Friday, October 24, 2008

Voting For a Third Party

This election has my head spinning. Between the two major candidates I know whom I am not voting for. The difficulties I am having are with one major candidate and a third party candidate.

I feel I have a moral obligation to vote for the person who upholds my values and whom I think would be the best president. If I were true to this stance I would have to vote for a third party. Is that throwing away a vote?

I am not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to politics, but I do know that I should be able to choose the person I think represents me and whom I feel will do the best job.

If I vote third party will I be throwing away my vote or will I be making a statement that I would like a candidate who represents my family to be given a chance and be heard?

If I do vote third party I know that particular person won’t win, but will my vote and the votes of others who are fed up make a statement to future elections?

Jumping on the bandwagon and casting my vote for the lesser of two evils is something I don't want to do, I want to be proud of who I vote for.

It would be nice if more choices for the most powerful position in the world were given to “We the People”, choices that make a true difference.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

personal opinion, and i think your and my political views are a bit different, so take it or leave it. though i never actually have in practice, i would most definitely vote for a third party candidate if i felt that person better represented what i wanted to see in office. i would (and have) vote across party lines.

i always vote in the primaries for who i want, not who i think has the best chance of getting the party's nomination (which is what some do). needless to say, who i vote for rarely makes it to the ticket. if we can't choose who we really want in office, it (to me) diminishes the whole voting process.

i hear what you're saying about throwing away votes. dems blamed ralph nader for gore not getting the presidency in 2000. in the end, i think you have to weigh whether voting for your party's candidate is a decision you can live with. if you really are seeing that candidate as the lesser of two evils, and the third party candidate really represents what you want in washington, it makes it tough. could you live with both of those candidates losing to the other party's candidate, who you are decidedly against?

i don't think i've really answered your question, but i don't really think anyone else can. you have to decide whether what you really want is more important than what you can live with, if that makes any sense.

all i can say is vote!!!

Katie said...

I had a hard time choosing between going 3rd party and voting McCain. In the end the differences I had with McCain weren't great enough for me to not vote for him, particularly considering Obama's extreme abortion stance and repeated promise to sign the Freedom of "Choice" Act.

But I don't believe that any vote is a wasted vote. It's a hard choice to make when you're less than thrilled with the major party candidates! Good luck.

Rebecca Frech said...

I have come to believe that in this close election a vote for a third party candidate is not much different than a vote for Obama. I'm just not comfortable with tipping anything in his favor.

I voted for my favorite candidate in the primaries (Ron Paul), but vote strictly pro-life in the general. In this case the choice seems to be "Obama" or "Other". I've decided on "Other", and Palin sealed it for me. I'm voting for her, and McCain is along for the ride.

Soul Pockets said...

Thanks for the comments. McCain is not even campaigning in my state. I will just have to think about it some more.

Marie said...

Aborted babies have NO vote. Obama is openly Pro-Choice and the McCain/Palin ticket is the only one that stands for LIFE.

There are areas where I disagree with McCain but in the end one should vote NOT in what concerns one's own life but for those who have NO voice and get NO vote. The unborn.

If I were to advise you it would be to vote for LIFE and protect the Unborn. Irrespective of what one hopes to gain personally.:).

Isn't our faith about looking after the least in our society? There is no more vulnerable than the babies who are powerless.

Keep praying:) God will guide you:).

Peace to you:)

Marie xooxoxox

Soul Pockets said...

I agree Marie, if I do vote for a third party it will be because that person is more pro-life than McCain.

The death of children is what I hold to be the first and most important issue.

Thanks for your advice.