Gary Johnson & Virgil Goode on Va Ballot

[ShotgunBlast]

I know there are some Gary Johnson and Virgil Goode fans on the board. I heard this morning that both of them as well as Jill Stein of the Green Party made it on the VA ballot. VA Board of Elections shot down the Republicans in challenging Johnson (as they have challenged him in multiple states).

More info on Johnson: http://www.examiner.com/article/gary-jo ... the-ballot

More info on Goode: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/va- ... story.html

Yeah yeah, "a vote for 3rd party is a vote for Obama". At least now I'm voting for someone I can stand behind. The GOP challenging Johnson in six states not only makes them look like they're not confident in their candidate but it also makes them look like a bunch of asses and I can't stand behind that. Va finally has some choices in the election. Time to get some of them on stage in the national debates!

[OakRidgeStars]

Yeah yeah, "a vote for 3rd party is a vote for Obama". At least now I'm voting for someone I can stand behind.

You don't need a 3rd party candidate to vote for Obama. Just vote for Obama.

[Mindflayer]

Yeah yeah, "a vote for 3rd party is a vote for Obama". At least now I'm voting for someone I can stand behind.

I hear you, man. Sometimes there is a bit of pain in doing the right thing. Just a shame that doing the right thing may mean dealing with an Administration (GOP or DEM!) that will step all over our nature-given rights as humans and as Americans.

[dorminWS]

I just can't believe that with the conservative/liberal balance of power on the USCOTUS hanging by a very thin, fragile thread and so many conservative Justices old enough to drop off the vine any time that ANY 2A supporter would even dream of NOT voting for Romney; because to do otherwise is to risk an anti-2A majority on the Court. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I had a good opinion of Virgil Goode, but no more. He's chosen to jeopardize my future and that of my children to vainly pursue personal agrandizement. That's too narrow and selfish to deserve a vote, in my book.

[Mindflayer]

That's a good point, Dormin. Something for me to think about....

[ShotgunBlast]

Bah. That just harkens back to the "this election is too important to vote for a third party" argument. Seems like EVERY election is too important to vote for a third party.

All I know is that doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity.

Romney will just continue the policies that Obama was continuing from Bush. There is no choice with a two party system.

[dorminWS]

@ Shotgunblast:


BAH. What you said ignores the perfectly foreseeable consequences of the act you propose. What's really insane is to poke out your eyes out of spite and expect to ever be able to see again.

I swear, it makes me wonder if you don't really support Obama, but are ashamed to endorse his abysmal performance and his obvious disdain for 2A rights, and therefore endorse this 3rd-party strategy as a more easier-to-sell way to get Obama re-elected.
Surely you ain't THAT sneaky, are you?

[Mindflayer]

I believe a lot of people forgo choice to belong to something larger, and to have a common "enemy". We need more choices here in the USA when it comes to politics. The all-or-nothing buckets are ridiculous.

That is the dilemma. It's hard to balance a desire of not seeing the creation of a totally anti-2A SCOTUS against the desire to see real change.

[dorminWS]

I believe a lot of people forgo choice to belong to something larger, and to have a common "enemy". We need more choices here in the USA when it comes to politics. The all-or-nothing buckets are ridiculous.

That is the dilemma. It's hard to balance a desire of not seeing the creation of a totally anti-2A SCOTUS against the desire to see real change.

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For me, that is an easily-resolved issue. The change you speak of can still come (and may well be easier to bring about) in a later election cycle if we can get rid of Obama in this one. But if Obama gets to put 2 or 3 more Kagans or Sotmayors on the SCOTUS for as long as they live (and, by the way, did you noticve how relatively YOUNG those two are are?), we will probably NEVER repair the damage they will do to 2A rights and other conservative values in our society. It is simply a matter of priorities.

[Mindflayer]

Yep, dormin, that was my thought.

Sigh.

[sboyajian]

Johnson's got my vote. The two main parties have skewed their realities so far to their side that you can't even tell what's going on anymore.

To me, a vote for a third party is a chance to finally give that party the federal funding it needs so they can compete.

[ShotgunBlast]

I swear, it makes me wonder if you don't really support Obama, but are ashamed to endorse his abysmal performance and his obvious disdain for 2A rights, and therefore endorse this 3rd-party strategy as a more easier-to-sell way to get Obama re-elected.
Surely you ain't THAT sneaky, are you?

Nah, I'm not that smart. I'm just looking to support a candidate that represents me. I like that Republicants tend to be more conservative when it comes to fiscal matters and foreign policy (but I wouldn't actually call them conservative). I like the Dimocrats on more social issues. For me the answer is the Libertarian party which has everything I care about. If Ron Paul was on the GOP ticket my vote would be Republicant because he lines up with me on those issues too, but instead they have a watered down Moderate Mitt. And how did a guy that 40% of the party doesn't even care for get to that position? Because the party folded and compromised their beliefs in the name of electability. How can I stand behind that?

I admit I voted for Obama in 2008 because he talked great on the campaign trail. I'm not thrilled with the unfulfilled promises (cutting debt, closing Gitmo, etc) so he's not getting my vote this cycle. That doesn't automatically mean that Mitt gets my vote because I'm not thrilled with him either. I don't think he brings anything to the table and I don't think he can or will do anything to change course. Instead of voting for someone because you don't like the other guy, I'm going to vote for someone I can stand behind. I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

For me, that is an easily-resolved issue. The change you speak of can still come (and may well be easier to bring about) in a later election cycle if we can get rid of Obama in this one. But if Obama gets to put 2 or 3 more Kagans or Sotmayors on the SCOTUS for as long as they live (and, by the way, did you noticve how relatively YOUNG those two are are?), we will probably NEVER repair the damage they will do to 2A rights and other conservative values in our society. It is simply a matter of priorities.

If there's anything the Obamacare ruling has taught me, it's that you can't rely on Republicant appointed justices to make the call you want them to make.

[ShotgunBlast]

Johnson's got my vote. The two main parties have skewed their realities so far to their side that you can't even tell what's going on anymore.

To me, a vote for a third party is a chance to finally give that party the federal funding it needs so they can compete.

[dorminWS]

@ Shotgunblast:

What difference does it make that a candidate represents your thinking if he's not going to get elected?

And what's a worse deal: A republican appointee that may not render the decision you'd like to see, or an Obama appointee who for damn certain won't?

Folks, an old guy whose opinion I came to respect used to tell me: "There's what's right, and what's wrong; and then there's what IS. You can talk all you want about what's right and what's wrong, but you'd damn well better deal with what IS."

I commend that sage advice to you all.

[ShotgunBlast]

So you're saying I shouldn't vote my conscience? I should water down my beliefs in favor of someone who is still struggling to get elected? Doesn't that defeat the spirit of voting at all? Hasn't all that watering down gotten us to the sad state of candidates we have today? If I and others don't show support for third parties, how will they ever gain traction?

I guess the difference between me and you is that I can deal with a Romney presidency or an Obama presidency. I made it through 8 years of Bush; I can make it through 8 years of Obamney.

obamney-2012.jpg (62.59 KiB) Viewed 2810 times

[dorminWS]

@Shotgunblast:

I don't know what the SPIRIT of voting is or might be to a given person; but I expect it must surely be subjective and therefore never the same from person to person. But I know what the PURPOSE of voting is; and that is to ELECT somebody.

So I'd say the difference between you and me is that I am a pragmatist and you are an idealist. You idealists are frequently bitterly dissapointed. We pragmatists, on the other hand are seldom surprised, less often impoverished through unjustified optimism, and occasionally unexpectedly delighted by improbable good outcomes.

<sigh> ... To each his own, I guess.

[SpanishInquisition]

I'll vote my preference next time. This time, there's too much at stake for me to "make a statement" with my vote, or gamble that my vote won't result in the ouster of the Occupier In Chief. We need that clown out.

[VBshooter]

X2

[ShotgunBlast]

I'll vote my preference next time. This time, there's too much at stake for me to "make a statement" with my vote, or gamble that my vote won't result in the ouster of the Occupier In Chief. We need that clown out.

I'll hold you to that. Even if Obama gets another term and in 2016 everyone's yelling that this country will implode if we have another Dimocrat in the White House, you still vote your preference. Until the 2016 election becomes too important, to which you'll vote your preference in 2020....

[dorminWS]

I'll vote my preference next time. This time, there's too much at stake for me to "make a statement" with my vote, or gamble that my vote won't result in the ouster of the Occupier In Chief. We need that clown out.

I'll hold you to that. Even if Obama gets another term and in 2016 everyone's yelling that this country will implode if we have another Dimocrat in the White House, you still vote your preference. Until the 2016 election becomes too important, to which you'll vote your preference in 2020....

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As a pragmatist, I'll cross those bridges when I come to them. But you can't cross a bridge you've already burned.