Posted on 10/31/2012 6:47:43 PM PDT by jazusamo
Alternative candidates can’t solve America’s ills
It feels good to take a stand on principle. Knowing you’ve done the right thing for the right reason brings a feeling of satisfaction; third-party advocates thrive on this emotional response. The problem is, voting for an alternative candidate is rarely the right thing to do.
Supporters believe the Libertarian Party’s Gary Johnson would, if elected, be better equipped to restrain Washington spending. The front page of Mr. Johnson’s own website acknowledges that’s not something that will happen. He only seeks enough votes to make a protest statement. “Five percent of the vote ends the two-party abuse and allows Libertarian candidates equal ballot access and federal funding,” wrote Mr. Johnson.
That’s right, the Libertarian candidate wants your vote so he can get a handout from Uncle Sam: matching funds that neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama have sought this year.
Mr. Johnson’s complaint about ballot access rings especially hollow considering he had a fair shot at winning the Republican nomination. The former governor of New Mexico could have showcased his excellent record during the GOP primary debates, but his performance failed to excite conservatives.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Every time I read something like this it just encourages me to vote 3rd party.
The GOP doesn’t own my vote any more than the than the democrats own their slaves.
I think people should vote for whomever they like. It’s kind of pointless for the WashTimes or anyone to spend much time worrying about it. The third party vote this year is especially small it seems, % wise.
If the RNC would spend 1/10,000th the time making sure our nomination process was sound and good Conservatives could easily win the nomination, as they do complaining about withheld and third party votes, they wouldn’t have to worry about either.
Exactly, the whining about it is just plain irritating. If they’d quit sliding to the left 3rd parties it wouldn’t be a problem.
Well, let's extend this "logic" , shall we?
Let's say Romney wins...and the winning party -- the "first party" -- is the Red party; and the 2nd place party is the blue party.
This would mean that if you voted for Obama in a red state, you "wasted your vote."
Obama didn't win; and in red states, Obama had NO CHANCE of winning.
Therefore, all red-state voters "wasted" their votes!
The reverse, of course, is also true, electorally -- even for Romney.
If Romney captures 0 electoral votes in clear blue states -- win or lose -- 0% of those votes in those solid blue states won't give Romney a single electoral vote he needs to win...hence all of those solid blue state voters voting for Romney...they wasted their vote!
2nd place by (state) race only counts in sports like horse racing...not state by state electoral POTUS races!!!!
So what is the "takeaway" here for voters like me, who will be voting for Virgil Goode?
Well until these authors (& accompanying posters) begin to lecture blue and red state voters not to bother voting for the obvious 2nd placer in those given states, then their inconsistencies ring quite hollow...and therefore, it's time they "sit down" from such a "lecture tour"...
3rd parties = even more corruption and government spending than the 2 parties we already have. Just look at Europe.
‘Libertarians’ already looking for federal funding even though they know they won’t be able to cut anything else? Just makes my case even stronger.
Who wrote this editorial? Obama? Romney?
The Democrat and the Republican parties don’t want any competition? Really?
What a shock!
Agreed, and that's exactly how it is.
I look at this editorial little different than a campaign ad from either party, It's anti Obama and that's not a bad thing. I suppose you could look at it as asking people to vote against their principles, probably true in the case of principled Conservatives.
We know what the bastard in the WH has done to the country in the four years he's been there and I for one don't want four more years of it.
Sometimes it works out
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoiler_effect#section_2
Virgil could have the John B Anderson effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_B._Anderson
Just imagine what would have happened if he didn’t run. (J B Anderson)
Sorry powers out, using 3G. Please add any comments to me on the server time out page. I’ll be able to read it from there :)
The problem is I don’t think principled conservatives have any of their own dogs in this race, which is sad. I do want Romney to beat Obama, but I am not going to pretend that Romney is some great and wonderful conservative.
Nor am I, he's no conservative but I don't believe he hates the country.
You make an excellent point. My state, Oklahoma, will absolutely, positively NOT vote to reelect Obama. Does that mean all the Democrats should stay home, because their votes are arguably “wasted?” I don’t think so. I may not agree with their choice for president, but each person owns their own vote. It doesn’t belong to anyone else. The only person who decides whether their vote is wasted is the person who casts it (or doesn’t cast it—whatever they believe is best).
What’s the foolproof plan for the next, hopefully, much more conservative Congress (both, the House and the Senate) when dealing with a “non-conservative President Mitt Romney”? Details, please.
I’d love to have Barry Goldwater (or Virgil Goode, or Gary Johnson, or Newt, or Ron Paul) in the White House, but it ain’t gonna happen... So, Mr. Principle, meet Mr. Reality.
A vote for a third-party “true conservative” candidate, or staying at home on election day, is colluding with the enemy. You may as well vote for Zero if you’re going to throw away a vote that could be used to oust the current Impersonator-in-Chief.
Better a “liberal” e-RINO in the White House than an un-American, anti-American leftist “comrade”!
FYI, some of my Tea Party friends recommend the $2.99 ebook, “Conservative Survival in the Romney Era” by Philip Klein, though I haven’t read it yet.
A view not espoused by the DNC moles here.
Romney is destined to disappoint, but Obama inevitably infuriates!
“The GOP doesn’t own my vote”
Mine either.
Worse than wasted. Counter-productive.
The only message it sends is: “ I don’t know what the heck I’m doing when it comes to politics.”
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