![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
I Just Voted
Nov. 2nd, 2004 10:42 amI just got done voting. I enthusiastically voted for Kerry/Edwards-- in order to punish Bush. I would vote for a ham sandwich if the ticket does not include (or be supported by) the type of authority-worshipping religious zealots that I had to listen to while waiting in line to vote this morning. Because they are quivering with fear crying "oh save me strong authoritarian figures!" they thought staying with the problems of the administration that they know is an intrinsically good thing. They feared the unknown. Because I feel safe and confident, I thought that getting a new set of problems that we don't know about yet is an intrinsically good thing.
Yes, granted, I know that Kerry has great positions that I like; for instance, it's very important to me to promote equal rights for homosexuals, to overturn the Patriot Act, to promote stem cell research and to take Bush's shackles off of science. That's my priority list.
However, history shows that it's anyone's guess whether any politician will fulfill any campaign promises whatsoever when in office. Kerry's running for president: that's all the proof you need that he's up to something sinister. I do not know yet why I will hate Kerry, but I voted to give him the chance to show me his inevitable bad side, so that I can vote against him four years from now. Always vote against the incumbent, so that an opposing group of criminals can un-do and balance out what was done by the first set of criminals. Never reward someone for succeeding in a two-party political system.
Have you noticed that every president is always perceived as the worst president in America's history, while he is in office? And then history takes a milder view, after there is nothing left to be done about the controversies. Did you see the recent documentary about Carter? All of a sudden he is remembered for Habitat for Humanity. When did that happen?
So when will we be able to vote our consciences? When will I be able to vote for the Libertarian Party for president? When we have instant runoff voting, that's when. Under this system you rank the candidates in order of preference. If we had had IRV in Florida in 2000, people could have voted Nader first, Gore second, Bush third, etc. Then their votes would have gone to Gore and Gore would have swept the state. Only when power is taken away from the two major parties will they be forced to listen to the real values of America. But only when we have instant runoff voting will it be reasonable or moral to vote for third party candidates. Until then, it's more important to vote third party on all the local elections. Which is what I did today: beneath the federal level, straight Libertarian.
Yes, granted, I know that Kerry has great positions that I like; for instance, it's very important to me to promote equal rights for homosexuals, to overturn the Patriot Act, to promote stem cell research and to take Bush's shackles off of science. That's my priority list.
However, history shows that it's anyone's guess whether any politician will fulfill any campaign promises whatsoever when in office. Kerry's running for president: that's all the proof you need that he's up to something sinister. I do not know yet why I will hate Kerry, but I voted to give him the chance to show me his inevitable bad side, so that I can vote against him four years from now. Always vote against the incumbent, so that an opposing group of criminals can un-do and balance out what was done by the first set of criminals. Never reward someone for succeeding in a two-party political system.
Have you noticed that every president is always perceived as the worst president in America's history, while he is in office? And then history takes a milder view, after there is nothing left to be done about the controversies. Did you see the recent documentary about Carter? All of a sudden he is remembered for Habitat for Humanity. When did that happen?
So when will we be able to vote our consciences? When will I be able to vote for the Libertarian Party for president? When we have instant runoff voting, that's when. Under this system you rank the candidates in order of preference. If we had had IRV in Florida in 2000, people could have voted Nader first, Gore second, Bush third, etc. Then their votes would have gone to Gore and Gore would have swept the state. Only when power is taken away from the two major parties will they be forced to listen to the real values of America. But only when we have instant runoff voting will it be reasonable or moral to vote for third party candidates. Until then, it's more important to vote third party on all the local elections. Which is what I did today: beneath the federal level, straight Libertarian.
