I don’t understand this whole idea about “voting for the lesser of two evils.” People on both the Republican and Democratic side, as well as many independents, will choose the candidate they think is less bad. In a sense, I can understand that, in that there are only two viable options. Either McCain or Obama is going to be elected this November. Even if you would rather vote for a third party candidate, or a write-in candidate, you know their actual chances of winning this election are virtually nil. But here’s what I don’t get: that argument, despite certain philosophical disagreements I might have with it (lesser of two evils is still evil and all that), it really only holds true if you happen to live in a so-called “battleground state” of which there are actually precious few. If you happen to live in a state such as Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, etc. (and of course it changes every election cycle, but it’s still a relative few) then there might be, arguably, some validity to such a strategy. But if you live in one of the majority of states that are not in play, and you feel like someone other than one of the two major candidates best reflects your views, why not vote for them?
For instance, I’ll be voting in New Jersey, and there’s not a chance McCain wins there. And so, if I don’t like Obama or McCain, how is it throwing my vote away to vote for someone else? Or if you live in Texas or California or Washington or Tennessee, or anywhere else where the outcome’s not in doubt?
Damned if you do, damned regardless if you don’t.
in some unbelievably advanced civilizations, far beyond the comprehension of normal americans,
there exists this unbelievably ridiculous, horrifying, democracy destroying, freedom raping, terrorism supporting?
concept of being able to vote for more than one person on your ballot.
i can vote for ron paul AND OBAMA
TWO PEOPLE?!?!?!
TWO PEOPLE IN THE SAME VOTE?!?!
IN THE SAME VOTE TWO PEOPLE WHAT WHAT AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
like europeans? are you retarded? europe is the worst country in all of america.
its absolutely the most absolutely insane thing that ive ever heard in my entire life and absolutely everybody who supports this worst concept in all of history should be tortured and killed immediately. your thought crime will not be forgiven once we develop the technology.
Yeah, ain’t democracy grand? THIS is the system we’re invading people to impose? At least under Saddam there weren’t any illusions about your influence.
I’ve always thought the electoral college pretty much negates any value the popular vote would otherwise have, but maybe that’s due to my own ignorance.
Gore v. Bush-2000 Election
I also think that the electoral college unfairly distributes the value of votes.
Your vote in Florida can potentially influence more electoral points than your vote in Idaho.