If you don't vote Republican or Democrat?

[islandman]

What do you do with your vote?

ps - Ralph Nader need not respond.

 

[PannieMonster]

Of course! I'm a firm believer in exercising your right to vote.

 

[islandman]

Of course! I'm a firm believer in exercising your right to vote.

yeah, i realized I framed the question incorrectly. See revised first post.

 

[PannieMonster]

You can still be an independant and vote for the candidate that you like the best regardless of what party they belong to.

Not everyone likes to goosestep to the marching tune of a particular political party.

 

[CTYankee]

The way I see it: If you vote for a third party you don't really expect your guy to win. At most you'll either: 1) help act as a spoiler by splitting Candidate A's votes (thereby contributing to the election of Candidate B), or 2) send a message to the two big parties.

Any time a third party has even started to approach credible numbers, both mainstream parties have been forced to look hard at themselves & figure out how to bring these folks back into the fold.

The US will never be anything like a Parliamentary system with LOTS of political parties, coalition governments made & broken, etc.

 

[Worm]

At this point I don't know. I may even jump on the Ron Paul bandwagon if he decides to go 3rd party which is unlikely. They all have scripted answers for everything I really don't like a single one of them. I suppose I could do the lesser of two evils route or just leave it blank and vote in my local elections.

 

[zipman]

Voting for a third party candidate is far better than being apathetic and not voting at all.

 

[John Doe]

You can still be an independant and vote for the candidate that you like the best regardless of what party they belong to.

Not everyone likes to goosestep to the marching tune of a particular political party.

There is a party called the Independent party. When you say independent do you mean voting independently?

 

[islandman]

The way I see it: If you vote for a third party you don't really expect your guy to win. At most you'll either: 1) help act as a spoiler by splitting Candidate A's votes (thereby contributing to the election of Candidate B), or 2) send a message to the two big parties.

Any time a third party has even started to approach credible numbers, both mainstream parties have been forced to look hard at themselves & figure out how to bring these folks back into the fold.

The US will never be anything like a Parliamentary system with LOTS of political parties, coalition governments made & broken, etc.

See, that's the problem and incidentally, that's what I did last election re 'lesser of two evils'.

WHERE'S MY VIABLE THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE?

 

[PannieMonster]

There is a party called the Independent party. When you say independent do you mean voting independently?

Exactly what I mean. Voting as an independant voter, not belonging to any party.

 

[islandman]

Voting for a third party candidate is far better than being apathetic and not voting at all.

Even better, voting for a third-party candidate that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Republicans and Democrats.

 

[FinePhilly]

Voting for a third party candidate is far better than being apathetic and not voting at all.

Not voting is not necessarily apathetic.

I did not vote during the Dole/Clinton election because I did not have any candidate that I could get behind. I was very informed about the election...I just didn't feel that in good conscience I could vote for either of them.

I abstained, not out of ignorance but because picking the best of the worst just seemed pointless to me.

 

[Lasher]

Voting for a third party candidate is far better than being apathetic and not voting at all.

Or voting for a Republican in 2008.

 

[eagleyez]

Im a registered independant, which grants me a bit of selection freedom during primary season.

In 04, I wrote in Gary Snyder for president. Kerry wasnt for me and Bush, well, he is comedic in his verbal gaffs, but otherwise just a dunce in the happy house.

This year is very different. All the energy is on the dems side. The repubs are a crackup, and each of the players a cartoon.

 

[erosman]

Interestingly enough, I registered to vote today when I changed my residency while getting a new driver license. It was the first time in 30 years that I didn't espouse a political party. That said, I'll vote my fiscally conservative, socially moderate gut in November.

 

[Saint Peter]

Interestingly enough, I registered to vote today when I changed my residency while getting a new driver license. It was the first time in 30 years that I didn't espouse a political party. That said, I'll vote my fiscally conservative, socially moderate gut in November.

Cuba has elections?

 

[erosman]

Petey Pie! We're talking WEST of Cuba! Big Cuba (as opposed to little cuba).

Speaking of colder than a witch's tit, how's your frostbite?

 

[John Doe]

Petey Pie! We're talking WEST of Cuba! Big Cuba (as opposed to little cuba).

Speaking of colder than a witch's tit, how's your frostbite?

Mexico?

 

[erosman]

Mexico?

No, there is a western state in Cuba known as Dade.

 

[CTYankee]

WHERE'S MY VIABLE THIRD-PARTY CANDIDATE?

Even better, voting for a third-party candidate that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Republicans and Democrats.

There's no such thing, and there likely will never be. That's my point.

As soon as someone like John Anderson, Ross Perot or Ralph Nader comes along and *begins* to generate credible numbers in the 6-10 percent range, BOTH mainstream parties start to frantically scramble -- tweaking their platforms to pull those voters back into the fold.

Happens every time.

All the "third party" can do is send a message to the big two (or be a spoiler in a close race).

 

[Saint Peter]

Petey Pie! We're talking WEST of Cuba! Big Cuba (as opposed to little cuba).

Speaking of colder than a witch's tit, how's your frostbite?

The dogs and I stayed in the igloo and frostbite was avoided.

Have you stocked up on plywood and drinking water yet? You want to be the early bird on those.

 

[Noor]

What do you do with your vote?

ps - Ralph Nader need not respond.

At best you vote for the best candidate regardless of their party affiliation, at worse you vote the incumbent bastards out.

 

[erosman]

The dogs and I stayed in the igloo and frostbite was avoided.

Have you stocked up on plywood and drinking water yet? You want to be the early bird on those.

Actually a voice told me to build a large floating barn. Why don't you come down? You'd love this place - more silicon walking around than at a bathtub caulking convention.

 

[Shagly]

Policiticians, never trust them.

 

[smotherman]

Or voting for a Republican in 2008.

OMG, help I'm choking.http://www.forumsforums.com/3_9/images/smilies/g2/yum.gif


I'd vote for "Rosie O'Donnell " before I vote for a republican and I can't stand her. I'm an Independent, will be voting Dem in 2008!