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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....
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.
PS: Yes, I am an independant. And yes, I am asking myself these same questions....
I'm having that very same debate with myself. I've never gone 3rd party before but my instinct is to do so now. What gives that instinct pause is that even though I voted for Bush in 2000 (god help me) I can't deny the effect Nader had on the outcome. My fear is that something similar will happen this time around and I would hate for McCain to get in because I voted 3rd party.
Can I check Obama? I honestly don't know but I know I cannot, will not vote McCain. I'll probably decide right before going in to vote, toward the end of the day when I have some idea how things are looking. If Obama appears safe and then its going to be 3rd party. If not...I may have to squeeze my eyes shut and just do the evil of voting for him anyway.
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.
The idea that both candidates are "the same" is what helped get Bush elected over Gore in 2000. Turn the time machine back eight years and run the alternate reality with Gore as president. Look at foreign policy/diplomacy. Look at health care. Look at global warming. Look at civil liberties. Look at any decision that obviously and blatantly favored Big Oil, Big Tobacco, Big-Fill-in-The-Blank.
Still think both candidates/parties are "the same"?
Yes, they're all owned by corporations or special interests. Yes, they're all automatons marching to the latest poll instead of to any actual principals.
But in close elections, you have to admit there are differences between the two parties and vote for the lesser evil.
Obviously, I slant towards the environment and civil liberty. Others may slant towards business and religion. Vote with your slant.
For the record, in the past, I've voted for both McCain and Perot. Didn't vote Nader-- the race was too close. Won't be voting McCain this time around.
C. Vote defensively. What ever party appears will win control of the Legislature, vote the other party to the Presidency. That way, uncontrolled power, like we had in 2000, won't be duplicated. Make parties work together to get anything done.
Because look where B has gotten us for the last 20 years... I personally have had enough of it.
I don't think of it as "throwing my vote away", I think of it as a "vote of no confidence" for the two major parties.
Will a third party candidate win? 99% probability he/she wont. There are way too many Repub / Dem Cool-aid drinkers out there to overcome it plus the mass media will not let that happen. What do I mean by "the mass media will not let that happen"? Where are the serious debates between all the candidates (ESPECIALLY OBAMA!)?
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.
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