Who Did You Vote For?

[JASKN]

I am curious about who you voted for. This thread is for stating your vote, at least for President, followed by a brief account of your reasoning. This isn't the thread for arguing the finer points of the election (there are so many threads already!).

I'll start: I will not (/did not) vote. From what I have gathered through the media and the 'net Objectivists, both Presidential candidates have truly awful things planned for the country. Both will promote ideologies that will leave America worse off. I do not see an advantage in either one. Thus, I do not consider it time well spent to figure out how I am supposed to fit voting into my schedule tomorrow. Furthermore, I would honestly prefer to not hear about politics until I can fit some kind of activism into my life. It would be nice if the political future weren't so grim, but there is little I can do about it in respect to my other life goals at the moment.

As for the local election, I haven't considered it important to take the time to learn enough about the candidates to make an educated vote.

So, please share! After all of the arguing here on the forum, it will be interesting to hear how people actually voted, and why.

[softwareNerd]

After all of the arguing here on the forum, it will be interesting to hear how people actually voted, and why.

ha ha! You're an optimist to think this does not become another heated thread! Worse still, it can form the foundation for the 2009 series: "I told you not to vote that way"

[Grant]

JAS, if you want to keep this from getting heated, add a little note to the bottom of your post asking people to refrain from commenting on the votes/reasons of others.

Just tell us who you voted for, and why. That's all.

[Ken Rahman]

My apologies. I certainly did defiant from the topic's title. I have not voted yet, but I will either be voted for the issues only or not at all. I cannot force myself into a compromise between Obama or McCain. In a game of two evils, I'll choose not to play the game.

[RationalBiker]

McCain.

[gags]

McCain. My reasoning: With a Democrat controlled House and Senate, I'm hoping for gridlock and inaction.

[ers]

McCain. My reasoning: With a Democrat controlled House and Senate, I'm hoping for gridlock and inaction.

I voted for McCain for the same reason.

Oct 3rd and Nov 4th, 2008. Two days which will bring the downfall of liberty.

We no longer have the choice of altering our government. It is too far corrupt. The only solution is to abolish it. I'm off to hoard food and guns.

Edited November 4, 2008 by ers

[Maximus]

I just got back from voting. As painful as it was, I had no choice but to go with McCain. I fear the underlying Marxist/Socialist philosophy and the loss of our liberties under an Obama regime more than any threat that Christian religious fundamentalists may or may not pose at this time. At least with the religious right, we will not be in danger of losing our Second Amendment rights. As long as we are still armed, we are citizens, rather than subjects.

Edited for typo.

Edited November 4, 2008 by Maximus

[intellectualammo]

it will be interesting to hear how people actually voted, and why.

I was going to abstain, but I have been ever curious about protest voting, as I have already mentioned in a different thread. I didn't know much about it, so today, since I live right near where the voting was taking place, I went down to have a question answered (after being in line for almost an hour, good thing I always carry a book), and when I found out that I could write in on the video screen what I wanted, and it would be accepted, I did. So, for each of the six spots I typed away "NONE OF THE ABOVE". I'm not sure how many characters you are alloted, but it took what I wrote. I just wanted a way of showing my unhappiness more creatively and perhaps even more actively too than simply abstaining. I think it shows opposition to all those listed above, more so than not voting at all. At least that is my reasoning.

[KevinDW78]

I was originally going to abstain, but I have decided that I will be voting for Obama today. My reasoning (as I posted in another thread) is that recent events in my personal life have made the subject of gay civil-unions a top value to me, and there is more likelihood that civil-unions would be forcibly recognized in my state of Utah under Obama than under McCain. Plain and simple. I would be willing to suffer through everything else Obama would do if it meant I got that one value out of it.

[brian0918]

I was originally going to abstain, but I have decided that I will be voting for Obama today. My reasoning (as I posted in another thread) is that recent events in my personal life have made the subject of gay civil-unions a top value to me, and there is more likelihood that civil-unions would be forcibly recognized in my state of Utah under Obama than under McCain. Plain and simple. I would be willing to suffer through everything else Obama would do if it meant I got that one value out of it.

You voted for pragmatism, like everyone else who voted for Obama or McCain. They all had one thing or another that they hoped to gain from the candidates' empty promises - free healthcare, arbitrary tax breaks, etc. Unfortunately, we all know how little a political promise is worth. If I were you I would take a hard stand on the separation of the religious concept of "marriage" from the legal concept of "civil union", rather than what you're doing now, which I think is seen by many as government forcing them to consider gay union to be a religious marriage. As long as these two concepts remain intertwined in our laws, we're going to have this problem.

[ers]

I would be willing to suffer through everything else Obama would do if it meant I got that one value out of it.

I have a feeling that you will regret those words in a couple of years when this country begins to rip apart at the seams [pending an Obama win].

[aequalsa]

I have a feeling that you will regret those words in a couple of years when this country begins to rip apart at the seams [pending an Obama win].

Especially when you take into consideration what those things actually are. He is opposed to the constitutional protection of negative liberties with full cognizant knowledge of what those mean. So if he gets his way, you will have supported giving up the right to life, liberty, and property for the government ordained privledge of a particular contract which comes with a tax break.

Congrats, by the way?

[KevinDW78]

I have a feeling that you will regret those words in a couple of years

As I stated, I live in Utah. My vote is utterly worthless because the electoral vote will always go to the republican.

So if he gets his way, you will have supported giving up the right to life, liberty, and property for the government ordained privledge of a particular contract which comes with a tax break.

Look before you leap. I couldn't care less about all that. What I do care about is that the person in question in my life is not a U.S. citizen, and it would be very difficult to obtain residence here without a legally recognized union/marriage/whatever.

Edited November 4, 2008 by KevinDW78

[ers]

As I stated, I live in Utah. My vote is utterly worthless because the electoral vote will always go to the republican.

And in my state (Delaware), the electoral vote will most assuredly go to Obama. I still voted for McCain. Out of *civic duty*. As I said before, our federal government is beyond corrupt. If Obama wins along with a filibuster proof Democratic Senate, the ONLY way to fix it will be to violently overthrow the government in another revolution.

If McCain wins, it buys the country a few scant years to hope that a real candidate with real principles arises to fix our almost hopelessly broken government.

[KendallJ]

I have a feeling that you will regret those words in a couple of years when this country begins to rip apart at the seams [pending an Obama win].

Read Snerd's header and knock this shit off.

[KevinDW78]

Worse still, it can form the foundation for the 2009 series: "I told you not to vote that way"

Well, you predicted it, and it came true almost immediately.

[aequalsa]

Look before you leap. I couldn't care less about all that. What I do care about is that the person in question in my life is not a U.S. citizen, and it would be very difficult to obtain residence here without a legally recognized union/marriage/whatever.

Sorry about that. That's probably a good idea. That way when we lose our rights here the two of you can immigrate to his country where they might still be free. (sorry, couldn't resist.

[KendallJ]

sorry, couldn't resist.

Try harder.

[KendallJ]

President: Abstain

Senate: Republican (lost cause, Levin will get reelected)

House: Democrat (because I promised my R-rep that I would if he voted for the bail-out, and he did, twice - however, he'll probably keep his seat. He's almost a Cardinal)

Prop 2 - to allow stem cell research - Yes

[brian0918]

President: None of the Above

Congress: a mix of Republican and Independent

(Ohio)

Issue 1: earlier filing deadline for ballot issues: Yes

Issue 2: Clean Ohio program: No

Issue 3: Supporting private groundwater property rights: Yes

Issue 5: Dropping maximum interest rate on payday lending: No

Issue 6: $600 million state-run casino: FUCK NO (if only that was a choice)

Edited November 4, 2008 by brian0918

[KindredAmy]

I abstained and wrote in Ayn Rand just for benevolence. I cannot vote for McCain/Palin, especially Palin as she supports the coercion of women to stay pregnant after being raped or after learning the fetus has two heads, etc. If the pills don't work, I may be forced to put my body in danger in order to give birth to a baby I don't want or will need to give away to strangers, let alone having to pay the medical costs. Holy Bejesus, that would be a horrible nightmare!

[Greebo]

President: Constitution Party

Congress: Against Sarbanes who voted for the bailout. (Maryland)

Other measures: Against anything that involved more Government, and against all government borrowing measures.

[KindredAmy]

For the others:

Senate: the Republican running against Carl Levin (forget his name)

House: Thaddeus McCotter for voting no twice on the bailout

State Leg: Sandra Eggers or against Andy Dillon

Voted to recall Andy Dillon, a dem who raised taxes to the sky

Prop 1 medical marjuana - yes

Prop 2 stem cell research - yes

[gags]

Prop 2 - to allow stem cell research - Yes

Interesting. My wife and I voted for this as well, but we were a bit reluctant because there is some language in the proposal that outlaws buying and selling of stem cells. While I don't agree with that part, I figured that on balance the proposal would ensure that further stem cell research could not be blocked. Plus, Prop. 2 was a direct slap at the religious nut jobs, something that's hard for me to vote against.