Exercise your right to vote!

[Alexander]

More than a few people I know have been saying that they don't particularly care for Obama or McCain, and will not be voting in this upcoming election.

Even if you don't agree with all the issues of one or the other candidate, the least you can do is to vote for the person who represents the majority of your views.

I'll be the first to admit: Neither candidate is perfect by any means. But by not voting because you don't "like" one of them, or to "prove a point" is just as ignorant as voting for someone who is against all you believe in.

If you're of age, take the hour out of your day to hit the polls on November fourth. For that hour (or two hours or even a whole day you could help make this country a better place. It's worth your time.

[beckyg]

I agree even if you are voting for McCain. *cringe*

[myra]

I'm waiting on the other nominees to be decided. My mom said (and she works at the board of elections) that there will probably be 5 or 6 other names on the ballot. I already know Nader is running for the green party. I'm going to wait for those other names and research them. I was going to vote McCain, but his views and his running mates views are different and that worries me. I'm probably not going to vote on the two big names in the race, but one of the smaller ones.

[Noah]

I agree...you always have to choose between the lesser of two evils. This year is no different.

i completely disagree. you may elect someone based on the 'lesser of two evils' approach, but that will not hold ground if they then want to pass a law you disagree with.
say you vote for someone based on their abortion standing - who then wants to criminalise gay marriage...
this is why "i reject elections as an illusion of choice. you are not being given a true choice and this is not true democracy."
you get told 'here, these are the options, now pick one to represent you and don't complain, because you were given a choice'.
but not really. like all the clinton supporters - who now feel completely unrepresented because they dont have a candidate. or those who dont class themselves republican or democrat - how are they represented?

maybe you would say, fair enough, but thats the choice so deal with it, but i dont support the support of that system, if you get what i mean, and by voting even though you arent completely satisfied with it - wheres the change going to come from?

atleast then when a candidate does something you dont like you can say, hey, atleast i didnt have a hand in putting him there...

[Alexander]

atleast then when a candidate does something you dont like you can say, hey, atleast i didnt have a hand in putting him there...

don't you think that's rather pompous of someone to say that? we are supposed to be working for improvement, not for bragging rights.

If the clinton voters feel they don't have a candidate they can vote for, they are ignorant and sexist. We had our first black man to run for president almost 40 years ago. Just now we are seeing the result of that. America is not that fast to change where race or gender are concerned, and the fact that Clinton got so far is something to be celebrated, not something to blast Obama with.

The fact that we don't live in a true democracy is one that we have to tolerate, not run away from. We have to vote for someone who represents the majority of our beliefs, or risk not being represented at all. You do what you have to to get your message out, through whatever outlet you can.

It's a reality that third party candidates don't get elected, and that's a shame, but we can't do much about it except raise awareness that there are other options and start voting for them. You can put any name in the empty spot on the ballot - you're not stuck with the six or seven listed.

[ccdd]

I agree. I'm not American, and therefore not eligible to vote - but use your vote! This goes for all people of all nationalities who are lucky enough to live in democracies, and not just about the upcoming US election.

Use it, or lose it.

It doesn't matter who you vote for, just make sure you vote! Of course you have the freedom not to vote - and if you don't want to for political, thought-out purposes, that's fine - but don't not vote because of indifference, or because you think it won't make a difference.

Whenever there's an election and I wonder whether I should vote or not, I always imagine what would happen if everyone like me didn't vote - and that scares me into going down to the polling station! If everyone with your views and in your circumstances didn't bother to turn out to vote then the opposition would win!

And remember - it is always about best fit, and the lesser of two (or more) evils. Not just in this election, but in the majority of elections worldwide. It's as much about what you don't want, as what you do want.


(I do agree that having elections every four or so years in many cases gives the illusion of democracy, rather than true democracy. But you have to work with what you have. If you don't vote because of thought-out reasons that's fine. Or you can work with the system to try and bring about more democratic practices, like referendums - which I would like to see more of when controversial laws are passed - or something like that. It's voting through indifference or for non-thought-about reasons that is bad. But remember - you have to work with what you have)

Also - change comes about the hard way - by campaigning with pressure groups to get changes to the election process made; writing to your representative and pressurising them; working within a political party and from there campaigning to get changes made; or standing as an independent - although obviously you're quite unlikely to get elected - so that (in the UK at least) you can vote your own way on issues.

If the clinton voters feel they don't have a candidate they can vote for, they are ignorant and sexist.

dont you think thats rather narrow minded?

The fact that we don't live in a true democracy is one that we have to tolerate, not run away from.

I would argue that its one we should challenge.

ccdd, i agree with the last things you said..."change comes about the hard way", etc...
but the use it or lose it bit is more difficult...

i think it should be put into the bigger picture - not just in terms of voting, but rather, we have the ability to petition and protest, etc... therefore we should make use of this right

[Kenko]

It looks like Canada will have federal elections on October 14th. And I have municipal elections coming up in my city as well.

It is important to vote, even if you don't like any of the candidates, vote for the lesser of evils, or vote on one issue, the important thing is to vote. It isn't the ideal system, but it's the best we have, and people fought long and hard so you can have the opportunity to vote.

Also, your part in democracy doesn't end there. Send your political representatives mail (electronic, snail, whatever) any time an issue comes up and you want them to know how their constituents feel. They might agree with you they might not, they might follow what you say they might not. They might not even respond, but only then can you complain if they do something you disagree with.

[Emberstone]

the whole point of the "lesser of two evils" approch is that you wont always agree with someone.

honestly, there is not a person alive who can agre 100% with you at all times anyways, might as well look at each canadate *preferibly one who can win, and not a third party canidate likely not even to get 2000 votes* and see which one you agree with most.

if you are holding out for someone who will universally across the board agree with every value you have as a voter, you will never find it.

[JT]

It really chaps my ass that I turn 18 4 months after the election. GRRR!

you know what? ive jumped ship!

everybody go out and vote for obama!!!!
i still support what i said before in theory, but desperate times call for desperate measures!!!

i am actually scared for a mccain/palin presidency

Originally Posted by Emberstone

the whole point of the "lesser of two evils" approch is that you wont always agree with someone.

honestly, there is not a person alive who can agre 100% with you at all times anyways, might as well look at each canadate *preferibly one who can win, and not a third party canidate likely not even to get 2000 votes* and see which one you agree with most.

if you are holding out for someone who will universally across the board agree with every value you have as a voter, you will never find it.

You hit it spot on. I don't agree with everything that the McCain administration (more specifically, Sarah Palin) stands or would stand for. I'm a complete social liberal, she's a social conservative. But we do agree in areas that I feel are important. That's why I'm going to vote for them.

[Wander]

^Which is what I've tried to explain to the people who just can't imagine how a gay person could vote Republican, much less McCain. I'm an Obama supporter myself, but I at least understand that not every gay person picks their candidate based solely on LGBT issues. While I have found more left-minded LGBT people than right, it's not impossible for one to favor the more conservative of the candidates during election time.

[RedState]

I'm voting for Mccain. I think think he's the only one that's got the guts to actually try to do the impossible...and that is try to turn washington DC around. Let's face it, both obama and mccain are dc insiders (you don't get to the us senate without playing inside ball). But I will say I'm biased because I'm a republican.

[George]

I just hope McCain and Palin don't get in.. It's going to have adverse effects all over the world, especially since McCain is so old, and if he croaks it mid term Palin will take over.

And seeing her stance on families, the iraq war.. Their stance on oil and global warming America will really be facing some problems if they get in.


And then with Obama I'm worried that if he changes things too much then the USA's economy could go even worse than what it is at the moment.
And if they leave the middle east now then it'll be quite horrendous, seeing as they've basically caused more unrest, and if they leave then it'll open up for a lot more. >_>

[twister]

YES! vote anyway!! there are other parties on the ticket as well as the 2 major ones... independent, green, etc... check em out. perhaps that way you can still exercise your right to vote and feel better about your selection even if its not one of the majors.

[riley]

of you don't want to vote for Obama or McCain vote for Ralph Nader ... or one of the other parties. If I could vote (I'm only 16) I'd scratch out Barack's name and write 'Hillary'

[Paul_UK]

The "LGBT News, Rights, Issues and Equality" section is for discussions about exactly what the title says. It is NOT for general political discussions. The only political discussions here are those which are solely or predominantly about LGBT issues.

I have therefore moved this to Chit Chat.

[Malchik89]

I'm voting Obama, i was never a big fan of him before, but compared to Mccain...yeahhh. And Palinzilla coming in just made my decision ever more final, she scares the crap out of me, her wanting to abolish roe vs. wade was just too much, people deserve a choice of what to do with their own bodies. And yeah with Mccain being so old, he's pound to face some health problems within the next few years and i don't want to even take the chance of her sitting on the big seat in the oval office.