August
21st 2012
Posted under Constitution Party & Election 2012 & Libertarian Party & Third Party
Here is an excellent article from Examiner.com defending third party voting. The author is Matthew Reece. I particularly like this gem:
1. Voting for a third party candidate is a wasted vote because the candidate cannot win.
Anyone who claims this is claiming that the election process in America is rigged. Let us set aside the matter of whether this is actually the case and focus narrowly on the claim being made. A person who believes this should be trying to convince people either not to vote at all in protest of a corrupt system or to take up arms to start a second American Revolution, not trying to convince people to vote for Republicans or Democrats.
Feltan on 21 Aug 2012 at 11:35 pm #
Great article. However, I wish there was a way to make the statements shorter and with a little punch. It would be difficult to put the content of that article into practice over a short conversation.
I want a response like: “… blah, blah, blah, and oh by the way, you suck.”
Regards,
Feltan
Savrola on 22 Aug 2012 at 12:06 am #
“Anyone who claims this is claiming that the election process in America is rigged. Let us set aside the matter of whether this is actually the case and focus narrowly on the claim being made. A person who believes this should be trying to convince people either not to vote at all in protest of a corrupt system or to take up arms to start a second American Revolution, not trying to convince people to vote for Republicans or Democrats.”
He’s probably young and naive. Doesn’t know any better. What’s sad is old and naive. Hopefully he will learn.
RedPhillips on 22 Aug 2012 at 1:00 am #
Savrola, I suspect that you would concede the system is rigged. The issue is whether you play within the rigged system or protest it.
I disagree with not voting as a means of protest. It doesn’t send the signal you intend. That is the beauty of third party voting. You get to vote FOR a candidate that you want and AGAINST the rigged system at the same time. A third party vote, in our system, is inherently a vote against the system.
roho on 22 Aug 2012 at 1:18 am #
Ofcourse it’s rigged……..And eventually, it will be about 5% voter turnout as they intend.
It’s as relative as Professional Wrestling!…………LOL!
Savrola on 22 Aug 2012 at 2:59 am #
Who pays for the ballots, Red?
Richard Channing on 22 Aug 2012 at 2:57 pm #
I’m not sure that I’d use Lincoln winning as an argument in favor of voting third party.
RedPhillips on 22 Aug 2012 at 8:00 pm #
“Who pays for the ballots, Red?”
Idk. I believe the parties foot some of the bill for primaries and the state for the general. I could be wrong, and it could differ by state.
Savrola on 22 Aug 2012 at 8:37 pm #
Not the way it works in Missouri. Look into it, under the George election laws.
You should really know these things, if you’re going to talk about them.
RedPhillips on 22 Aug 2012 at 9:01 pm #
The consensus seems to be that the government even pays for primary elections. There may be exceptions.
What is your point? It really helps move the discussion along
when you make one.
Savrola on 23 Aug 2012 at 2:11 pm #
Well there are a multiplicity of points to be drawn from that question, Red.
But the main one is, if the government pays for the primary, what does that make the political parties?
RedPhillips on 23 Aug 2012 at 4:20 pm #
That is the point I would take, but it seems to me that that makes the case for third party voting, not against it.
Savrola on 23 Aug 2012 at 7:01 pm #
No it explains why third parties will remain legally irelevent.
RedPhillips on 23 Aug 2012 at 7:09 pm #
So do you roll with that or do you resist it? I choose to resist it. I suspect this has as much or more to do with personality traits than it does tactics. I just refuse to accept injustices like that. The same reason I refuse to accept that the Constitution is a dead letter even though it is.
Savrola on 24 Aug 2012 at 1:22 am #
Red this discussion about 3rd parties is like two theologians discussing whether Christians should play bingo and what the economic impact of such decision would be.
Allen on 02 Sep 2012 at 4:44 am #
I thought the points were very well made and valid. But I do agree the Lincoln point was stretching it a little.
Weaver on 08 Sep 2012 at 7:45 am #
Savrola,
opportunities arise. Just by merit of existing, third parties create a potential.
Tancredo nearly won US Senator on the Constitution Party ticket last go-around.
I wholeheartedly agree that democracy controls us by misdirecting our efforts into the election system when we could be doing something useful like fighting the Culture War. It’s not a complete waste though.
Weaver on 08 Sep 2012 at 7:47 am #
On Topic:
A person who believes the system is rigged will very likely be demanding the system be watched more closely…
A person who uses rhetoric to defend a corrupt system should also be watched… even more closely.