I'M to Blame? Sorry, not THIS Time

Published on February 12, 2005 By Gideon MacLeish In Politics

I have had an interesting time reading the articles over the past four months. What has especially amused me has been the statements about "getting the government we deserve" and how "we're all to blame for supporting these cretins" (these aren't EXACT quotes from specific articles, but they do sum up a general feeling of bipartisan malfeasance).

WELL, let me take you back a few months to when I was standing on my Libertarian soapbox, and presenting not only OUR party platform, but those of the Green and Constitution parties as well.

The repeated chorus of "wasted vote" came back, ad nauseam. My reply was (and still is) that a "wasted vote" is one made for a candidate you don't support. And while I can't claim a moral high ground, I can't help but grin at the irony that, had I not "wasted my vote", I would truly be responsible for helping to support this status quo that is helping to drive this nation into bankruptcy.

And yet I can't gloat. You see, I care very deeply about this country. It is MY country, and it is MY homeland, and has been for up to 14 generations. My grandparents, and their grandparents, helped to build it, fought for it, died for it, and worked to leave a legacy for their descendants. And because it IS my country, the land that I love so dearly, it saddens me that we blindside ourselves with partisanship and fail to see the REAL issues and REAL problems that need to be solved to restore this country.

While I am not a fan of ex President Clinton, in his first inaugural speech, he stated, quite properly, that "there is nothing wrong with America that can't be cured by what's right with America". Those words stuck with me even as he consistently betrayed many of the causes he had once claimed to champion.

But back to topic: it is an interesting catch-22 that our society presents that tells us that if we vote for a third party, it's a wasted vote, and yet if we vote for either of the "big two", we're only helping to support the big government policies that have this country in a stranglehold. In the end, it's a matter of voting true to one's convictions and being true to what you believe.

Still, there's a certain smug satisfaction in being able to truthfully proclaim:

"Don't blame me -- I voted for Badnarik"

Comments

ParaTed2k

on Feb 13, 2005

For people who told me that they didn't like either Bush or Kerry, I'd ask them if they've considered voting third party. They usually hit me with the "wasted vote" paradigm also. Then I'd ask them how voting their conscience could possibly be a "wasted vote", again they came back with some excuse. My last question was always...

"If you're not voting your own consciensce, whose conscience are you using?"

whoman69

on Feb 13, 2005

I would answer with, its a wasted vote if the others are not a viable alternative. If voting for Bednarik gets him to 5% of the vote then there is no point to vote for Bednarik. Until 3rd parties want to put the work in to even get a local candidate elected, why should they have any voice on a national level. Let's say that a 3rd party candidate were to win the presidency. Without any members of Congress on their side, their administration would be about as effective as John Tyler, the only President to ever get kicked out of their own party.

sqrrldrw

on Feb 13, 2005

It would be interesting if America had a parlimentary system and third parties could make a realistic difference in who is elected head-of-state. Could you imagine the dems or the republicans in Congress holding discussions with Bednarik or Nader to get key votes?

Best,

sqrrldrw

ParaTed2k

on Feb 13, 2005

I would answer with, its a wasted vote if the others are not a viable alternative. If voting for Bednarik gets him to 5% of the vote then there is no point to vote for Bednarik.

Fair enough answer, but using this logic, is there any more reason to vote for a republican candidate in a state that goes overwhelmingly democrat (or vise vera)than a third party candidate? Badnarik had every bit as much of a chance of winning Utah (for example) as Kerry did.

Until 3rd parties want to put the work in to even get a local candidate elected, why should they have any voice on a national level.

Maybe if they didn't get arrested when they did show up to "presidential" debates, their voices wouldn't be silenced so much.

It would be interesting if America had a parlimentary system and third parties could make a realistic difference in who is elected head-of-state

Good point, but the fact is that right now we have two "third parties" in control.

Dr Guy

on Feb 14, 2005

It is not wasted under 2 conditions. One is you truly beleive in the candidate, and 2 is if you dont care for the 2 viable candidates.

ParaTed2k

on Feb 14, 2005

To me, the only "wasted vote" is the one not cast.

Dr Guy

on Feb 14, 2005

To me, the only "wasted vote" is the one not cast.

That too.

Angloesque

on Feb 14, 2005

Still, there's a certain smug satisfaction in being able to truthfully proclaim:

"Don't blame me -- I voted for Badnarik"

Mmm, I feel smug.

-A.

Gideon MacLeish

on Feb 14, 2005

I would answer with, its a wasted vote if the others are not a viable alternative. If voting for Bednarik gets him to 5% of the vote then there is no point to vote for Bednarik.

This said by a staunch supporter of the party that pretty much kicked me out (no room for anti gun control, conservative Christians in the "all inclusive" Democrat Party).

Whoman, your party is becoming increasingly irrelevant and patently offensive even to those of us in the Christian community who have managed to hold onto liberation theology and the social gospel. Instead of seeing us as potential allies, you have an "all or nothing" mindset that feels it must convert us to the far left...and it is costing you votes, and cost you a winnable presidency.

A WASTED vote is one for a candidate you don't believe in.

Perhaps you would have preferred I voted Bush instead of your repulsive, negative candidate?

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