Vanity: [FR Poll] If it's Kerry vs Bush how will you vote?

2/7/2003 | FR

[lewislynn]

You can't move the country to the Right by shifting back to the left.

No but apparently a whole bunch of people have been led to believe moving left is really right.

[nopardons]

Okay, then let's allow EVERYONE,`in the ENTIRE world to vote in our elections.No? Why ever not, with your reasoning, they're just as affected by who our president is as we are...right ?

[MJY1288]

I don't doubt that a bit, but the digging is the problem, you always come out smelling like sheeeite :-)

[Happygal]

It's validity lies in that a person votes for the candidate that they believe to be the 'best' person to represent their views.

If enough people share that view, then it sends a message to the established parties that there is an element of the populice, who feel disenfranchised by their current policy -and are seeking a representative voice.

Surely you can comprehend that?

[uglybiker]

You're puttin' words in my mouth.

[nopardons]

A vote for a viable candidate is valid. One for a fringe party candidate or a write-in, is invalid in the sense that the vote is thrown away, at best, and works as a " spoiler ", at worst.

Did the GREENIE Naderites want to elect Bush as president? No.Please extrapolate, for yourself from there. :-)

[nopardons]

No, I'm not, but I'm sorry if I seemed to.

[CholeraJoe]

I'd crawl naked over a mile of broken glass to vote for Bush.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Hmmmm. I wonder if you and I are related.

[nopardons]

Ah, but therein lies your problem and misunderstanding.

IT SENDS NO MESSAGE; NONE !

[yonif]

A vote for a viable candidate is valid. One for a fringe party candidate or a write-in, is invalid in the sense that the vote is thrown away, at best, and works as a " spoiler ", at worst.

Who decides if the candidate is viable?

Sure, the vote is thrown away, but it is thrown away from the two political parties, not from the political process itself. It is therefore that it can affect those two political parties, who would seek to get that "thrown-away" vote, if indeed many people do so.

Did the GREENIE Naderites want to elect Bush as president? No.Please extrapolate, for yourself from there. :-)

Nope, they didn't. But they may have sent a message to the Democrats on what candidate they would support.

[thrcanbonly1]

Yep your right. I didn't brag about anything, and I am far from wealthy. But at least I earned what I have. People payed me of their own free will for what I provided. Unlike you and the rest of the losers who can't get a job in the private sector. I tried to be nice, but you and the rest of the humorless a$$holes (There are some worth talking to, but not many) can go f^ck yourselves. You people truly scare me.

[nopardons]

And I'll sue you for libel. Libel laws are so much easier to prove over there. :-)

[billbears]

Where is the "protest vote" from the left? Nowhere to be found, obviously. What does that tell you?

Why should there be one? Has the Democratic Party moved to the right in anyway? Truthfully now. You may have a candidate like ol' Slick run to the center for a bit but he's going to be loyal to the left once in office. As for the far left, you've got the Greens and a few others but there's not a real need for them as the left stays left.

The Republican party OTOH hasn't done that as much. And considering some of the fiscal moves doesn't appear to want to do that in the future. It appears, note I said appears, they're trying to capture the Reagan Democrats almost at all costs. Those in the middle. But to continue to appease these new voters over time what will have to continue happening to non-defense spending budgets?

Perhaps 'protest' vote is the wrong word in this situation. Because I think those that have committed to vote Constitution and socially conservative Libertarians (some of them at least) truly believe in their candidate. I'm not saying some Republicans and Democrats don't believe in their candidates, but it's almost a one upmanship in these cases. Almost a 'We don't really have a plan that you're going to very much like for a large part but we don't want to let the other guy in'. I keep going back to Washington's farewell address here recently but it's really been running over and over in my head because I don't think I've ever seen it so vividly as it has become in the past four years

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

Washington said quite a bit more about some other things that aren't very popular of late but this just worries me. It is almost a 'spirit of revenge' of late between the parties. And in the long run that cannot be internally healthy for this nation of states

[Happygal]

Are you spirited and bolshi, like me? *L*

[Mo1]

Well Gee .. that wasn't very nice

[Happygal]

The truth is the best defence in a libel action.

I don't think I need to be concerned. :-)

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

I'l crawl through 10 miles of mosquito infested swamp and jungle, peel buckets of leeches off my back and walk a pungee-pit for the opportunity as well as privalege to vote for President Bush again.

[cinFLA]

won't vote for Kerry. But I'm really not sure I want to vote for Bush.

That means you would just as soon have Kerry for president. Go back to DU.

[cyborg]

I don't think he likes our friendly government employees.