Should I Vote?
I am a US citizen, born and raised in the United States. I have just completed my thirty-ninth year in Israel. As with all Jews who come here, we are given citizenship automatically and the fact that we do not have to apply for it allows us to remain citizens of the US. My last US residence was in Chicago.
I have no interaction with US tax authorities or Social Security and I own no assets in the US. Of course I have family there, some quite close.
My one benefit is the passport. And the passports of my children who were born here.
I don't think it's right for me to vote in the US, despite the fact that I follow US politics way more closely than does the average "likely voter." (I did vote absentee for the first few years.)
Nor do I think that Israelis living abroad should be allowed to affect our elections here.
When I ask "Should I Vote?" it's rhetorical. But it's worth a bit of discussion. Especially because there is a mission of political-types coming here from DC this week to tell us that we must. I will go to their meeting, not just because one of them is my cousin.
I don't plan to make an issue of this, as I see it as a personal decision, but I hope they don't bring sign-up forms.
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Comments:
Nov '11
Re: Should I Vote?
Paul Erickson: Israel, my first reaction was in agreement with Fred - now that Israel is your home, you should not vote in the US.
But I am reminded of a 2010 US law called the Foreign Asset Tax Compliance Act that will soon have an impact on you and others in situations such as yours.
I'll amend my comments:
Israel, if you are paying taxes to the US government, then I would think it acceptable for you to vote for president.
Mar '11
Re: Should I Vote?
I don't like the dual citizenship thing at all, but I think you SHOULD vote, as it would highlight the sheer ridiculousness of the whole dual citizenship concept. As you yourself put it, a man that hasn't been in the US in decades, has no property there, and no other assets, still has a right to cast a vote in a US election. Do it just to highlight the whole ludicrous situation. Hell, advertise it. Just as soon as Democrats find out that one of those Jews... those damned apartheid-loving Israelis (as opposed to liberal American Reform Jews... you know, the good Jews)... cast a vote against Barack Obama, you'll see the Democratic Party adding a 'no dual citizenship" plank to their party platform, stat. At last, bipartisanship!
Dec '10
Re: Should I Vote?
Only right-wingers wonder whether something which is legal is moral. That's a statement of admiration for you, Israel.
However, I'm with tr and raycon. This is an existential moment, not only for the US, but perhaps especially for your home state of Israel. I wish it were not so... I wish Netanyahu's government had taken preemptive action in 2008, either under the Bush administration or immediately after the election. I was wrong in predicting it would.
The fact that your ballot counts in Illinois is somewhat mitigating, but only somewhat. The attempt to undo the electoral college makes every vote in the country important. Romney has to win the college and the popular vote (hopefully by a huge margin) to keep this country, and by extension the western world, from falling into chaos. Please vote.
Feb '11
Re: Should I Vote?
Let's not get carried away here. I visit every year or two - as I have two sons and a number of grandchildren there and because I attend professional conferences in the US.
Aug '10
Re: Should I Vote?
The rules are the rules. So they give you a vote. Use it and use it well.
Jun '12
Re: Should I Vote?
To me, if you have the opportunity to vote and don't, you've got no standing to complain about the outcome.
Just my $0.02.
May '10
Re: Should I Vote?
Voting is essentially a useless endeavor if political change is your objective. Don't bother.
May '10
Re: Should I Vote?
Voting may make sense at some local level, but at the national level it's a waste of time.
Apr '11
Re: Should I Vote?
I have lived in the US since 2000, but only became a citizen in 2008. Until that time, I occasionally voted in Canadian elections, however I have not done so since, and do not plan to because I do not intend to live there at any time in the near future.
I have dual citizenship, but made the decision, for myself, that I ought to only vote in the country that I intend to reside.
Apr '11
Re: Should I Vote?
If you're truly asking: make a choice. I don't do dual citizenship. Either vote in Israel, or vote in America. Not both.
Apr '12
Re: Should I Vote?
Fred, the measure of right and wrong seems to be rapidly getting abused by the role models in our world. I would not vote in the US as a non citizen because if a moral code as you question. What role model is that to my sons? I have several passports and citizenships as Canada allows that. If I thought my vote would make a difference, maybe I would vote in those elections. But I am old fashioned because Canada has so many citizens of convenience who think nothing of living/ voting in another country, paying no taxes, but returning to use health care or free schooling and the welfare system. I was so surprised by no need for ID in the US because people will vote for the goodies, not for the country's benefit or for their grandchildren. People who skip the line up to get permissin to live and work in the US already demonstrate their moral code. Do those people understand good citizenship, pay taxes or care for the host country's longevity or global economic position? Do they vote for policy for their grandchildren or for the next week and what they can get?
Sep '11
Re: Should I Vote?
Only registered voters can vote. You have to demonstrate that you are resident, and a citizen, when you register. The fuss that's been made is that voter registration initiatives passed several years ago required state agencies to offer voter registration with practically any service--get a driver's license, get registered to vote; register a car, get registered to vote; apply for welfare, get registered to vote; and so forth.
The problem with "motor voter" laws, as they're called, is that the government services frequently don't require citizenship, just legal residence. There's a long discussion about voter ID and vote fraud on the Intel tab here on Ricochet. Lots of good info in it--including some helpful how-to if you're interested in stealing an election.
Apr '12
Re: Should I Vote?
As a past poll inspector I've pretty much stopped voting due to my experiences with fraud with a job requiring I facilitate it. Living in California means my vote is usually pretty meaningless, but in a close race I might send in a ballot.
That said, I do tell people that if you wait to vote to get involved, all the important decisions have already been made.
Nov '10
Re: Should I Vote?
John Murdoch
Only registered voters can vote. You have to demonstrate that you are resident, and a citizen, when you register. The fuss that's been made is that voter registration initiatives passed several years ago required state agencies to offer voter registration with practically any service--get a driver's license, get registered to vote; register a car, get registered to vote; apply for welfare, get registered to vote; and so forth.
In Wisconsin, until the reforms introduced by Scott Walker, all you needed was a piece of mail with an address on it. You could easily pull anyone's mail out of the garbage, and if you got to the polling place before that person did, you could walk in and vote.
Jan '11
Re: Should I Vote?
I'm telling my kids to make sure that that I somehow vote Conservative long after my death
Feb '11
Re: Should I Vote?
The meeting with Ari Fleischer and Matt Brooks (Exec Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition) was very successful and lively.
Loudest applause came when Matt said that John Bolton is part of Romney's foreign policy team.
Edited on July 10, 2012 at 10:08pmMar '11
Re: Should I Vote?
FWIW, although I can theoretically vote in the UK I choose not to, as I am a US citizen and pay US taxes.
But it's a personal decision, I guess.
Mar '12
Re: Should I Vote?
I'll weigh in once more but from a different perspective. You once lived in the US and you are a US citizen. You now live in Israel and have dual citizenship. Will you move back to the US? No current plans but no real idea?
Vote. You don't have to stop being an American because you are somewhere else. You still have a stake in this country unless and until you renounce American citizenship. Exercise that citizenship. Vote.
Sep '11
Re: Should I Vote?
John Murdoch
... You have to demonstrate that you are resident, and a citizen, when you register.
Not in Pennsylvania, you don't. When my husband became a citizen and went to register to vote he took his citizenship papers with him. No one asked him for anything. He could have registered every time he renewed his driver's license, but did not.
Aug '10
Re: Should I Vote?
Vote for Israel , which means against this group .But remember the military absentee ballots sometimes disappear, imagine what they do with absentee ballots from Israel ?