I still say eff the Democrats. They suck, and they will probably lose. I hate our two-party system. We get a choice between mediocre and unconscionable.
And I still say your "eff the Democrats" stance is utterly meaningless because you'll be giving them your vote anyway. No boycott from you!
I won't speak for Kish (although our view on this is strikingly similar), but a big reason I can relate to "eff the Democrats" is that I feel compelled to vote for them despite how I feel about them, because the GOP is so much worse.
It's strange all this has to be explained to you.
Religion is for people whose existential fear is greater than their common sense.
And I still say your "eff the Democrats" stance is utterly meaningless because you'll be giving them your vote anyway. No boycott from you!
I won't speak for Kish (although our view on this is strikingly similar), but a big reason I can relate to "eff the Democrats" is that I feel compelled to vote for them despite how I feel about them, because the GOP is so much worse.
It's strange all this has to be explained to you.
Kind of like setting a backfire to control a larger, destructive forest fire.
No one really likes setting the woods on fire for any reason, and fire is fire, but how it’s used makes the difference.
Voting for a third party in this election would be like posting a picture of fire outside your home on the hope that it keeps the forest fire from engulfing your property. Not only will that not work, but the picture will just be consumed by the forest fire while adding more fuel to it.
And I still say your "eff the Democrats" stance is utterly meaningless because you'll be giving them your vote anyway. No boycott from you!
It is not utterly meaningless, Shades. Voting for some person who has not a snowball’s chance in hell to win, thus making it harder to defeat the most dangerous candidate in recent history is reckless. I regret that you will do that.
If we want to get realistic, let's talk about the electoral college. I live in Utah, which isn't a swing state. The Republican candidate has a 100% chance of getting 51%+ of the popular vote, which means my vote doesn't count for anything anyway. Even if I enthusiastically voted for the Democratic candidate, this wouldn't change. So I may as well vote for the candidate whose views I honestly believe are the closest to Constitutional principles, then hope that the increased numbers cause the elected powers-that-be to take notice.
I won't speak for Kish (although our view on this is strikingly similar), but a big reason I can relate to "eff the Democrats" is that I feel compelled to vote for them despite how I feel about them, because the GOP is so much worse.
The only way possible to "eff the Democrats" is by withholding your vote from them. There is, quite literally, no other legal way.
It's strange all this has to be explained to you.
Would you believe me if I told you that I was thinking the same about you?
I won't speak for Kish (although our view on this is strikingly similar), but a big reason I can relate to "eff the Democrats" is that I feel compelled to vote for them despite how I feel about them, because the GOP is so much worse.
The only way possible to "eff the Democrats" is by withholding your vote from them. There is, quite literally, no other legal way.
This reminds me of that one time I said 'eff the Academy of Motion Pictures,' and ever since I haven't been allowed to watch any nominated films.
I won't speak for Kish (although our view on this is strikingly similar), but a big reason I can relate to "eff the Democrats" is that I feel compelled to vote for them despite how I feel about them, because the GOP is so much worse.
Yes! Exactly. I feel forced to vote for Democrats because I want to do my part in pushing the GOP to the center. The two parties got where they are together, and they will probably move to better places only when they feel the pressure from voters to do so. I just don't think that voting third party is yet an adequate tool to do that. You punish one by voting for the other.
If reform made other strategies more viable, I would use them.
"I have learned with what evils tyranny infects a state. For it frustrates all the virtues, robs freedom of its lofty mood, and opens a school of fawning and terror, inasmuch as it leaves matters not to the wisdom of the laws, but to the angry whim of those who are in authority.”
Voting for a third party in this election would be like posting a picture of fire outside your home on the hope that it keeps the forest fire from engulfing your property. Not only will that not work, but the picture will just be consumed by the forest fire while adding more fuel to it.
Really cool metaphor for describing the futility of voting third party at the present time.
"I have learned with what evils tyranny infects a state. For it frustrates all the virtues, robs freedom of its lofty mood, and opens a school of fawning and terror, inasmuch as it leaves matters not to the wisdom of the laws, but to the angry whim of those who are in authority.”
If we want to get realistic, let's talk about the electoral college. I live in Utah, which isn't a swing state. The Republican candidate has a 100% chance of getting 51%+ of the popular vote, which means my vote doesn't count for anything anyway. Even if I enthusiastically voted for the Democratic candidate, this wouldn't change. So I may as well vote for the candidate whose views I honestly believe are the closest to Constitutional principles, then hope that the increased numbers cause the elected powers-that-be to take notice.
A good reminder for why I shouldn't get upset with you for voting third party. Context matters. I am glad you are not too upset with my rudeness for telling you how to use your vote.
"I have learned with what evils tyranny infects a state. For it frustrates all the virtues, robs freedom of its lofty mood, and opens a school of fawning and terror, inasmuch as it leaves matters not to the wisdom of the laws, but to the angry whim of those who are in authority.”
Out of genuine curiosity what would your ideal President be doing?
I’m not sure I follow, honor. In my view the problem is so much bigger than not getting the ideal president. The ideal president is still just one person.
Hey Kish,
I am probably projecting in that my issues with the DNC currently are about transparency and realpolitik gamesmanship, less about policies. So I was curious about if or where you diverge with the Democrats on policy.
