Based on your financial expertise, provide your response or viewpoint on the given financial question or topic. The response format is open.

What should I do about proxy statements?
You own a fractional share of the company, maybe you should care enough to at least read the proxy statements which explain the pro and con position for each of the issues you are voting on. That doesn't seem like too much to ask. On the other hand, if you are saying that the people who get paid to be knowledgeable about that stuff should just go make the decisions without troubling you with the details, then choose the option to go with their recommendations, which are always clearly indicated on the voting form. However, if you do this, it might make sense to at least do some investigation of who you are voting onto that board. I guess, as mpenrow said, you could just abstain, but I'm not sure how that is any different than just trashing the form. As for the idea that proxy votes are tainted somehow, the one missing piece of that conspiracy is what those people have to gain. Are you implying that your broker who has an interest in you making money off your investments and liking them would fraudulently cast proxy votes for you in a way that would harm the company and your return? Why exactly would they do this? I find your stance on the whole thing a bit confusing though. You seem to have some strong opinions on corporate Governance, but at the same time aren't willing to invest any effort in the one place you have any control over the situation. I'm just sayin.... Update Per the following information from the SEC Website, it looks like the meaning of a proxy vote can vary depending on the mechanics of the specific issue you are voting on. My emphasis added. What do "for," "against," "abstain"and "withhold" mean on the proxy card or voter instruction form?   Depending on what you are voting on,   the proxy card or voting instruction   form gives you a choice of voting   "for," "against," or "abstain," or   "for" or "withhold." Here is an   explanation of the differences: Election of directors: Generally,   company bylaws or other corporate   documents establish how directors are   elected. There are two main types of   ways to elect directors: plurality   vote and majority vote. A "plurality vote" means that the   winning candidate only needs to get   more votes than a competing candidate.   If a director runs unopposed, he or   she only needs one vote to be elected,   so an "against" vote is meaningless.   Because of this, shareholders have the   option to express dissatisfaction with   a candidate by indicating that they   wish to "withhold" authority to vote   their shares in favor of the   candidate. A substantial number of   "withhold" votes will not prevent a   candidate from getting elected, but it   can sometimes influence future   decisions by the board of directors   concerning director nominees. A "majority vote" means that directors   are elected only if they receive a   majority of the shares voting or   present at the meeting. In this case,   you have the choice of voting "for"   each nominee, "against" each nominee,   or you can "abstain" from voting your   shares. An "abstain" vote may or may   not affect a director's election. Each   company must disclose how "abstain" or   "withhold" votes affect an election in   its proxy statement. This information   is often found toward the beginning of   the proxy statement under a heading   such as "Votes Required to Adopt a   Proposal" or "How Your Votes Are   Counted." Proposals other than an election of   directors: Matters other than voting   on the election of directors, like   voting on shareholder proposals, are   typically approved by a vote of a   majority of the shares voting or   present at the meeting. In this   situation, you are usually given the   choice to vote your shares "for" or   "against" a proposal, or to "abstain"   from voting on it. Again, the effect   of an "abstain" vote may depend on the   specific voting rule that applies. The   company's proxy statement should again   disclose the effect of an abstain   vote.