Is anyone here open to the possibility of voting for the 'opposite' party?

[Rolyo85]

Rolyo85, as a gay man what is that one option? Why are you voting as a gay man and not as a citizen?

I feel there are many more things at stake as a citizen than as a gay man.

People already answered that, but since it was directed at me, I should reply too. Being gay is who you are. If you were ever closeted, it colored everything about you, built your personality and defined everything about it. Everything. Who you are is a direct result of being gay. And that doesn't make being gay special, same rule applies to straight people.

There are no other things at stake that can compete with being treated the same way as everybody else. None. And yes, acting like you're "beyond the gay thing" is just avoiding reality. It won't make you any less gay, nor will it make the people you vote for hate you any less. And like I often say, I am not into self-harm. I don't cut myself, so I don't see why I would want to vote for someone who has pledged to write discrimination against me into the national constitution. My well-being is the only thing at state that is important to me, because it isn't important to anyone else.

 

[Benvolio]

I would never vote for a Democrat. It would be voting for ths US to become a poor, divisive, third world country.

 

[Benvolio]

And you are an admitted socialist, a sure prescription for third world poverty.

 

[maxpowr9]

Benvolio is also scared that whites are no longer a statistical majority in the US (>50%). Another 2 decades and Hispanics may pass whites in population. Let the racists fear that outcome.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

While I've never voted for a Republican as president, I did cast a vote for pro-choice Republican Barbara Hafer against anti-choice Democrat Bob Casey for PA governor years ago. She didn't win. She made the mistake during the campaign of referring to her opponent as a "drunken mick" and that, my friends, was the end of that.

 

[Kulindahr]

Benvolio is also scared that whites are no longer a statistical majority in the US (>50%). Another 2 decades and Hispanics may pass whites in population. Let the racists fear that outcome.

And he has yet to explain why a political party that is to the right of most parties in mildly socialist Europe will turn us into a third world country, when most of those 'socialist' economies do reasonably well.

 

[Kulindahr]

All the better. More sexy Hispanic guys for me lol.

Benvolio, if you want third world poverty look at who is causing. The rich elite. This is the case in so many of these countries. People like Nestor Kirchner (rip), Ollanta Humala and Daniel Ortega have tried to stop the stealing.

The United States needs someone like Nestor Kirchner. I like Obama don't get me wrong, but he needs to be more gutsy like how Kirchner was when he was in charge of Argentina. Kirchner was a master of destroying political opponents (in a very divided political atmosphere) and getting the economy back on track...

LOL Kirchner might be a bit much for D.C. I'd settle for a combo of LBJ, FDR, and Reagan.

 

[opinterph]

… people who identify themselves as"atheists" are probably more likely to be Democrats, but I have not see any polls to that effect.

Americans who report they are atheists comprise less than 2 percent of the population. One of the principles atheists seek to preserve is a secular government. In that regard, it is reasonable to assume they may find themselves at odds with elements of the Christian Right.

 

[LuvFindsAndyHardy]

Benvolio, if you want third world poverty look at who is causing. The rich elite.

He wants an oligarchy.

 

[Stardreamer]

I answered yes because I always try to leave an open mind for the 'other' side to convince me. I started into this campaign leaning towards Obama on the 'lesser evil' principle and Romney has fairly managed to NOT impress me at all. Obama is underwhelming me as well. So I've decided to go Libertarian this year. I'm sick of every election being about the end of the world if the other guy gets elected. I don't think Obama or Romney will make that much difference if they are elected towards moving the country in the direction I would like to see it move. And I don't think either will have that much impact as far as making it worse. So why should I vote for the lesser evil yet again?

 

[Stardreamer]

Well by voting for a third party that has no chance of getting anywhere, you're essentially helping Mitt Romney. Just my view. It's an unfortunate view I hold but it is because of the lack of a multiparty system in America. There are only two major parties that are represented. The rest don't matter. Obama is still the right man for the job.

You really think the Libertarian vote is going to HELP Mitt Romney? You really don't know much about the other parties do you? A significant vote for the Libertarian party will hand the election to Obama.

 

[Rolyo85]

You really think the Libertarian vote is going to HELP Mitt Romney? You really don't know much about the other parties do you? A significant vote for the Libertarian party will hand the election to Obama.

False. There is one constant in US politics, and that is that the Republican voters vote blindly and en masse, when it comes to presidential elections. It's the big liberal "thinkers" that are constantly "proving points", "making stands" and being against this or that, who end up costing their own candidates the elections because they were too busy being smart to actually go vote for the person who isn't a crazy evil monster from corporate hell.

The Libertarian vote will not hand the election to Obama. It will just steal votes from him.

 

[Stardreamer]

False. There is one constant in US politics, and that is that the Republican voters vote blindly and en masse, when it comes to presidential elections. It's the big liberal "thinkers" that are constantly "proving points", "making stands" and being against this or that, who end up costing their own candidates the elections because they were too busy being smart to actually go vote for the person who isn't a crazy evil monster from corporate hell.

The Libertarian vote will not hand the election to Obama. It will just steal votes from him.

IN which case it is the Democrats who will need to learn a lesson.

 

[Rolyo85]

Yeah, I am sure Romney utilizing the Ryan budget and plunging the country into a second Great Depression will teach the Democrats (and everyone else) an awesome lesson.

 

[MassRuss]

People already answered that, but since it was directed at me, I should reply too. Being gay is who you are. If you were ever closeted, it colored everything about you, built your personality and defined everything about it. Everything. Who you are is a direct result of being gay. And that doesn't make being gay special, same rule applies to straight people.

There are no other things at stake that can compete with being treated the same way as everybody else. None. And yes, acting like you're "beyond the gay thing" is just avoiding reality. It won't make you any less gay, nor will it make the people you vote for hate you any less. And like I often say, I am not into self-harm. I don't cut myself, so I don't see why I would want to vote for someone who has pledged to write discrimination against me into the national constitution. My well-being is the only thing at state that is important to me, because it isn't important to anyone else.

This is exactly how I feel. & I will always vote accordingly

 

[Stardreamer]

Yeah, I am sure Romney utilizing the Ryan budget and plunging the country into a second Great Depression will teach the Democrats (and everyone else) an awesome lesson.

EVERY election in the past two decades I've heard the same type of doomsaying, Clinton got elected, we are still here, Bush got elected, we are still here, Obama got elected, we are still here. After a while you get tired of it and realize you can live your life in fear of what may happen or take a risk and try and make things better. The continued doomsday partisan politics is not going to get any better if we aren't willing to buck the two party system.

 

[Rolyo85]

Um, is the situation right now the same as when Clinton got elected? When Bush got elected? Even when Obama was? To say "eh, it's always all the same" is just as stupid as saying "it's all gloom and doom". Processes have been going on in the last two decades, and they have developed. The world was not in the same place when Clinton was elected as when Bush was. And it's not the same now as it was then. At some point a president will be fatal for this country. Not irreparably fatal, cause the world economy would not allow the US to collapse, but scary enough. The Ryan budget WILL be very destructive for the country. I almost wanna see it happen, so that the GOP gets landslid into obscurity for the next decade or so...

 

[Stardreamer]

Um, is the situation right now the same as when Clinton got elected? When Bush got elected? Even when Obama was? To say "eh, it's always all the same" is just as stupid as saying "it's all gloom and doom". Processes have been going on in the last two decades, and they have developed. The world was not in the same place when Clinton was elected as when Bush was. And it's not the same now as it was then. At some point a president will be fatal for this country. Not irreparably fatal, cause the world economy would not allow the US to collapse, but scary enough. The Ryan budget WILL be very destructive for the country. I almost wanna see it happen, so that the GOP gets landslid into obscurity for the next decade or so...

Keh, they situations were more relevant in those cases, which is why I did vote for the 'lesser evil in those elections. This one, not so much to the partisans its always doomsday.

 

[Rolyo85]

Really? Financial crisis around Clinton?

 

[Kulindahr]

False. There is one constant in US politics, and that is that the Republican voters vote blindly and en masse, when it comes to presidential elections. It's the big liberal "thinkers" that are constantly "proving points", "making stands" and being against this or that, who end up costing their own candidates the elections because they were too busy being smart to actually go vote for the person who isn't a crazy evil monster from corporate hell.

The Libertarian vote will not hand the election to Obama. It will just steal votes from him.

Johnson is polling about 5%. Of that 5%, two thirds say they would vote for Romney if Johnson weren't in the race.

Should Paul be persuaded to run with Johnson (not likely), that portion would shift a little upward; they could end up pulling four points off Romney.