From: bam@bnlux1.bnl.gov (Bruce A. Martin)
Subject: Re: Why waste your vote?
Organization: (none)
Date: Thu, 27 Aug 1992 15:33:46 GMT

In article <Aug.24.21.55.59.1992.22903@foglet.rutgers.edu> josh@foglet.rutgers.edu (J Storrs Hall) writes:
>
>                Why Waste Your Vote?
>
>...[Nice arguments elided.]...
>...
>Now the funny thing is, that even knowing and agreeing with the above
>analysis, plenty of my friends are still going to vote for a major
>party candidate.  Somehow, the expressive value is not there if you
>vote for someone who "doesn't have a chance."  I guess they feel it's
>like watching the Redskins play the Bills in the Superbowl, and
>cheering for the Raiders.  It just doesn't connect.
>
>But what is even funnier is that although this is a very widely shared
>feeling, the actuality is that a vote for a Libertarian candidate,
>even though there is no chance that he will win, has a considerably
>greater impact than the vote for a major party candidate.

I agree, of course.  But we're just preaching to the choir, here.
The theoretical arguments against wasting your vote on the lesser 
of two evils are all well and good, but I'd like to add a practical 
consideration for use in convincing others to vote for an alternative,
rather than restricting the choice to the two "favorites".  

If the person you're trying to convince is disgusted with the two
"choices" offered, but reluctant to vote against both because one
of them is worse than the other, make the following suggestion:

	OK.  I understand that you don't want to risk the
	possibility that your vote will help the other guy win.

	Don't decide now.  Wait until the weekend before
	the election, and look at the polls for your state.  
	Not the national polls, but just the polls for YOUR STATE.

Let X and Y be Bush and Clinton,
in the order of preference 
of the person you are speaking to.
i.e. He dislikes both, but prefers X to Y.

	If X is way ahead, then you are free to vote for against 
	both X and Y, because X will win without your vote.
	If Y is way ahead, then you are still free to vote for 
	against both, because X will lose with or without you.

	Your vote can ONLY affect your state.  It doesn't matter
	how close the National popoular vote will be, since you
	can only affect your own state.  

	If it's close in your own state, then you'll have to
	make up your own mind.  But if it is NOT close in YOUR state,
	then there is no reason not to {vote your conscience/
	cast a protest vote/etc.}.

I stress that this is an argument for someone to whom electing the lesser 
of two evils is acceptable and important, but who dislikes the two major
choices, albeit unequally.  (BTW, I think that characterizes more than 
half the population. (sic. :-( .  Unfortunately, most of those will 
probably stay home.)

On November 3rd, millions of voters will hold their nose and pull the 
lever for B or C because they don't want C or B to win.  they will exit
the voting booth feeling a bit compromised, perhaps ashamed, and unhappy
that the rules of the game left them no good choice.  

Even if they pull the winning lever, few years from now they will want
probably not want to admit it.  (Most people are not nasty enough to wish 
that some evil fate would befall the nominees -- but, in the back of their
minds they wish that something would happen to cause their replacement.)  
Very few are genuinely happy with their tentative choice; they would 
rather not contribute to the "mandate" that the winner will claim.
This year, more than ever, most voters feel "trapped".  

The above argument provides such voters with a way out of this dilemma.  
Help them to see that -- if their state is not close -- they are free to 
vote for A, and not feel guilty for having helped C or B.
_______________

I have no such dilemma.  No way would I even consider wasting my own vote 
on either Bush or Clinton.  I want to exit the voting proud and satisfied
That, win or lose, I did my best.  I can do this because there is a 
candidate on the ballot who I find acceptable and whose platform is
attractive.  (OK, nothing's perfect.  At least it doesn't make me puke
the way B's and C's both do!)  

If there was no such candidate, I mould open the write-in slot, flip a 
coin, and scribble the first acceptable name I could think of or just 
write "F--- You".  

Before you pull the lever, ask yourself "do I really want this guy"
to serve in that office?"  If the answer is "NO", you should really
do something else.  And, if the race is NOT CLOSE IN YOUR OWN STATE, 
you can do something else without even worrying about which of the 
two other Bozos is really the lesser evil.

bam@bnl.gov (Bruce A. Martin)     /|\Master of the Tripods of Hephaestus./|\  
[My opinions are my property, belong to me only, and represent no one else!]
# include discaimers.h          /*** Repeal the Sixteenth Amendment now! ***/
# delete BUSHLIPS&&SlickWillie  /*** Marrou/Lord in '92.  (800) 682-1776 ***/