I'm not apathetic, I'm just politically stubborn

from JoeUser Forums
It would be completely hypocritical of me to suggest that I have no played some part in the continuuing barrage of anti-Bush anti-Kerry smut that is circulating around JU. However, in the process I'm getting closer and closer to my boiling point. I suppose this happens nearly every election as eventually, many people throw their hands up into the air to give up, stop listening, and recall how nothing really changed last time around so why bother this time.

I've even defended the excuses that many use not to vote. I agreed that it would be irresponsible for those who don't inform themselves to vote. (but aside from the argument that it's irresponsible enough not to inform yourself) At this rate is anyone really "informed?" Each side goes back and forth, and it's like watching a tennis match serving the lies and half-truths, and we never are really trying to figure out who actually is honest, just who lied the most? This is not a fact finding process, just like our judicial system. It's not about who is lying, it's about who is getting caught.

I haven't felt to guilty about abstaining from keeping up with a majority of the bantor. Mostly because I have no intention of voting for either side of the dichotomy, and also because I'm losing nearly all patience with this process. Yes, I would tend to side with Kerry, but not because of who he is or the moral superiority of the DFL.

I'm stubborn because I'm committed to thinking there must be a better way. So I'm not apathetic. Those who are voting for Kerry and Bush because they don't believe the candidate they truly want to vote for will ever be elected are experiencing true apathy. They think their votes really don't matter, and there's no hope so why fight it? I'm coming from the mentality that they're right....if they don't vote for those who they'd much rather see elected than they probably are not going to be elected.

No, I'm not suggesting to anyone other than a republican or democrat has much of chance in the presidential election right now...But whoever one is elected don't blame me, I didn't vote for either.

Suspeckted

PS - my Grandma and Grandpa just got done lecturing me about how I shouldn't throw my vote away before I finished my last sentence.
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Reply #1 from JoeUser Forums Top
I have a great deal of respect for people that vote neither, I want somebody else. I certainly don't see it as apathetic! Last election, I did the same thing. I can't see our country ever becoming really more than two parties, though. Can you?
Reply #2 from JoeUser Forums Top
I believe you are reading too much into Wisefawn posting. I believe what was said is that they voted NEITHER.
Ashes of the Singularity II
Reply #3 from JoeUser Forums Top
Yeah, that's the impression I got.
*hick mode* Looks lahk we got us a coupla them thar Third-Party Supporters, Clem.... */hick mode*
I will most likely be joining you in that regard this year, too.
Reply #4 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thanks, that is, in fact, what I said. But I'll write it very, very clearly. Last election, I voted. But I did not vote for a Republican or Democratic candidate. That is an option we have.
Reply #5 from JoeUser Forums Top
You didnt bother to vote? Hmm, you sure do complain a lot about the shape this country is in for someone who couldnt be bothered to cast their vote. "Give America Back!" you shout....and now i will ask....to whom? To vocal discontents who are unwilling to make their voices heard at the only place it really counts, at the polls?

Shame on you.

Hey, i dont really care who votes and who doesnt, but i do tend to feel that those who didnt vote at all have no right whatsover to bitch about the outcome.


Little Whip, the next time you're going to shame someone on my blog make sure you take a closer look at what they're saying. No need to go flying off the handle when you don't have your facts straight, and regardless of who you were talking to, you definitely owe someone an apology.

Wisefawn - True progressives are a dying breed, but it's good to know I'm not the only one that's politically terminally ill.

Nobody Important - Thanks for being the Margin2Margin fact checker!

Suspeckted
Reply #6 from JoeUser Forums Top
In talking, I've heard two philosopies about how to pull a third party into the picture.

The first is to vote third party. And continue voting third party as the percentages rise.

The second is to vote for one of the two parties. Of course, you'd vote for the one that is most like the third party that you would have voted for. It's like a successive approximation. Keep voting for the party that can win now that looks the best to you. Eventually, the state of things will become better, or they'll be closer to how you would like them. When people see that things are improving, third parties that support a more dramatic version of one of the two parties will become more viable. They'll recieve higher percentages.

Both ways of looking involve small steps. The steps are just taken from different angles.

We really need both efforts moving together at the same time. Really, no vote is wasted. Together we can make changes.
Reply #7 from JoeUser Forums Top
Leaping Lizard, I'm not sure if I'll ever subscribe to the second philosophy you've described. If I vote for the Democratic Party why will they have any reason to listen to third party issues when I've already given in to abandoning my hopes?
Reply #8 from JoeUser Forums Top
The Democratic Party wouldn't be listening to third party issues. The Democratic Party has more liberal views than the Republican Party (barely) but they don't make things worse, generally. So if enough (more and more) people vote for the Democratic Party over and over again, that means that the popluation is generally becoming more left. So then likely, more and more people are voting for a third party, like say the Green Party as they see the social benefits. As the percentages become higher for the Democratic Party, that allows a percentage of the people that have been voting Democractic to move over to Green without giving the election the Republican Party. These people are slowly moving over to the left as they it becoming less compromising, verses the first philosphy I mentioned, who are already voting Third Party and waiting for more people to join them. (I don't mean compromising in a way that means voting Third Party now is compromising)

You don't have to subscribe...I just mean that even if a person doesn't vote Third Party doesn't mean that they don't want Third Party to win. It may means that they are taking a different approach to slowly electing government that is more left. I hope!

Maybe the second philosophy will never work....
Reply #9 from JoeUser Forums Top
Thank you! And I wanted you to know, that even though I do less commenting, I still read and love your gorgeous poetry.