EDweller, isn't it so ironic that the folks who are indulging in the fantasy that Romney wouldn't be so bad, are claiming that they are the "realists"?
Then, these so-called "realists" indulge in the mathematical and material (both) fallacy that "if you vote for anybody but Romney, you're essentially voting for Obama." It is numerically false and illustrates the worst kind of entitlement thinking.
These so-called "realists" gamble that sanctioning as the most powerful Republican in the U.S. and the most powerful American in the world, a guy with a demonstrated record of advancing every single major liberal agenda we've been voting GOP all these years to oppose, would somehow make room to "fight another day to get the GOP back."
When all these self-described "realists" faced the real reality, they would find that they had decimated their own troops for fighting "another day."
We face a most unusual and fortunate blessing: Obama is despised by many of those who supported him last time, so there is very little chance he could ever get a majority, so of all years to risk third party tactics, THIS year is one. Unless a miracle happens (and they do happen!) to prevent an O v R contest, there is only ONE WAY a conservative can use his presidential vote to help the conservatives he'll vote for downticket.
That is to vote official third party (mathematically and materially neutral with regard to favoring either Obama or Romney) to help split the popular vote into a plurality so that the winner, be it Obama or Romney, is opposed by the majority of voters, conspicuously lacks a mandate, and is put on defense. The last time a president "won" when 57% of Americans voted against him -- Clinton in '92 -- he was so vulnerable that Congress revolted to the benefit of his opposing party, the Republicans. The Republican Revolution would probably never have happened if Clinton had won with a majority or if HW had been re-elected.
THAT is Realville. Subscribing to the ol' "Hope he'll change" rationale to support voting for Romney, is diving head-first into Fantasyland.
This is where your argument LOSES all value and credibility. No one is saying Romney will change. We all know Romney is a rino. However, Romney is NOT Obama, and is for the American Ideal. We all recognize the fact the GOPe needs to be mixed up and conservatives need to take control, but voting third party is a vote for Obama. Your logic of "Now's" the time to vote third party because Romney is going to sweep in and win is beyond ludicrous B.S. It doesn't accomplish a friggin thing but help Obama. Although, I will admit it would be hard for even Romney to mess this up after Obama's dismal record.
Here is the SIMPLE current reality. either Romney or Obama will be ELECTED POTUS. Obama is an anti-capitalist, anti-American. Romney is a Capitalist, Pro-American. Which one do you want to be POTUS? If you actually discount this REALITY and want to hang on to your idiotic strategy of "Miracles Do Happen" by screwing around and possibly giving this thing to Obama because Mitt is a rino, then not only are you WRONG...YOU and your ilk are possibly putting the rest of America in danger of more years of downtrodden crap! "Now" most certainly is NOT the time to be messing around and voting for a USELESS third party candidate who wouldn't change a thing other than possibly get Obama elected again.