I posted this in reply to another thread, but felt was important enough to merit having it's own thread

I have read a few people's comments about how they support a 3rd Party Presidential Candidate in principle, but feel they must use their vote to keep either Bush or Kerry out of office, so they won't vote for a 3rd party this election.

I just want to say that, IMO, the US is going to continue on its current course unless the people (that's us) make it known that we are fed up with all of the b.s. and we will not be forced into supporting a President we don't believe in.

Bush and Kerry (and their handlers) are counting on the fact that people will not vote their conscience this election. They are preying on people's fears of "wasting their votes" or being seen as a traitor to their party (should they vote for someone other than their party's candidate), in order to manipulate people into voting for them.

If we vote for Kerry, in order to try and vote out Bush (or vice versa), we are telling Kerry, that we feel he can represent us, and serve our Country, better than any of the other candidates from whom we could have chosen. We are declaring that we want him as our Commander-In-Chief, because we share his ideals and political beliefs, and we support his plans for our Country more than we do anyone else’s.

There are no “Yes for Kerry, because I want Bush out” options on the ballot, as far as I know.
How are we going to get any of the arrogant, self-absorbed politicians in Washington DC to acknowledge and respond to our cries for change, when they know that Americans won’t vote their conscience, even when it really matters? How are they supposed to know that we only voted for one because we hated them slightly less than the other? Why should they bother being honest or having integrity, when they know people will vote for them regardless of their actions? All a politician has to do is be slightly more likable (or less reprehensible) than their competition, and they are in.

To vote for Bush, is to vote for Kerry, is to vote for Bush...They are both sold out, corporate puppets, who could care less about the people they are supposed to be servants to.

The game is rigged, and it doesn’t matter whether you elect the Republican or the Democrat, the dealer still wins. You can pick the one that scares you the least, hoping that things will change once the other party is in office, but I wouldn’t count on too much. It’s all just a ruse, an illusion.
There is only one party in Washington, the Soulless Order of Greedy Bastards, but it is cleverly disguised as two (commonly known as the Republican and the Democratic Parties). It doesn’t matter which side gets elected to office, though they pretend like it does for our benefit. There’s only one way to stop the charade--stop playing their game. The more people who vote for candidates because they believe in them, regardless of which party they are affiliated with, the less control the Soulless Order of Greedy Bastards will have over us, and the stronger we will become as both individuals and as a nation.

Personally, I don't buy into it.

Get idealistic and revolt against the government in a less important election (like in 2000).

This is a VERY important election.

Whether a 3rd party candidate gets 1%, 2%, or 10% of the vote, Kerry/Bush -- whoever wins -- will not care. It won't change their agenda, and it doesn't 'show them' anything.

There is no difference between voting Kerry or Bush. They are the same thing with a different face to the outside world.

They play it extra dirty in this election campaign because more and more people were starting to see that they are in fact 2 faces fronting the same people, the same money.

Truely "not buying into it" would be not voting for either Kerry or Bush.
Buying into it would be believing 3de party's are worthless and thinking by voting either Bush or Kerry actualy gives you a choice.