Independents: How Do You Choose?

[purplecow1]

I originally supported Dr. Paul's run for the Presidency and was sad to see the media not even give him the time of day. I will not, however, support losers like Bob Barr, Wayne Allen Root, Ralph Nader, and Cynthia McKinney. I am continually disappointed in the Libertarian Party's choice for president, and although I most agree with their values, I often feel as if their candidates are no where near prepared to run the country in today's environment.

I am still on the fence, but McCain's choice of Palin has pushed me further in the Obama direction (who I did vote for in the primaries against Hillary). A Democrat run presidency and Congress is a bit scary, but I just don't think I can forgive myself for voting for the second round of village idiots, McCain and Palin. I believe Obama will do a lot to repair America's image as an intelligent member of the international community rather than the rebellious teenager. And I also think he has the balls to do what it takes.

[LauraC]

Originally Posted by saharaga

Under normal circumstances, I would choose option A but this year, I am essentially forced to go with option B. I absolutely cannot, in good conscience, vote for Cynthia McKinney (Green Party) or Bob Barr (Libertarians). I am actually considering skipping over the presidential portion of the ballot altogether. Surely, we have better options than what we're being given.

You know, I thought about not voting but the problem is that the people who analyze poll data can't distinguish a person protesting their choices and not voting from a person too lazy to be bothered to vote. After all of these months (feels like years) of the "presidential campaign season" I find that the person who has been the smartest predictor of my behavior is Roberta McCain who said, many many months ago, that I'd eventually hold my nose and vote for her son.

[SGrey]

Originally Posted by TnHilltopper

Lets say hypothetically again that the new "America Party" offered people a choice of running either of the two tickets mentioned above(American Party primaries). Do you think this would gain the attention and respect of the establishment parties?

Interesting argument from an angle I hadn't looked at.

The question is does the party (3rd) ever gain ground and respectability or are you forever sidelined to siphoning votes from the person you like the least? A bit passive aggressive in the terms of vote casting though, isn't it, unless you really believe in that third party? Not that there is anything wrong with that, I'm just musing.

I think your hypothetical would garner a 3rd party more respectability a great deal faster than they are currently getting it. One of the biggest problems I see 3rd parties having is the respectability issue. They are not helped by so many trying to start at once and some running candidates that are seen as extremists be they left or right leaning. The big 2 and staunch supporters thereof are going to continue sneering at the smaller parties as long as things continue as they have.

What's worse is that instead of gaining voters you risk alienating people that might have otherwise slowly moved your way. That is demonstrated in this very thread where I've seen several people remark (with a bit of obvious dislike) that 3rd party voters are just throwing away their vote.

Where that becomes really tricky is that doing so has the potential to alienate people on the whole if the public perception of them worsens. Its an infinite blame loop that causes resentment and costs them growth and respectability. Case in point, many voters still remember how the siphoning of votes has effected a few elections. Had they caused an effect that worked toward the perceived good people wouldn't blink but in the case of say Gore/Bush happening again and you end up unintentionally undermining everything you hope to achieve.

But developing a 3rd party, your hypothesized American party, could easily gain ground where the current parties continue to struggle or lose it. There is a great untapped potential for 3rd parties that has not yet been realized in no small part due to a bad game plan, so to speak - not to mention blame whether fair or not.

Holding their own primary would also serve to get the candidate(s) out there more than anything they've done so far. People hear Nader, Barr, McKinney and they think, who? The people have no say in these candidates that run. Right now, they are just there, pick them if you want.

One cannot discount the personal respectability of candidates either. I think whichever party pulls in the first big, well known, well respected and liked candidate will then be the party that gains national recognition and the attention of the established 2. Colin Powell is a good example of what I mean. He'll never run, but had he run on a 3rd party that would have had the potential to create chaos in the major two.