Independents: How Do You Choose? (Ron Paul, vote, campaign, Democrats)

[paperhouse]

Originally Posted by Shelby61

A. I can not in good conscience vote for either Obama or McCain. I have been told numerous times I am wasting my vote but I vote for the person I feel would do the best job. More people would do the same if they weren’t intimidated into being one of the sheep. I find it laughable that both major parties are going around talking about change. No matter who wins in November it will be more of the same.

Yep. I haven't decided for sure what I'll do, but I know who I won't be voting for.

[TnHilltopper]

Originally Posted by BudinAk

Hypothetical Situation:

You are a member of an independent 3rd party (for the sake of this discussion it doesn't matter which one) Being a realist, you aren't naive enough to believe your candidate could actually get elected. Everyone knows it's going to be either Obama, or McCain, and not who you want.

Do you...

A. Vote for your candidate anyway, knowing he/she can't win. You want to "make a protest statement" with your vote. You want to let everyone know what you think..."you'll go down fighting"...

or...

B. Vote for either Obama or McCain, picking the one who you believe is the "next best" candidate, after the one who you really want. This way, you believe the worst candidate won't win by default, (because you have "thrown away a vote" on a non-winner. If enough independant voters do this, the worst candidate might get elected...).

While I understand that many folks are in the independent or third party type situation this election, I would take note of your premise in the first choice.

To say that a third party candidate will not win is a given, however that doesn't mean they are powerless either. If a third party has the ability to swing an election simply by garnishing 6-10% of the national vote, then who actually decides the election?

Most people have been conditioned to believe that it can only be this way or that, only Democrat or Republican and both parties wish to keep it that way. Yet all its takes for nearly ever election is a mere 5% of the total vote in order to wield incredible power and influence and I think people who support third parties as well as those third parties should view it in this manner until they become more viable and mainstream. It will however never happen as long as people remain convinced that they are powerless to invoke change in their political system.

[walidm]

B. Senator Obama has proven to me over time that he is willing to work for the American people. He inspires the libertarian side of my logic to hope that he will do his best to adhere as much as he can to the Constitution he has taught, and I like the fact that he thinks before he speaks and is more conservative than given credit for.

I like the Senators temperament under fire and anyone who believes he hasn't caught his share of hell in this election cycle is fooling themselves. I think the Senator has shown the steel you don't recognize at first, but that shows itself through a commitment to do what you say you will. I like a person who is willing to compromise because the our entire lives are lived through contracts, through our word, and through the value we place on trying to do the best we can with what we have. And I like a politician who will say he is going to make mistakes - we've never had one tell us that. I think the Senator will do allright.

[Mod edit: message tags]

[mimimomx3]

Originally Posted by BudinAk

Hypothetical Situation:

You are a member of an independent 3rd party (for the sake of this discussion it doesn't matter which one) Being a realist, you aren't naive enough to believe your candidate could actually get elected. Everyone knows it's going to be either Obama, or McCain, and not who you want.

Do you...

A. Vote for your candidate anyway, knowing he/she can't win. You want to "make a protest statement" with your vote. You want to let everyone know what you think..."you'll go down fighting"...

or...

B. Vote for either Obama or McCain, picking the one who you believe is the "next best" candidate, after the one who you really want. This way, you believe the worst candidate won't win by default, (because you have "thrown away a vote" on a non-winner. If enough independant voters do this, the worst candidate might get elected...)...



PS: Yes, I am an independant. And yes, I am asking myself these same questions....

Thanks,
Bud

B.
Obama is not my first choice, but I'll do anything to keep a Pentecostal out of the white house...oh, and the old guy, too.

[teatime]

B.
I'm an independent, too, and was an avid Hillary supporter. I took a look at Barr after Hillary lost but he was too liberal for my tastes. I was thinking of simply writing in Hillary for a while but I thought that was a cop-out. I'm VERY convinced that Obama would be a disaster for this country so I felt I had to take a stand. I threw my support behind McCain.

[LoneStarJerry]

I'm an Independent but I'm voting for McCain. I have voted for third party candidates in presidential elections before, even though I knew they weren't going to win. I believe in voting for who I feel is the best person for the job, not by political party, etc.

I don't like any of the third party candidates this year, and this will be a very close election, and it's one that I don't want to see Obama win. McCain will be getting my vote because of the two candidates I feel he is the best person to lead America. I'm not the biggest McCain fan in terms of being President, but I believe he will do a good job, I would feel safe with him running the country, and there's no question at all about the love and passion he has for America. And when he picked Sarah Palin that sealed the deal for me to vote for McCain over a third party candidate, I really like what she has to offer this country.

I do not sincerely believe Obama loves this country and would do whatever he had to do in order to protect it, I believe he's more in love with the idea of running the country, and turning it into the America he would like it to be, and I don't feel that would be an America we would be happy with when all is said and done.

[Luiso]

I was in the Obama camp and though I like him as a person . I don't think he is who I thought he was .

Went back to Independent because if Mccain wins no big deal it's a balance of powers as Dem's control Senate/Congress .

Obama subscribes to Amnesty . Everything he talk's about health care for those who do not have it ,just better safety net for workers. Thing's I like.

He will never acheive with amnesty for 20 million and no change in open borders.
Money does not grow on tree's and you can't support the world with America's limited funds and hurting economy. Hillary was correct great idea's about change but no real world solution's.

Both he and Mccain have border line "We love Amnesty" commercials in Hispanic radio and that is not for me simply because there is limited funds and how can you provide health care for citizens when you add 20 mill or more with the swipe of a pen.

[jfkIII]

Independents Choosing Process: eenie, meenie, miney...moe.

[Colts]

I choose based on who I think would do the most for this country while minimizing any potential to jeopardize our well being. In a year like this, where we have two particularly weak candidates, it takes a bit more scrutiny to evaluate who would be best. I tend to value a candidate with experience and concern for federal level issues more than someone with less-than-concrete plans. Issues such as defense, the economy, etc take priority over other topics such as abortion stance, etc.

[SGrey]

To say that a third party candidate will not win is a given, however that doesn't mean they are powerless either. If a third party has the ability to swing an election simply by garnishing 6-10% of the national vote, then who actually decides the election?

Ah but is it not more random chance at play rather than an actual decision maker? The 6-10% of the vote usually vote for their third because they don't consider the 2 mains to be viable options. At this point such votes probably do have to be considered protest votes. Anyway, they vote while not having a clue how their vote is going to influence the 2 mains.

It's purely random after that since there is no conscious or subconscious choice in picking X or Y candidate that is going to become Pres. The sole thing you are guaranteed is ripping votes from one of them. If anything you are making the decision to let the universe decide. You have no control in who will be president because its really quite random. That is one of the main issues I have with voting 3rd party. You pretty much have to throw a coin in the air then depend on the rest of the American public to decide. The randomness makes the control freak in me twitch.