The Only Wrong Choice is not to Vote

The Only Wrong Choice is not to Vote

www.votesmart.org

Senator John S. McCain, III (AZ)

Current Office: U.S. Senate
Seniority: Senior Seat
Office Seeking: President
First Elected: 11/04/1986
Last Elected: 11/02/2004
Next Election: 2010
Party: Republican

Background Information
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Cindy Lou Hensley
7 Children: Doug, Sidney, Andy, Meghan, Jack, Jimmy, Bridget.
Birth Date: 08/29/1936
Birthplace: Panama Canal Zone, Panama
Home City: Phoenix, AZ
Religion: Episcopalian

Education:
National War College, 1973-1974
BS, United States Naval Academy, 1958.

Professional Experience:
Senate Navy Liaison, 1977-1981
Captain, United States Navy, Vietnam, 1958-1981
Beer Distributor.

Political Experience:
Senator, United States Senate, Arizona, 1987-present
Primary Candidate, United States President, 2000
National Security Adviser, Dole/Kemp Presidential Campaign, 1996
Representative, United States House of Representatives, 1982-1986.

*** *** ***

Senator Barack H. Obama, Jr. (IL)

Current Office: U.S. Senate
Seniority: Junior Seat
Office Seeking: President
First Elected: 11/02/2004
Last Elected: 11/02/2004
Next Election: 2010
Party: Democratic

Background Information
Gender: Male
Family: Wife: Michelle
2 Children: Malia, Sasha.
Birth Date: 08/04/1961
Birthplace: Honolulu, HI
Home City: Chicago, IL
Religion: United Church of Christ

Education:
JD, Harvard Law School, 1991
BA, Columbia University, 1983
Attended, Occidental College.

Professional Experience:
Community Organizer, Chicago, 1985
Attorney, Sidley & Austin
Author
Lecturer
Professor, Constitutional Law.

Political Experience:
Senator, United States Senate, 2005-present
Keynote Speaker, 2004 Democratic National Convention
Senator, Illinois State Senate, 1996-2004.

(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.johnmccain.com
www.barackobama.com
www.votenader.org
www.ronpaul.com

My friends... as you all know by now I am a self declared old hippie liberal and that my politics are distinctly left of center.

That doesn't matter.

We are in what has been repeatedly called the most important election in our lifetime.

What does matter is that all of us, left, right, Democrat, Republican, Independent, Black, White, Asian, Indian, Christian, Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Atheist, straight, gay, bisexual, asexual, active duty military personal, veteran or civilian... all of us are Americans and all of us love our country and all of us are patriots.

We may not match anyone elses profile of what it means to be a patriot but that is neither here nor there... to impugn another person's patriotism is one of the most offensive and arrogant things you can do.

It doesn't matter who you are voting for... I am for Obama... reluctantly... my friend Semperfortis is for McCain... others on here are for Ron Paul and I think there are a smattering of Ralph Nader supporters as well.

It doesn't matter who you are voting for... your candidate, all of them, liberal, conservative, Republican, Democrat love their country and will do their utmost to protect and serve it.

The time for mudslinging and name calling is past... rabid partisanship is a poison in the lifeblood of our nation...

... Its time we all stand up and do what is right and reject all of that...

... It doesn't matter who you vote for... the only wrong choice is not to vote.

I'll be there at 7 AM tomorrow... will you?

www.votesmart.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3-11-2008 by grover]

Originally posted by grover
I'll be there at 7 AM tomorrow... will you?

Nope, I gave up already on this joke of an election.

Just like the last 2, it don't matter who you vote for.. Hell all I saw was 2 idiots on the tv talking about crap that really didn't matter. What about all those other candidates who had something to say?

In this they can take this election and shove it up their rich a........ nm... I don't care, and that's my final answer..

Last thought:
He who votes decides nothing, he who counts the votes decides everything.

[edit on 11/3/2008 by ThichHeaded]

[edit on 11/3/2008 by ThichHeaded]

Originally posted by grover

It doesn't matter who you vote for... the only wrong choice is not to vote.

I'll be there at 7 AM tomorrow... will you?

www.votesmart.org
(visit the link for the full news article)

[edit on 3-11-2008 by grover]

Great post! star/flag... yes people! Vote for whomever you're going to vote for! just make sure you do it!

I like to say if you don't vote, you can't complain...

as far as 7 am... wowza... I was thinking more like maybe 10am

TO THICHHEADED:

That's a crappy attitude and I think that you are wrong but that's your opinion and you are entitled to it.

As Voltaire so famously said:

I may disagree with what you say but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

[edit on 3-11-2008 by grover]

Flagged. I will be there when the polls open in the morning.

should put a bio for the rest of teh candidates as well


but the message is right - the last and greatest power you have is the vote - whilst there might be some great conspiracy - if you don`t cast your vote , then you don`t have the power to change the world.

Why Vote?
Does the Average's persons vote even matter?

last presidential election,

Al gore WON the popular vote, but lost?


So No. Im not going to bother with going to the vote stands.

reply to post by grover

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.......... I did it. Sent the damned thing in. Very hard to do. But....... I did it.
AND I DON'T FEEL ANY BETTER HAVING DONE SO!
I wrote in a few Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck votes in the local yokel elections. I wrote in a throw away vote for the senator who didn't do a damn thing the people wanted with regard to the Bush regimes crimes and misdemeanors. He will still be elected... at least I didn't vote for that devil. I voted for one of the presidential corporate stooges.
Whoopeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.........!
I feel dirty.

reply to post by KOGDOG


putting the effort into writing in a cartoon sends a stronger message than not voting at all...

like I said, if you don't vote, ya can't complain...

you've secured your right to complain about the government for the next 4 years! grats!

Great post, grover, you old hippie!

I have already voted. And I agree with you that it's a horrible shame when people don't vote.

I do, however respect their right NOT to vote, even though I don't understand it.

I know the last presidential election put a bad taste in people's mouths for the election process and I'm absolutely certain that there will be shenanigans again this year. But giving up isn't my personal choice for rectification. I'm a stubborn old broad and I will do whatever I can to save this sinking ship until I can no longer fight. I will do my part. No matter what others say and no matter who disagrees, I will fight for the tenets of the founding documents of this country...

There's my patriotic spurt for this year.

I do not understand how voting is a big deal. I guess maybe it's because in my generation, everyone has the right to vote. There have been no civil rights movements due to the voting issue in the 90's or after 2000. But I also see it like this. If someone votes, it may get counted, lost, discarded, entered in as a vote for the opposite candidate. But in the end, no one's vote elects the president except for the 538 members of the electoral college, who do not have to vote as the majority members of their state.

No!

6 Months ago I would have agreed with you 110%, but not now. Instead I have watched the joy of media brainwashing in action. I have seen intelligent people fall for the same old media tricks. For me the only vote wasted is a vote cast...

Obama: Will gives us more of the same. He will follow the agenda already laid out. However, for teh sake of argument, let's say he is the real deal. Let's say he really wants this "change" that he has been speaking of. If that is the case, he will not make it past year 2 with Biden (of the old gaurd) waiting in the wings.

McCain: Is the old guard. He stopped being "The Maverick" years ago. If he was still "The Maverick" he would not be one of your choices today. He is a complete warmonger and I could not see him surviving his first term as President. Of course you have Palin waiting in the wings and the thought of her as President should be enough to scare anyone.

Ron Paul: Now here is a wasted vote. So many people who want to "write in" his name. Guess what? If he is not on the ballot, you have truly wasted your vote. It will be cast aside and it will not count. To my knowledge Ron Paul is only on the ballot in one state.... Montana. So unless you live in Montana any vote for Ron Paul will be excluded.

Third Party Candidates: They are out there, yet no one knows who they are. I challenge anyone to walk down the street and ask anyone you see who is running for President and with a little luck 1% of the people you talk to might have a clue about all the third party candidates. Why so low? Cause they have been ignored. No one has seen them in the debates, you do not see any clips of them campaigning, the majority has no idea they are even out there.


I love those that say if you don't vote you can't complain... I say BS!!! The fact that I didnt vote gives me every right to complain. I didnt put one of these jack offs in office. You did! I didnt allow myself to be forced to pick the lesser of 2 evils... you did. I didnt fall for the empty promises and false hopes from our flip flopping, hand picked candidates. You did! If you vote in this election...you have no right to complain. You put them in office and your going to get what you deserve. More of teh same ol nonsense. After all.... you voted for them when you fell prey to the same old tricks.

reply to post by grover


..and a star from me as well.

As with everyone here, I have my favorites this election. But, I really do hope that everyone that can vote does so.

Every election I end up talking to people that are disappointed their canidate didn't win and bemoaning who did win.

I ask them - "Did you vote?"

I'm always amazed, usually more than 1/2 of them say "No". Excuses vary from "busy", "didn't think it would matter", etc..

It just blows my mind. I'm like, "So you are really unhappy your guy lost and think the country is going to go to hell in a handbasket now. But, you didn't actually vote to try and stop it? So how can you complain?"

I try to stay "middle of the road" but from seeing my posts you guys probably know I lean right on some things.

That aside.

You want Obama to win? Get up and go vote for him!
You want McCain to win? Get up and go vote for him!

EDIT - I read a couple of the previous posts that were made while I typed this. I can understand that and respect that. My little rant was for those that do have a canidate they like and want to win - but do not vote.





[edit on 3-11-2008 by Frogs]

Originally posted by Frogs
reply to post by grover

 

You want Obama to win? Get up and go vote for him!
You want McCain to win? Get up and go vote for him!

And if you want neither?? Again...here we see what the media has told you in action. You only have two choices. Realistically, you do only have two choices. A third party candidate will never win the popular vote after being completely ignored and silenced in the media for the last year.

I think everyone thinks its great we have the right to vote, and I don't think there is a "wrong" way to vote either.

People always get upset and pissy because they think, "Oh your just voting because the candidate is a democrat or republican or black or a veteran or more handsome or more experienced or a family man or they're female or they're from your state". The list is endless. who cares.

After the last 8 yrs, I know a lot of people that are just expecting a disappointment regardless of who wins. but the people get what the people want. and If its close call , well, sorry but someone has to win.

I'm not voting, I don't really care who wins. I'll end up complaining either way
I look at the election as a giant Job application. and the people and electoral college get to hire our new boss, yay!
does that mean that I think it's all business? ...

For the most part what we have been voting for the past few years is not the lessor of two evils but rather the evil of two lessors...

... Repeatedly I ask myself... Is this the best we can do? If these are our best and brightest God help us all... still I vote religiously.

What I find myself focusing on more and more are the house and senate seats.

Here in Virginia we are losing a good man in the Senate... John Warner (R) whom while I disagreed with him on the majority of the issues, I still respect him... he has the backbone to buck party lines when he feels he had to... most notably in 94 when he point blank refused to endorse Oliver North of the Senate (when I met North on the streets here in Roanoke in 94 I point blank refused to shake his hand and turned my back on him). He drew major flack from his party over that including a bid to unseat him but he held firm.

Two former governors, Mark Warner (D) (no relation) and James Gilmore (R) are running to replace him and it isn't even close... something like 34% for Gilmore to 66% for Warner... Gilmore is hoping that people have forgotten that he all but bankrupted this state in his four years. They haven't.

More locally I find myself in a pickle. Bob Goodlette (R) is up for re-election in the house... by all accounts he is a good man and has done a lot of good for our area... based on that I am inclined to vote for him HOWEVER his votes on national issues trouble me considerably but his competition is totally untested and way too young.

So I won't know who I will pull the lever for until I do.

Now if I lived in the next district it would be a no brainer... Virgil Goode (I/R) is up for re-election and he is the rep. who made such a stink over the only Muslim member of congress wanting to be sworn in on the Quran.

Goode is having a hard time of it and as a result he is running one of the nastier local elections I have seen in recent years.

I think most voters find themselves in such a quandry.

[edit on 3-11-2008 by grover]

Originally posted by MrWendal

And if you want neither??

That's why I put in the edit at the bottom of my post.



As I said there I can respect and understand that. I was talking more about those that do have one of those they like and don't vote.

YEs please vote , BUT educate your self before you vote.. Nothing worst that voting for some one to find out they passed bills etc to take your freedom/money from you for things you dont support..

However i find it add that you only snipped information from the Main Stream Medias, Pics for the uniparty system we have.. the republicrats

Really I cant stand how biased the MSM is to the dems and republicans and don't ever mention the other parties/candidates your WILL see on your ballet tomorrow.

The media controls the public perception, if you cant see that , your in there trance.

Originally posted by grover
The Only Wrong Choice is not to Vote

I hear ya' grover ... but I maintain that it's better not to vote then to vote for the wrong person. Just going in and pulling a party lever instead of looking at ALL the facts .... I think that's wrong.

But I DO understand what you are saying grover.