A Last Minute Appeal To Libertarians And Non-Voters

[Oh Shoot]

[quote name='RobertNashville' timestamp='1352238326' post='840320']
In 2010, 90,732,693 voted out of a total of 217,342,419 eligible voters so that works out to about 41.7%...in 2008 it was 62.2%...I guess we'll see what happens this time!

Interesting stuff here: [url="http://elections.gmu.edu/index.html"]http://elections.gmu.edu/index.html[/url]
[/quote]

Oh, yeah, non presidential election years are sometimes less.

I meant presidential election years, which have always been above 50%. Here's Wiki's stats:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voter_turnout_in_the_United_States_presidential_elections

Look how high they were in the 1800's, when it was a lot harder to vote.

- OS

[JAB]

I really don't understand why everyone is insisting that a vote for anyone other than Rombama or Obomney is a 'protest vote'. Do people not understand voting one's convictions, anymore? Is it really that hard to grasp that some people might vote for the person that they think would actually be the best candidate rather than simply voting for one or the other side of the same, old, plug nickel or else voting only in 'protest'?

If so then none of this really matters because the spirit and ideology this country is supposed to be built upon is already lost.

[RobertNashville]

[quote name='JAB' timestamp='1352240806' post='840354']
I really don't understand why everyone is insisting that a vote for anyone other than Rombama or Obomney is a 'protest vote'. Do people not understand voting one's convictions, anymore? Is it really that hard to grasp that some people might vote for the person that they think would actually be the best candidate rather than simply voting for one or the other side of the same, old, plug nickel or else voting only in 'protest'?

If so then none of this really matters because the spirit and ideology this country is supposed to be built upon is already lost.
[/quote]I really don't understand why you don't understand.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

After pages and pages of explaining what it means to give a vote as a spoiler, it should be apparent. It's
fine with me however you vote, but, as you have your preferences, I do mine.

[atlas3025]

If Ron Paul had won the Republican nomination, the Libertarians would be begging the "Principled" Republicans to vote with them in the General Election. I suspect the percentages would have been about the same. There would be about 10% of the Republican vote that would protest vote for a non-Paul...and we would be in just about the same place we are now...on the verge coming up just a little short of getting Obama out of office.

[mikegideon]

[quote name='atlas3025' timestamp='1352243784' post='840399']
If Ron Paul had won the Republican nomination, the Libertarians would be begging the "Principled" Republicans to vote with them in the General Election. I suspect the percentages would have been about the same. There would be about 10% of the Republican vote that would protest vote for a non-Paul...and we would be in just about the same place we are now...on the verge coming up just a little short of getting Obama out of office.
[/quote]

Ah... leaving Obama in office. Boy, that showed 'em.

[atlas3025]

[quote name='mikegideon' timestamp='1352244157' post='840406']
Ah... leaving Obama in office. Boy, that showed 'em.
[/quote]

Stunningly, there are people with that mindset.

[mikegideon]

[quote name='atlas3025' timestamp='1352245260' post='840420']
Stunningly, there are people with that mindset.
[/quote]

I know

[East_TN_Patriot]

I voted for Gary Johnson and I'm proud that I voted for Gary Jonson and not one of these establishment crooks in the Republican or Democratic parties. Catastrophic to you or not, it's my vote, and I vote for the person I believe in. This is yet another election year that I shake my head at people who complain about the two main parties, but scream and holler about how dumb it is to vote for an alternative party.

A very quick look at history shows how the Republican Party unseated the Whigs and put Abe Lincoln in the White House in 8 years. If people want real change, they are going to have to vote for it, and not compromise on their beliefs or the issues. Either you believe in individual liberty, small federal government, and fiscal responsibility or you don't and vote Republican or Democratic. Edited November 7, 2012 by East_TN_Patriot

[Guest ThePunisher]

[quote name='East_TN_Patriot' timestamp='1352257290' post='840599']
I voted for Gary Johnson and I'm proud that I voted for Gary Jonson and not one of these establishment crooks in the Republican or Democratic parties. Catastrophic to you or not, it's my vote, and I vote for the person I believe in. This is yet another election year that I shake my head at people who complain about the two main parties, but scream and holler about how dumb it is to vote for an alternative party.
[/quote]

I think in 2016 that I'll vote for an alternative loser instead of an establishment loser.

[Raoul]

[quote name='mikegideon' timestamp='1352245357' post='840423']
I know
[/quote]

Crap.

[East_TN_Patriot]

Case in point:

http://townhall.com/columnists/benshapiro/2012/02/01/the_republican_party_becomes_the_whig_party/page/full/
[quote]The Republican Party is like a bed of nails. It works so long as the nails are relatively close together -- but as the nails are moved further apart, the chances of winding up spiked from head to toe grow. Right now, the nails are too far apart. The Republican Party is about to be cut to shreds, even as the establishment declares victory over those redneck insurgents from the Tea Party. Romney's victory may very well end up being pyrrhic for the GOP in the end.[/quote]

[Daniel]

[quote name='6.8 AR' timestamp='1351979395' post='838486']
Maybe so, but I am of the camp that thinks it will be a landslide, come Wednesday morning.
It's a small camp, but it is what it is. I am not counting any electoral votes for Johnson.
[/quote]
I chuckled.

[shortround]

Lot's of people making the case that Obama is horrible and Romney isn't so bad, so everyone should vote for Romney. I'm just curious - and really, I don't want to start a fight here - but at what point do you say "No, they are both too bad to vote for. I'm going to 'waste' my vote on a 3rd party, or not vote at all." I realize this is hypothetical, but I think it is a valid question. I mean, some people have already reached that limit, what is the limit for the rest of you? I assume that limit exists for everyone - surely nobody on this forum is going to assert that if it was Hitler vs. Stalin they would still be touting this "Don't waste your vote" line. Where is the limit for you? As long as there is somebody slightly better than Hitler/Stalin? As long as there is somebody better than Obama?

Again, just curious. Edited November 7, 2012 by shortround

[mikegideon]

Y'all give it a rest. Obama won. Enjoy

[Links2k]

[quote name='mikegideon' timestamp='1352262169' post='840737']
Y'all give it a rest. Obama won. Enjoy
[/quote]

Good point. Now, the GOP has got to examine itself. The demographics are going to continue to change and the GOP is going have to make women and minorities feel welcomed into the party. I'm not saying give up core beliefs or values. I'm saying make all Americans feel welcomed into the party, stop the gay bashing, hate only those who warrant hatred, and stay out of a woman's bloomers.

ECONOMY, SECURITY AND EDUCATION will equal PROSPERITY!

[Guest Drewsett]

*edited due to drunkenness*

And according to NBC, Obama has been re-elected, so it's about time to get out of dodge anyways.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk 2 Edited November 7, 2012 by Drewsett

[RobertNashville]

[quote name='LINKS2K' timestamp='1352262896' post='840758']
Good point. Now, the GOP has got to examine itself. The demographics are going to continue to change and the GOP is going have to make women and minorities feel welcomed into the party. I'm not saying give up core beliefs or values. I'm saying make all Americans feel welcomed into the party, stop the gay bashing, hate only those who warrant hatred, and stay out of a woman's bloomers.

ECONOMY, SECURITY AND EDUCATION will equal PROSPERITY!
[/quote]
Yeah...because all the somebody elses got 1/4% of the vote, the Republicans are going to take notice and suddenly become the libertarian party the libertarian party wanted to be.

I don't know what you are drinking but I'd like to have some; it must be really good stuff...all I've got here is JD.

[Links2k]

[quote name='RobertNashville' timestamp='1352264022' post='840779']

Yeah...because all the somebody elses got 1/4% of the vote, the Republicans are going to take notice and suddenly become the libertarian party the libertarian party wanted to be.

I don't know what you are drinking but I'd like to have some; it must be really good stuff...all I've got here is JD.
[/quote]

That's all that I have. Enjoy!

[Guest ThePunisher]

[quote name='LINKS2K' timestamp='1352262896' post='840758']


Good point. Now, the GOP has got to examine itself. The demographics are going to continue to change and the GOP is going have to make women and minorities feel welcomed into the party. I'm not saying give up core beliefs or values. I'm saying make all Americans feel welcomed into the party, stop the gay bashing, hate only those who warrant hatred, and stay out of a woman's bloomers.

ECONOMY, SECURITY AND EDUCATION will equal PROSPERITY!
[/quote]

Congratulations, and enjoy your JD.

[mikegideon]

[quote name='LINKS2K' timestamp='1352262896' post='840758']
Good point. Now, the GOP has got to examine itself. The demographics are going to continue to change and the GOP is going have to make women and minorities feel welcomed into the party. I'm not saying give up core beliefs or values. I'm saying make all Americans feel welcomed into the party, stop the gay bashing, hate only those who warrant hatred, and stay out of a woman's bloomers.

ECONOMY, SECURITY AND EDUCATION will equal PROSPERITY!
[/quote]

Agree 100%

[mikegideon]

[quote name='RobertNashville' timestamp='1352264022' post='840779']
Yeah...because all the somebody elses got 1/4% of the vote, the Republicans are going to take notice and suddenly become the libertarian party the libertarian party wanted to be.

I don't know what you are drinking but I'd like to have some; it must be really good stuff...all I've got here is JD.
[/quote]

No. Their demos are gonna die off. Has nothing to do with libs (tarians or tards).

[Guest Lester Weevils]

[quote name='East_TN_Patriot' timestamp='1352259649' post='840659']
Case in point:

[url="http://townhall.com/columnists/benshapiro/2012/02/01/the_republican_party_becomes_the_whig_party/page/full/"]http://townhall.com/...arty/page/full/[/url]
[/quote]

The fella (article in Feb 2012) made good points. Wonder if there is a similar split danger among democrats? Both parties have been collections of special interest groups that don't have all that much in common. The clintonista "centrist" or "practical" democrats have either been radicalized to the left, or they are "going with the flow" for the moment but not happy about it. I don't follow those circles. Ferinstance Iowa apparently went Obama today. Democrat midwest farmers I don't see em putting up with east-coast and left-coast commies long term. Kinda surprising they are still sticking with that side.

After all the numbers are in, I need to revisit the stats, but was just tonight examining the state-by-state percentages, especially swing states. Listed by-state OBAMA, ROMNEY, OTHER. OTHER as of tonight varies in the ballpark of 1 to 4 percent by state. In every swing state that Romney needs, which has been called, if you add the OTHER percentage to the ROMNEY percentage, it still doesn't exceed the OBAMA percentage.

In other words, unless something changes after the counts are finalized, even if EVERY voter who voted OTHER had voted ROMNEY, it wouldn't have swung a single state in Romney's direction. So much for the fear of selfish third-party voters spoiling the righteous coronation of Romney. Of course some of the OTHER voters voted commie or green, and if they had voted major party would have voted Obama and never have voted Romney. Nobody who voted third party helped Obama win re-election.

Which is somewhat disappointing. If the percentages actually had lost a couple of important states for republicans, it would be more likely to get their attention.

Because it looks like Obama and liberalism just earned more votes "fair and square", unless that changes after everything is counted-- And because third-party protest voters didn't fatally hurt their chances, the republican leadership won't go more conservative to win. They will go more liberal and try to "out-liberal the liberals" to try to win next time. A shame. Expecially when Romney was barely more conservative than for instance John Kerry.

edit-- Well, perhaps another lesson the R leadership might learn (but probably won't)-- It would help if they run a likeable candidate. Edited November 7, 2012 by Lester Weevils

[Links2k]

[quote name='ThePunisher' timestamp='1352264655' post='840788']


Congratulations, and enjoy your JD.
[/quote]

Thanks, but I only made a prediction based upon Romney's actions and words. Obama is still a disappointment and the people still have work to do. I hope that we can do it without being ugly to one another.

This country deserves better from our leaders and representatives.

[Guest ThePunisher]

Sunday quarterbacking. Maybe Rubio might have been the needed boost for Romney to win the Hispanic vote and pull out a victory. Appealing to the Hispanic vote is going to be more important than ever.