I'm pissed about the upcoming
election, and it's not because of the candidates themselves or the media
bullshit. It is because of the voters.
Speaking to different groups, I've come across mostly the following types of
people:
1) Those who are voting for Romney, because they believe that Obama is part of some conspiracy and if we elect him, we'll all be subjected to Sharia law or some bullshit like that.
2) Those who are voting for Obama, because they view him as the lesser of the two evils (and they believe that they would just be throwing their vote away if they were to vote for the candidate they REALLY prefer).
3) Those who are completely disillusioned, and are choosing not to vote at all because they find it to be pointless.
I am somewhat appalled by the attitudes and mindsets of people in this country.
For those who fall into the first category, I have to ask, where the hell are you getting your information from? Fox News? News Talk 1130? Seriously. What solid evidence is there supporting this view? Everyone I've talked to who has spouted this nonsense seems to me to be uninformed, judgmental, overly religious, and basically brainwashed.
For those who fall into the second category, what is wrong with you? Vote for the person you want to vote for! Don't fall for this "lesser of two evils" crap, and stand up for what you believe in. It's a shame that people feel they have to essentially use their voting power as some kind of preventative measure, instead of using it to actually support their chosen candidate.
For those who fall into the third category, stop being lazy. It's easy to believe that you have no control, no way of making a difference, and honestly, I can't say I know for certain that this isn't true. But why not take the time to educate yourself anyway, and just make a decision and vote? It can't hurt.
I myself have decided to vote for Ron Paul, and I can't tell you how many people I've run into who feel that Ron Paul is their preferred candidate as well, yet don't have the guts to give their vote to him. Here we have a guy who isn't backed by mega corporations, who believes in the free market, who believes in giving people the most freedom possible to live their lives the way they choose (as long as they do not harm others), a guy who so many people seem to support, yet are too afraid to give their vote to him. What a shame.
I'm calling out to everyone - whatever category you fall into, of the three above or of some other that I didn't mention - PLEASE take the time to examine ALL of your voting options, don't succomb to the "lesser of two evils" ideology, and vote for someone you believe in. Don't believe everything you hear in the media, or even what your friends and family tell you. Do research, think for yourself, and fulfill your duty as a citizen of this country. Even if it is all a sham, and your vote won't matter, vote anyway; you certainly won't be any worse off if you do.
1) Those who are voting for Romney, because they believe that Obama is part of some conspiracy and if we elect him, we'll all be subjected to Sharia law or some bullshit like that.
2) Those who are voting for Obama, because they view him as the lesser of the two evils (and they believe that they would just be throwing their vote away if they were to vote for the candidate they REALLY prefer).
3) Those who are completely disillusioned, and are choosing not to vote at all because they find it to be pointless.
I am somewhat appalled by the attitudes and mindsets of people in this country.
For those who fall into the first category, I have to ask, where the hell are you getting your information from? Fox News? News Talk 1130? Seriously. What solid evidence is there supporting this view? Everyone I've talked to who has spouted this nonsense seems to me to be uninformed, judgmental, overly religious, and basically brainwashed.
For those who fall into the second category, what is wrong with you? Vote for the person you want to vote for! Don't fall for this "lesser of two evils" crap, and stand up for what you believe in. It's a shame that people feel they have to essentially use their voting power as some kind of preventative measure, instead of using it to actually support their chosen candidate.
For those who fall into the third category, stop being lazy. It's easy to believe that you have no control, no way of making a difference, and honestly, I can't say I know for certain that this isn't true. But why not take the time to educate yourself anyway, and just make a decision and vote? It can't hurt.
I myself have decided to vote for Ron Paul, and I can't tell you how many people I've run into who feel that Ron Paul is their preferred candidate as well, yet don't have the guts to give their vote to him. Here we have a guy who isn't backed by mega corporations, who believes in the free market, who believes in giving people the most freedom possible to live their lives the way they choose (as long as they do not harm others), a guy who so many people seem to support, yet are too afraid to give their vote to him. What a shame.
I'm calling out to everyone - whatever category you fall into, of the three above or of some other that I didn't mention - PLEASE take the time to examine ALL of your voting options, don't succomb to the "lesser of two evils" ideology, and vote for someone you believe in. Don't believe everything you hear in the media, or even what your friends and family tell you. Do research, think for yourself, and fulfill your duty as a citizen of this country. Even if it is all a sham, and your vote won't matter, vote anyway; you certainly won't be any worse off if you do.
Just because voters are disillusioned with all candidates doesn't mean they don't care.
ReplyDeleteRemember when Ralph Nader took a few percentage points away from Al Gore in the 2000 election? Well those people who "voted for who they believed in", knowing full well Nader had nowhere near the popular support required to win the election (as evidenced in the polls) might have been the difference between 2 long wars, billions in debt, and the immense damages to America's image and respectability that were incurred during the years from 2000-2008.
I have major problems with all of the candidates. I really don't like any of them. In 2008 I was all aboard the Obama train, but he has disappointed a lot of us over the past 4 years. I am in no way excited or happy about voting for him. However, I will still be casting my vote for him next week because I do believe is he the "least terrible" out of the candidates. That doesn't mean I don't care, or that I think I'd be throwing my vote away by voting for someone like RP. I don't get how this shows indifference in any way.
If one really didn't give a ****, wouldn't they just stay at home on Nov 4? Voting for a candidate you're not excited about is just as important as voting for your ideal perfect candidate - it's still a vote. That's why I went out and voted for Romney in the Republican primary - because I would have hated myself for standing by idly had Rick Santorum won in the polls.
I'm motivated to vote for one of the top 2, even if I was a Ron Paul supporter because:
1)I think there's a big enough (although not huge) difference between Obama and Romney
2) It's a close race
Let's say I'm a supporter of a third party or independent candidate. Being a rational person, I realize that despite all my voting and supporting of my candidate during the campaign race, he or she has failed in terms of winning the presidency. Unfortunately for me, they don't have the support required to become the President of the United States this election. They are not going to gain 40 percentage points in the polls over the next week. This is when you say "Oh well, we'll try again next time" and then make a decision on whether to vote for them anyway on principle, or vote for the candidate with the real chance of winning who you think will do a better job.
I wish American politics were not a 2 party system as much as anyone, but that's not going to change by voting in the elections. It's going to change by convincing and influencing people on the ground, over the course of some time. No Reps/Dems are going to suddenly like Ron Paul just because he got 4% of the popular vote. It's about education on the ground.
People act like democracy is all about voting for the candidate believe in the most. It should be, but in our 2 party system, democracy also means voting for what you think is best for your country in the OFFICIAL ELECTION. That is to say, I am not suggesting you change allegiances, just vote and support strategically when the time comes.
Also, the electoral collage is a bummer when it comes to voting. I recently moved to a state that always votes Blue, and I feel a lot less enthusiastic about here than in Wisconsin, since I know Obama is going to win here by a big margin anyway. I miss the excitement and feeling of importance when voting in a swing state.
ReplyDeleteI'm not going to vote! You mad?
ReplyDeleteHe sure is.
DeleteClearly you know very little about how our election system works. Each state only goes blue or red (Or, toward a third party) based on how many votes go to whom in the state. Only the two major parties get air-time or funding enough to compete. This means that that only one of these two people will be elected. The votes are not tallied at a national level just a state level. So, if I choose to throw my vote away by voting for a third party, then that is my choice. I have wasted my vote as no state will ever go completely to whom I voted for. Again, my vote now means nothing. Now, I could look at the two candidates that are going to be elected and question which is the better of the two, because I definitely don't want the greater of two evils. I will vote for the lesser of two evils because then it is not thrown away. <- This is called logic. It is very useful and could save us from many years of completely atrocious candidates. If you want to throw your vote away on a third party then go ahead. That is your choice, just as this is mine.
ReplyDelete