How Can You STILL Be Undecided?

[simpsongal]

Nov 5, 2012 13:11:19 GMT -5 eclaires said:

I could see being undecided if you think they are both shit sandwiches, but don't want to vote 3rd party.

LOL at the Spinal Tap reference!

[wawa]

Nov 5, 2012 14:18:11 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Nov 5, 2012 13:59:35 GMT -5 peppermint08 said:

& that is something I do not get.

While I understand many people view as 3rd party as a wasted vote, you have to remember if a third party candidate gets at least 5% of a vote they will receive more funding for the next election. So, if a third party candidate is really who you share more personal views with, why not vote for them so in the next election year you won't have the "voting for the lesser of two evils" argument I have heard dozens of times.

Would this funding be the same as what Rs and Ds get on their own, or capped at a lower level? Because I feel like even with funding, you will still have the choice of two realistic options in the future. I supported some third party candidates at a more local level, but I don't think any third party will be ready for presidential challenges in the next decade, regardless of whether or not they reach the 5% threshold this time around.

but they'll never ever be ready for a presidential challenge if people don't vote for them.

Plus - I feel like voting for 3rd parties sends a message to the Ds and R's. Maybe as the GOP sees numbers for the Libertarians creep up they'll get the fucking message that they are losing people with their social platform (and their inability to actually stick to any sort of fiscal responsibility). A vote for the Green party sends a similar message to the D's that their lack of balls on the big issues where they are supposed to differ from the GOP is annoying their voters.

[karinothing]

So they have to get 5% of the popular vote right? Is that even statistically possible? I mean neither of them are on the ballot in every state right? I would like to see how that would work out.

- confession I am not a fan of more than two parties with our current electoral set up

[teflep]

Per the polls, he is www.examiner.com/article/gary-johnson-within-striking-distance-of-5-jill-stein-polling-well

[peppermint08]

Nov 5, 2012 14:27:43 GMT -5 wawa said:

Nov 5, 2012 14:18:11 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Would this funding be the same as what Rs and Ds get on their own, or capped at a lower level? Because I feel like even with funding, you will still have the choice of two realistic options in the future. I supported some third party candidates at a more local level, but I don't think any third party will be ready for presidential challenges in the next decade, regardless of whether or not they reach the 5% threshold this time around.

but they'll never ever be ready for a presidential challenge if people don't vote for them.

:Y:

[msmerymac]

Nov 5, 2012 14:32:55 GMT -5 karinothing said:

So they have to get 5% of the popular vote right? Is that even statistically possible? I mean neither of them are on the ballot in every state right? I would like to see how that would work out.

- confession I am not a fan of more than two parties with our current electoral set up

I think Gary Johnson is on 48 state ballots and encourages supporters to write him in in Oklahoma and Michigan.

[karinothing]

So they have to do this every election right? I mean Perot got like 18.5% of the vote? But they need to keep that up year after year? Although, I guess he was independent, so I guess maybe that doesn't count as a third party for funding purposes? I feel like i should know this but don't, I am shaming my campaign finance roots.

It be intersting if he pulled off the 5%.

[expatpumpkin]

Thanks for the feedback. Maybe the still-undecideds are also procrastinators?

[msmerymac]

Nov 5, 2012 14:42:31 GMT -5 karinothing said:

So they have to do this every election right? I mean Perot got like 18.5% of the vote? But they need to keep that up year after year? Although, I guess he was independent, so I guess maybe that doesn't count as a third party for funding purposes? I feel like i should know this but don't, I am shaming my campaign finance roots.

It be intersting if he pulled off the 5%.

Perot founded the Reform Party after 1992 because he basically *had* ballot access/funding at that point. I don't really know if they still do anything or if they only qualified for ballot access/funding in 1996.

I'm not holding my breath on Gary Johnson. Ralph Nader was aiming for the same in 2000 and he got a little under 3% - and I think that election was much more apathetic than this one.

[pescalita]

Nov 5, 2012 14:27:43 GMT -5 wawa said:

Nov 5, 2012 14:18:11 GMT -5 @littlemoxie said:

Would this funding be the same as what Rs and Ds get on their own, or capped at a lower level? Because I feel like even with funding, you will still have the choice of two realistic options in the future. I supported some third party candidates at a more local level, but I don't think any third party will be ready for presidential challenges in the next decade, regardless of whether or not they reach the 5% threshold this time around.

but they'll never ever be ready for a presidential challenge if people don't vote for them.

Plus - I feel like voting for 3rd parties sends a message to the Ds and R's. Maybe as the GOP sees numbers for the Libertarians creep up they'll get the fucking message that they are losing people with their social platform (and their inability to actually stick to any sort of fiscal responsibility). A vote for the Green party sends a similar message to the D's that their lack of balls on the big issues where they are supposed to differ from the GOP is annoying their voters.

This is really mostly why I'm probably going to vote 3rd party. I'm actually shocked people think there is such a difference between the two. Obama has been apalling in his lack of action on civil liberties and can't get his economic vision through congress.

[wawa]

Nov 5, 2012 16:05:37 GMT -5 @ojo said:

In my family, "I'm undecided," means, "It's none of your business."

I did this to MH in 2008. He almost always votes 3rd party. He assumed I was voting for Obama from the get-go and for some reason kept giving me a hard time about it. (the phrase drinking the kool-aid may have been involved)

So I told him I wasn't sure what I was doing...and then on actual election day after I voted I told him it was a secret ballot for a reason and to butt the fuck out.

[peppermint08]

Nov 5, 2012 16:07:36 GMT -5 wawa said:

Nov 5, 2012 16:05:37 GMT -5 @ojo said:

In my family, "I'm undecided," means, "It's none of your business."

I did this to MH in 2008. He almost always votes 3rd party. He assumed I was voting for Obama from the get-go and for some reason kept giving me a hard time about it. (the phrase drinking the kool-aid may have been involved)

So I told him I wasn't sure what I was doing...and then on actual election day after I voted I told him it was a secret ballot for a reason and to butt the fuck out.

That almost sounds like me & my husband. This is the first election season we are on the same page. (But then again I wonder if he has been brain washing me in my sleep.) Every election our votes have always cancelled each other out.

& my spouse was one of the few that voted for Ross Perot.