23% they keep trying to push off to stupid people. Read something by someone who's not trying to relentlessly push it on us.
• If the Fair Tax passes, there will be no tax deductions. Have kids? Too damn bad. Wave bye-bye to the mortgage interest deduction. No more retirement savings advantages.
• It totally neglects people's current after-tax investments. All that Roth IRA money people have invested? They'll be paying tax on it twice—income tax when they earned it, and again when they purchase stuff.
• Ooh, they'll be able to get rid of the IRS right? Who do you think is going to be collecting the Fair Tax and enforcing its collection? Santa Claus?
• Speaking of collection, it turns millions of people into tax collectors. Keep in mind that the Fair Tax applies to services, too. Does your son mow lawns in the summer? He has to collect Fair Tax. Does your daughter baby-sit the neighbor's baby? She has to collect the Fair Tax. If they don't and the new Santa Claus government entity that collects Fair Tax finds out, they'll be punished for tax evasion.
• There is no provision for paying different taxes on different things. Right now, if you buy a $200,000 house for example, you don't pay that much in sales tax. Under the Fair Tax, you'll be stuck with an extra $46,000. If I'm not mistaken (I'd have to go look it up again), I think that loans are subject to the Fair Tax also as a service, which means that you'll be paying another

none of the above

[User 956]

One of the voters, Martin Minue, a doctor from the northern province of Rioja, told a newspaper it was his way to protest against useless politicians.

I've always felt that a better way would be to add a "none of the above" option to the ballot. Right now, either you like Candidate A or Candidate B, and if you don't like either one, you might as well stay home, or vote the lesser of evils. If you could actually record your sentiments, we might get better candidates.

Ambition

[Applekid]

So, how much to buy all the votes? I sure "President of Argentina" would look good on the ol' resume. Might be a good investment.

Forbidding this is not part of a democracy

[Bragador]

In a democracy, you have the right to vote and the right to be heard. You also have the right to democratically select a dictatorship. If the citizens want to be bought voluntarily and sell their freedom, a democracy should let them do that. If not, it's not a true democracy.

The question...

[rodney dill]

that comes to mind isn't whether or not to sell your vote for $95, its how many time can you sell it for $95

I quit voting

[nate nice]

I used to believe that my vote mattered and that there were "issues" being decided. But I eventually got smart and figured out it's all BS and it really doesn't matter how you vote. Politics are more or less an illusion created to distract us while we are more or less put into servitude by the elite. You're in essence given two polarizing choices and you pick a side. Suddenly the world is black and white. Right and wrong and nothing in between.

People site and listen and watch their party blare propaganda to them and they get angry and fed up with the other side who is evil of course. Meanwhile, both sides are laughing all the way to the bank as they receive payoffs from special interests funding their propaganda machine.

I stopped voting awhile ago and don't plan on going back. I wish I could sell my vote for market value.