The caveat to this ideology are the fatty fat b*stard's of the world who prefer to remain intentionally ignorant. Unfortunately, there are many of them.
So, if I research the health care proposals but don't know anything about the foreign policy stances am I educated enough? If I can't recite the fiscal policy of a candidate, but I have some experience with how their party governs, is that educated enough? Nobody is going into the polls a complete blank slate and randomly pulling the lever.
There's ALWAYS someone to vote for. If you don't think McCain is conservative enough, you could vote for the Libertarian Party candidate or the Constitution Party candidate. If you don't think Obama is liberal enough, you could have voted for the Independent Party candidate or the Green Party candidate. [swoly]Don't be lazy.[/swoly]
Just have some general understanding of the policies they are in favor of or their ideology. I don't think I have enough knowledge and I'm not going to vote so I can say, Hey I voted. Why would you vote for some of these other candidates. There is ZERO chance of them winning. Isn't that why you vote, so your candidate will win?
I'll say this: if you don't vote, you have little ground to complain about our next President. Even if you come to dislike the person you voted for, you can at least say 'he failed to meet my expectations' or 'he deceived me'.
I disagree, I pay for the right to complain. We know that Obama will lose Texas but probably win the election. My one vote will only help him to lose Texas more...makes a lot of sense. Plus I'm choosing not to vote for Obama. By not voting I'm voicing my opinion that I don't like the two main candidates.
Rimrocker: No, I don't think that every voter should have a Ph.D. in candidate-positionry. But I would see nothing wrong with demanding that they at least vote based on something other than mistruths, false accusations, or mere tradition. I don't think restricting voting based on the above is feasible. But sometimes I think it would be bloody helpful.
This is the first time in my life that I don't vote for a third party. I never felt that I threw away my vote then, nor do I now even though I know Obama won't win Texas. No one ever throws away their vote.
I cast my vote today. President: Barack Obama/Joe Biden I voted for two Republican judges, mostly libertarians and didn't vote in the unopposed elections. Also voted against Prop 2 here in Austin.
Then vote for a third party candidate. Do something. Don't use the "I pay taxes, therefore I have a voice," excuse. Taxes are the price you pay to live within the United States of America. Voting is how you change the United States of America. Taxes are requisite, whereas voting is a luxury. The power of "one person, one vote," can not be understated. It's what allows you as a common citizen to participate in the government. To so callously throw away something that others have fought and died for and that people in other, less fortunate nations dream about, is foolish. Maybe American elections don't matter to you. Perhaps you see voting as blase. However, look to places like Zimbabwe, where supporters of a dissenting party knew the risk they took in casting their vote against Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF. Many were killed for doing so. But they still did it. Why? Because voting is your chance. Voting is your voice amidst the calamity and is that which keeps our society balanced. I remember the pride I felt the first time that I voted and I've recalled it in following elections. Do it. You get a sticker.
Voted for CHANGE! After some research I did not vote straight ticket though (Lykos and the current railroad commissioner since I use his website all the time).
Voted today. Took me a whole 3 minutes from the time I walked in. Already had a sample ballot so I knew my choices. I was quite disappointed in the lack of litature/information available for each of the options. Vast majority of people ignore local politics but they affect us just as much if not more.
I voted yesterday and I too was disappointed they could not even list the candidates by incumbency. I tried to vote against every name I recognized, regardless of party.
To me voting third party is pointless. Like I said, there is ZERO chance of them winning, which is the main reason to vote, not so I can say "I Voted" And many here in the US don't pay taxes.
Nobody in the US avoids taxes completely. Sales tax, property tax (paid if you rent a domicile), fees for services, and other taxes eventually hit everyone here. I voted this morning with my wife. We both voted for change, I did not vote in the unopposed race. Tried to mostly vote against incumbents.
Awesomeness... "She said I don’t know if I’m going to live that long, but I plan on sticking around to vote for him," said (93 year old) M. Fitzgerald. She did, and then gave up the ghost less than an hour later.
