Why Nader? Why Green?
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- GeraldS_2
- GeraldS_2
- kenrg
- sxoa
- kenrg
- GeraldS_2
- GeraldS_2
- mswogger
- kenrg
- chuckn
This archived discussion is "read only".
For the corresponding "live" discussions, post in the active topic forum here.
» GeraldS_2 - About Wasted Votes
Ken, congratulations. I am not sure whether your column is really superb or whether I like it because I agree 100 percent.As I have been arguing with liberal friends, a vote for Gore is a wasted vote because voting for the evil of two lessers delivers no message to our representatives. If we can pull fifteen or twenty percent of the vote cast, then those birds will begin to get the message.
I honestly believe that a solid Bush victory will be the best tonic that the Dems could ingest.
I am surprised that your column has not generated a lot of discussion. I suspect that most regulars are unaware of this new feature, as I was until accidently running across it.
-- posted by GeraldS_2
» kenrg - Thanks for getting us started!
Thanks, Gerald, for being the brave first poster here. (And even more thanks for being so kind). Yes, this is a new column - just activated two days ago - so there's not a lot of activity here yet. I hope to have another article and some more links ready to go up shortly.- Ken
-- posted by kenrg
» sxoa - Boston TV party
Hey, for a long time I said, "To vote either Democrat or Republican is to throw your vote away". Not that I've voted yet. But I have looked closely at it.Is the Boston TV party still a go? Something about if candidates, including Nader, aren't allowed to debate, on Oct. 2 that there was going to be a bit of civil unrest. Don't recall the details of that.
-- posted by sxoa
» GeraldS_2 - Quotes from Dubya;
Suggested link: Not what it sounds like.Conservative hall of fame.
http://members.tripod.com/~TheCosmicDivi...
Alos the Nation magazine has a website.
On CONSERVATIVE HALL OF FAME, CLICK ON DUBYA'S HEAD (in picture), then on Jethro's. Get all the bright things this guy has said lately.
-- posted by GeraldS_2
» mswogger - Welcome
I'm glad to see this topic here at Suite101. I'm definitely a liberal Democrat who has become disheartened by the lack of fortitude and vision of the New Democrats. And everytime I listen to Ralph Nader, I find myself agreeing with everything he says!However, while I fully agree in principle that no vote is a wasted vote, and as Nader points out, no one candidate is entitled to any one person's vote, I can't help but view this whole issue pragmatically. The reality is, thanks to the Establishment keeping money in the sytem and other candidates out of the debates, that this is a race between Al Gore and George W. Bush. And while I am not a big Gore fan, I am terrified of what might happen if Bush wins and has a Republican congress.
It is unfortunate that, at least in my mind's eye, this election has evolved into one where the people will be voting more against a candidate than for one. If I would cast my ballot for Gore, it would really be one against Dubya. And therein lies the problem. If I vote for Nader (if a bunch vote for Nader), that reduces Gore's chances of (not winning but) defeating Bush. Thus, Bush will have a better chance of becoming president if Gore can't win votes that go to Nader. That is a prospect that both Gore and Nader supporters cringe at.
So I am torn between principle and pragmatics. I simply DON'T want Bush to win under any circumstances. In this election, Bush's defeat is more important to me than any one person's victory. It is sad and frustrating, but true. Standing for what Nader believes, I see that effort being much more undermined by Bush than by Gore. And since Nader stands next to no chance of winning this election because of the aforementioned reasons (which need addressed), that is why this is such a struggle for me.
-- posted by mswogger
» kenrg - Thanks
Gerald - Thanks for the link, and Michael - Thanks for the kind welcome.I truly understand your dilemma, Michael, in being torn between what is presented as conscience or pragmatism. Unfortunately, I fail to see that much difference between the two major candidates (and their platforms).
I also believe that every time we vote for the "lesser of two evils" we get further away from having the major parties give us candidates we believe in. Why bother catering to us if we'll vote for them whatever they do?
I simply can no longer vote for candidates who violate some of my core principals. I especially can not vote for candidates who seem to violate their own core principals (if they ever had any).
- Ken
-- posted by kenrg
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