How can you still be undecided?

[Angry Ayrab]

I am just curious as to why some people may still be undecided. I understand that neither of the candidates is perfect, but they do stand for obviously different things.

Here is a quick economic guide by CNN for people that don't like reading much.

Personally, I am an indipendent because I am an ultra social conservative, yet a crazy ass economic liberal. Even though I am divided across the spectrum here, I find my vote for Obama an easy one to cast. Sure it does suck to have to vote for only Obama and Mccain if you don't want your vote counting for shit on election day, but that is what you get this late in the game from a two party system. Those who think that voting for the small guy this time around will do anything different then previous times are mistaken. If you want to change the current two party system, you are going to have to start working on that long before ballot day.

The other group that seems to confuse me, is the hardcore I ain't voting for anyone crew. Like that will show them... It just doesn't make sense to me.

Now just to let you guys know, I did not mean this post to be offensive, I am just very interested in your reasons for not picking a candidate yet.

[Lateralus]

I doubt I'm going to vote for either. You have to make a stand at some point.

[Angry Ayrab]

Originally Posted by Lateralus

I doubt I'm going to vote for either. You have to make a stand at some point.

I still don't get it. What kind of stand are you making by not voting. Doing this will only lump you into the other half of the nation that never votes anyway. It is known that most people of voting age don't vote.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Angry Ayrab

I still don't get it. What kind of stand are you making by not voting.

I'll be voting, but not for either of the candidates our bifurcated single-party system has advanced.

I wouldn't cast a vote for anyone I wouldn't endorse in, say, a newspaper column.

[Jack Flak]

How can you not know why some people are undecided?!

There are a great deal of folks who don't care about any of the "major issues."

[Angry Ayrab]

Originally Posted by Oberon

I'll be voting, but not for either of the candidates our bifurcated single-party system has advanced.

I wouldn't cast a vote for anyone I wouldn't endorse in, say, a newspaper column.

See, this is where my issue stems about voting for the smaller parties. People have been voting for third parties over and over and over again and yet we still seem to be stuck with a two party system.

I don't know who said it, but it seems applicable here: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.

This year, we will be stuck with either Mccain or Obama... end of story. Like I said earlier, this late in the game, voting for a third party will not help your cause at all. Your only option is to choose either of the two, unless you really think that they will do the exact same thing as each other. The question is, if you are forced to choose between two retarded captains to steer the ship, who will it be?

If the people are really tired and sick of the two party system, then they will rally up to get rid of it. The truth is that people are not sick enough to move on it. If you really want to influence them, then you will get with like minded people and work to change the system in the long run. It will take a lot of time and effort but it will be worth it if you really care. This last minute stuff really doesn't achieve anything.

I really do hope I am making sense, and I honestly don't mean to offend anyone with this.

[proteanmix]

Odd, I was going to start a thread similar thread about local politics but I suppose I'll throw it here.

I'm thinking a reason why some people are still undecided is because they're failing to see how issues will affect them. I was reading about the 2004 election and how people in Hinterlands, North Dakota (pop. 501) were more concerned about a terrorist attack on their town than people in NYC and DC.

In 2006 I proudly stuck my yo vote sticker on my hand I was talking to this random guy about voting and he was proud he didn't vote. At first I was disgusted but then I kept talking to him and he was telling me how he doesn't see how any of it affects him. I'm thinking many undecided voters or those apathetic to the democratic process feel a disconnect between how things will relate to them and politicians have done a crappy job communicating the how and why. A lot of issues that matter are (purposely?) obscured and we have so much information thrown at us people don't know how to sort through it all and throw their hands up in exasperation. It's so many factors going on... some people don't take their civic responsibility seriously or weren't taught to, some may be protesting their lack of options by note voting.

I've also had thoughts that people don't pay attention to their local news (not crime, but local issues that will most directly affect them). When I first voted in 2000 I didn't even know who the hell was running for local offices, no clue about the issues and basically left the booth feeling my vote was wasted. You also have to combat ignorance in the sense that most people simply don't know and not knowing could be preventing them from voting. I think there should be more emphasis on local politics so people will be engaged on the most basic level. Maybe apathy will decrease then.

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by Angry Ayrab

I still don't get it. What kind of stand are you making by not voting. Doing this will only lump you into the other half of the nation that never votes anyway. It is known that most people of voting age don't vote.

I never said I wasn't going to vote.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Angry Ayrab

See, this is where my issue stems about voting for the smaller parties. People have been voting for third parties over and over and over again and yet we still seem to be stuck with a two party system.

I don't know who said it, but it seems applicable here: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.

That's a point... but on the other hand, if I oppose both of the mainstream candidates, to vote for one of them takes me from being merely illogical to being perverse.

I will not co-operate with a system that provides the illusion of choice. I'd rather use my vote to express my desire for what I really want and will never get, than to pretend to endorse the candidate I think will hurt the country least.

And it doesn't bother me if you don't get that. You're welcome not to get it.

[Lateralus]

Originally Posted by Angry Ayrab

See, this is where my issue stems about voting for the smaller parties. People have been voting for third parties over and over and over again and yet we still seem to be stuck with a two party system.

I don't know who said it, but it seems applicable here: Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome.

I don't believe the Democratic and Republican parties will last forever. These two parties are as disconnected from reality as they've ever been. At some point, there will be a shift in power. So why not now?