I waited to post this because I didn't want to influence any of the Brazillion readers of this blog in any way prior to the actual vote. Now that the election is almost over (all but the lawsuits and the phased redeployment of our Democrat brethren), I think I'm safe.
First, there is no one (really) who is more disappointed in the Republican government we've had over the past ten years or so, than little ol' me. They have been terrible on spending, less than libertarian in pushing projects like No Child Left Behind and the new Medicare debacle, while wimping out on much needed reforms in social security and school funding (how about vouchers, people?). All that said, it is equally certain that Democrats would have been and will be much, much worse in all these areas. At least Republicans talk the talk, even though they limp around a bit when trying to walk the walk. Democrats don't even say they're for the things I want government to do-or more importantly, not do.
So there really is no choice but to vote mostly Republican again. I'll hold my nose and vote for a watered down Mike Bouchard over a raving liberal nutcase like Debbie Stabenow; for a slightly weak candidate for governor over our current socialist, Ms. Granholm; for a number of other less than ideal candidates because they're infinitely better than their opposition. I will post my protest vote in other ways, however.
I am largely libertarian in my political views. I rarely feel safe in voting libertarian, though, because I feel as though I'm wasting my vote and might help to elect some of the morons the Democrats want elected. So I have decided that, until a third party I can see as electable comes to be, I will cast my third party votes for the boards of regents for my state's public universities. In this way I might be able to get some libertarian-minded people elected to public posts and maybe have their "foot in the door", so to speak.
As for the various proposals on the ballot today in Michigan, they were largely no-brainers for me. Prop 1-Yes, Prop 2-Hell Yes!, Prop 3-yes, Prop 4-Hell yes!, Prop 5-Hell NO!
That about sums it up. Hope you all voted and hope you Democrats only voted once!
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I voted straight-line Republican today. If the Democrats offered even a HOPE of an intellectually honest answer to our problems, I might consider them. But until I hear something worth changing my vote for, it's the GOP.
Like you say, it's hard to get excited about these lame, free-spending Republicans, but then... what are the alternatives?
(:D) Regards...
Beerme: I posted this on Scrapple but I should probably have posted it here instead:
I would have agreed with your position a few years ago (a protest vote is a wasted vote) but over the last little while I’ve come to realize that sometimes a non-protest vote is a wasted vote.
In my case I voted about 80% Libertarian and 20% Republican this time around, about the opposite of my usual ratio. I decided to look at it this way: if I’m going to vote against my (generally libertarian) conscience for the sake of political expediency the Republican candidate I vote for (or the Democrat I vote against) for is darn well going to have to earn it.
Therefore I only voted for Republicans I genuinely like (such as Tom McClintock) or against Democrats I really dislike (such as Cruz Bustamante). If I was ambivalent about a race I fell back on a Libertarian default–even in the big races (sorry, Arnold).
It’s true that the Libertarian Party is so far behind the two majors that they have zero chance of winning. But it’s also true that they represent a very valid alternative to the two Babylonian whores we are currently stuck with. So for me an LP vote tells the GOP (especially if the vote is close) that they’d better remember their libertarian streak if they want my vote. The current Republican leadership has demonstrated an amazing (and heretofore usually Democratic) ability to morph into what they think their constituency desires, so hopefully, win or lose, the message won’t be lost on them in 2008.
In fact I think a win for the Democrats might be very healthy for the Republicans in the long run, especially if the independent parties chew up a significant portion of the vote. It might make them remember why they gained power in the first place. If I’m going to put up with warrantless wiretaps and the blurring of the lines between church and state they’d better give me a little something in return. Otherwise they don’t deserve my vote…and they won’t get it.
I wish there was a viable third choice, too. As 'tis, the Republicans (lame though they may be) seem to be our best bet...
Godfrey,
Right on I agree with you. But unlike the conservatives here I voted mostly Democratic and Gren for governor (Illinois). This vote was about telling the neo-cons to take a hike and lets get back to the middle. Gridlock never felt so good.
2008 should be interesting.
Hey, Heybeerman!
I largely agree with Godfrey on this point as well. I guess you can't expect either party to change unless you put pressure on them, so a "wasted vote" isn't exactly wasted if it sends a message. My concern is that I'm cutting off my nose to spite my face. I hate the idea that a party that I disagree with a great majority of the time will be elected, if I vote libertarian and take votes away from a party I agree with most (OK, maybe about half) of the time.
On the other hand, I am all for gridlock. If they can't do anything, they can't do anything bad!
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