Don't Waste Your Vote!
Submitted by think.rink on Mon, 10/01/2007 - 11:59"I don't want to waste my vote."
If you are a Ron Paul supporter, you have no doubt heard this. What's surprising is not that people say it, but the kind of people who say it. I speak to intelligent, well-informed people, who overall agree with Ron Paul's refreshingly sane political views. In the end, however, they aren't going to "waste" their vote.
Americans still have the right to vote. We can cast a ballot, and let our voice be heard. Regular people, like you and I, can state our preference regarding the executive branch of our federal government. It is one of the pillars of a Constitutional Republic. So, what exactly is a wasted vote? I think the simplest definition would be to refuse to cast a vote. You have the right, the opportunity, and the inclination to vote, and decide against it. Refusing to vote, considered unpatriotic by some, and a way of life by others, is the definition of wasting a vote. Yet, refusing to vote does have a measurable effect on the outcome. It gives greater weight to the votes that are cast. A refusal to vote is a vote by default.
This is the assertion people are making when they say a vote for Ron Paul is a wasted vote. They see it as the equivalent of not voting at all. Why? Not because it won't have any effect, but because it will only make it more likely that the greater of two evils will win. Let's not entertain such idealistic notions that the best candidate can win. Instead, you might as well cast a direct vote for the "lesser" of two evils, since our only choice is really between the two evils, anyway. The other candidates are just for show.
Even if this were true, are these people enraged about the fact that we only have an illusory choice in the matter anymore? Does it bother them that it's really a race between "two evils?" Nope. That's just the way it is. Accept it, and move along with life. This is evidence of how much hope has been lost, not only in the election process, but in the power of protest.
Casting a vote is a form of protest. It is a protest for something, and against something else. Throughout history, protests have both succeeded and failed to bring about the desired change. It's not about the outcome, but the act. Protest is inconvenient, socially unacceptable, and places us in a vulnerable position of having people ridicule or attack us. This is why true dissent is about fighting for something worth fighting for, regardless of the outcome. But this runs counter to the prevailing attitude in American culture.
No longer is it enough to just believe in the fight, but we must be guaranteed a shot at victory. Yes, before we fight a battle, we want to be assured that we will come out on top, or at least be able to hold our heads high after a dramatic defeat. Rocky Balboa lost his first match against Apollo Creed. But at least he managed to go all fifteen rounds. We're only willing to lose as long as we can go out with a roar, not a whimper. On this basis, the Revolutionary War would never have been fought. The possibility of defeat was too great. No protests would ever be waged. No Davids would ever stand up against any Goliaths. The message is clear: Instead of casting a vote that would signify our genuine choice, but might result in defeat, it is better to betray our convictions to be a part of the winning team.
So how do I define a truly wasted vote? I think a wasted vote is one that does not represent the true choice of the voter. You think Fred Thompson is the answer to all our troubles? Then by all means vote for him. If everyone honestly voted according to their genuine convictions, not according to how many other people are on the same bandwagon, this election would be very interesting indeed. Remember, whoever the winner is, they are going to insist they received a mandate from the American people, and quote the vote totals to prove it. Are you prepared to give a mandate to Rudy or Hillary?
Can Ron Paul win? Of course he can win. Congressman Paul has received over $1.2 million in "wasted votes" during the last seven days of fund-raising in September. Enough "wasted votes" have been cast since June to place him in the top three candidates in twenty out of twenty-six straw polls. The real question is "Will he win?" More importantly, will you have been a part of the greatest political upset in political history if he does win?
The ideal conditions exist to allow for a Ron Paul victory. A crowded Republican field with no clear Establishment front-runner. A group of Democratic candidates being exposed as little more than the "good cop" foil to their Republican "bad cop" adversaries. A decentralized system of grassroots supporters growing daily in numbers, with instant communication and information dissemination capabilities at their fingertips. A growing war chest of campaign funds. And a man of integrity delivering a timeless message to a nation of people who are ripe to hear it.
Ron Paul may not win the Republican Primary, and he may not win the election. But I plan on wasting my vote on him anyway.
What a Waste of a Vote Really Is (Long Post)
There are only 2 ways to waste a vote, neither of which includes voting for a "long-shot" candidate based on principle:
1. Voting for the "lesser of 2 evils" -
While from a game theory standpoint, this actually is a valid strategy, it presupposes that both parties are very different from each other. But the Republicans and Democrats are the SAME! At least in terms of their dismissal of liberty, paternal arrogance, and defense of government power. Let's be honest - the majority of this country is not directly affected one way or the other if a Republican or a Democrat is elected. Our day to day lives (unless you're a soldier) are just about the same as they always have been. Going back 35 years, the president has changed parties 4 times, and how many people can honestly say - "Well, my life was great while Carter and Clinton were President, but those 12 years in between were terrible!" But don't tell that to a die-hard Republican or Democrat. They're convinced that the other party is pure evil. They're willing to vote for a bad person because they've been convinced they're at war with the other party! The parties stoke this passion by fueling the "us v. them" mentality - look at the GOP pundits for example. To Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter, being a Democrat is not a difference of opinion, it's a mental disease! To fall victim to this deception and to vote for a subpar candidate to stop an imagined and fake enemy force is wasting your vote.
To understand that both major parties are no different from each other is a type of nirvana. Politics makes a lot more sense. But unfortunately, the response to this enlightenment usually leads to the second way to waste your vote -
2. Not voting at all -
If a politician can't get your vote, they'd much rather you not vote at all, especially if you're not committed to the other party. If they knew you were going to vote for someone, but you weren't sure yet, they'd be waking up from nightmares. The establishment COUNTS on 60% of the electorate not even showing up at the polls. (And this is for President, let alone midterm elections). People who don't vote think they're somehow sticking it to the system, when in reality, they're just sticking it to themselves. When people don't vote, it allows the politicians the freedom to pander to their extreme base with no fear of upsetting the undecided voters. Every undecided vote is a liability to a politician, not only because they may not vote for them, but also because they may vote for their opponent! They lose TWICE! If the system succeeds in getting you not to vote, then they've actually helped themselves. Liabilities are bad for campaigns; politicians have to spend money and effort figuring out how to handle the situation. Hell, committing to vote for a RANDOM candidate is almost worth it just to make the major parties sweat a little.
But this is truly the worst waste of a vote. A vote is not a vote for a person, it's for an idea. Politicians are just people who promise to implement your ideas. I'm not voting for "Ron Paul," I'm voting for freedom. And this may sound extreme, but if somehow Freedom, Liberty, and the Constitution can be advanced by Ron Paul losing, then I'd want RP to lose.
Don't think that if your candidate doesn't win, then your vote is a waste. If Ron Paul gets even 10% of the vote, but doesn't win, that alone advances freedom. (It gets the word out, the media may pick up on it, etc.) But most importantly, it forces the mainstream to consider adopting more pro-liberty positions. It's a slow grind, but we have to work at it. And it costs you nothing but a few minutes of your time.
Wasting your Vote?? What a Joke!
People. Let's please open our eyes here. I've noticed that even the most devoted Ron Paul supporters have been poisened by the loser mentality of the helpless masses. Don't ever let anyone convince you that your vote is "wasted". You must realize that in order to make change of any kind, you must stand up and let your voice be heard.
Just like Ron Paul, do you think that he cared what other people thought about his message of Liberty 20 years ago? Do you think that he held back his beliefs because he thought people would make fun of him, that he would be laughed at, or that he wouldn't make a difference? He doesn't care if you agree with him, he doesn't decide to speak up only when he knows the certainty of the outcome. Have Americans still not learned anything from this man?
When you place an RP sign on the street, a bumper sticker on your car, leave an RP card with your tip at a restaurant, forward a youtube video to a friend, show up for an RP rally, donate one dollar or $2300 dollars to the campaign, join a meetup group, vote in an online straw poll, text vote after a debate, vote in a primary or vote in the election..... it's all the same... you are contributing to change... you are letting your voice be heard.
As I have seen personally, I may sometimes feel like I am not making a difference in the outcome of the election. But you never know what your small efforts can bring about. I simply sent a few emails to a friend of mine about RP. I figured he would reject RP's ideas but I did it anyway. Well, now he is one of the biggest RP evangelists out there. He regularly calls in to a radio show in San Antonio and talks about Ron Paul to thousands of listeners. I can't believe how on fire he is for Ron Paul! And he has touched hundreds and thousands of people from all of his efforts.
Now don't you think that has an impact on how many people vote for Ron Paul? You see, it's really not just about casting your one vote. It is about the mental decision to support a candidate that you are told by the MSM can't win. It's really about making that decision and then what you do about it to influence others before the vote happens. So now my decision to support Ron Paul with my one vote is now multiplied exponentially by me evangelizing my choice for Ron Paul to other people. The money I've donated and the personal efforts I've made have influenced a substantial amount of people who now believe that it is okay to step out on a limb and support someone who the establishment says is unelectable. I may never have spoken to these people, but many saw my name pop up online last week during the funding drive. Wow, there's another guy from Austin, TX that believes in Ron Paul. Each of us making a donation from all fifty states showed anyone watching the site that they are not alone in their support for RP.
Don't you see it people. One ant cannot build an ant hill, but if we all have the same goal in mind, we can build something magnificent together. But it requires all of us to believe in something bigger than ourselves. To have the courage to say, I support Ron Paul, regardless of whether the masses or the media or even you hard headed best friend are behind him. True leaders like Ron Paul, stick their neck out, then when the masses see that it is safe, they will jump on the bandwagon. RP needs each of you to be a leader and lead by example. As we continue to do this, our measely one vote a piece suddenly becomes and unstoppable wave of votes that will put him in office.
Ron Paul or Bust!
Voting is a symbolic act
One single vote (i.e. the one vote you have) will not tip the balance among the millions and millions of votes. Therefor, any kind of shrewd calculated voting tactics is just silly. It is mathematically flawed. 1 is too small a number to play power with. If it is "wasted" or not doesn't matter for the outcome of who will become president.
Voting is a symbolic act. It is individual and secret. It is a matter of conscience. The only "tactic" that makes sense, is to vote for what you believe in, because noone but yourself will be affected by your vote.
It is like closing your eyes and making a silent wish when a star falls. It won't come true because of that, but it will feel good to do it. If you wish "whatever that guy wishes" then you have some kind of a problem... If you don't vote for the candidate you believe in because you think that you can affect the outcome of the election by voting for someone else, then you suffer from illusions of omnipotence (or just have some disorder which disables you from putting the numbers "one" and "millions" in relation to each other) and you loose an opportunity to improve your conscience.
Brainwashing
The "don't-waste-your-vote" mentality is simply brainwashing. Since your vote has precisely ZERO impact on any election, ANY vote is a wasted vote--a waste of time-- since you may as well have just stayed home and the outcome would have been exactly the same.
"Yeah, but what if everybody did that?" Knee-jerk response showing that for many humans, the speech centers of the brain can bypass the centers for higher cognitive functioning, demonstrating that many humans aren't more evolved than lizards.
Vote for who you want, or don't vote at all. (I'm voting for Paul).
Wolves in sheeps' clothing
They are often agreeing for convenience sake, but truly haven't taken the time to research and use "don't want to wast my vote" as an excuse. they never had any intention of voting for him.
As for "intelligent," there are many ways to measure it. Just because someone speaks well or is educated in some areas, it does not make them intelligent. There are many on this site that can't spell very well and make foolish comments on occassion, but to me, all that have done the research and plan on voting for Ron Paul, are quite intelligent. Nothing is more important than common sense intelligence.
Bob W., Naples, FL
Bob W., Naples, FL
Really good
.
I am glad you posted on this topic. Your points are good ones and something all Ron Paul supporters should bear in mind, especially when talking about Dr. Paul with other voters who are undecided.
It is a good idea also (as someone else wrote) to get Ron Paul supporters as delegates to the Republican Convention next September in Minneapolis. There are some posts on DP which explain how to do that.
This convention is likely to be open, since nobody has a "lock" on the nomination. This means Ron Paul has a chance. But without delegates representing the various states, his chances diminish.
Anyhow, great post. Thanks.
Exactly Zen
The delegates may very well be more critical than the actual votes, at least as important, as they apparently make the final decision, somewhat regardless of the votes. Let's get the votes too so they will not have an excuse not to nominate anyone but RP.
Bob W., Naples, FL
Bob W., Naples, FL
Wasted vote... ah the old familar
A wasted vote is what most Americans do. Voting on people they hate instead of voting for people they want. When people learn that they're voting on their future instead of voting for prom queen, maybe things will change. What we're doing here, I hope, is a beginning to making that change happen. If Ron Paul doesn't make it, it's then when we need to dig our heels in tighter. Realize that if we are willing to sacrifice how society sees us for the sake of voting for what we believe is the better person for the job, then we have no reason to be afraid of voting for someone we want in future election regardless on if they have a chance or not.
The more of us who do this, the more likely those who wouldn't stand a chance will end up standing the best chance. Ron Paul, at the very least, got a lot of you to change your view of voting. Win or lose, never give up that view. Follow your heart, not the crowd.
A fitting quote
"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, and you may cherish the sweetest reflection that your vote is never lost." -- John Quincy Adams
Wasted Vote
If Ron Paul doesn't win in the primary I think a vote for Hillary as the last presidential coffin nail in the casket of socialism will make a good funeral. The sooner we get this funeral behind us the better for our grandchildren. The country has suffered long enough.
Haigh
But...
I have never voted, so that it wouldn't go to waste. I would really like to vote this time around. :)
www.ronpaul2008.com
www.ronpaul2008.com
A wasted vote is...
a vote for any pro-war, stay the course republican, that's what a wasted vote is. No way will this country elect another pro-war republican. It ain't gonna happen. No way. No how. That is your wasted vote. At long last I can say it too.....Don't waste your vote! Don't waste your vote! Vote for anti-war, non-interventionist Ron Paul. He's the only "bring'em home now" Republican with a chance to beat the democrats. 70% of this country wants out of Iraq.
So there it is. If you vote for a pro war republican you wasted your vote on a loser. You can bet on that.
Now, Neo-Cons, who ya gonna vote for, someone who can't win or Ron Paul? (or hillary?!) LOL
dont waste your vote answer
That won't work in this campaign, and its an old trick that Republicans use that comes from the very top.
This year is different, the race for the White House is not close, the Republicans are going to get Crushed like never before in history. The Pro-War Republicans cannot win.
So they are wasting thier vote on Pro-War Republicans, only one Republican has a chance to beat the Democrats and thats Ron Paul.
In the primary?
People are so used to voting for someone like Ron Paul as a third party candidate, in which case it is possible to "waste your vote" (in the sense of you get the greater of two evils elected). I don't agree that it's a waste, but an argument can be made.
BUT NOT IN A PRIMARY!!!!! Ron Paul is running in the major party, so if you vote for him and he loses, that doesn't mean we get Hillary. We just get one of the establishment Republicans. So please point out that it is impossible to waste your vote in a primary. This is the time to pick your favorite candidate.
Jim Forsythe, PhD
www.jimforsythe.com
A sad admission
The person who says "don't waste your vote" is really saying, "don't waste your vote because the powers-that-be have already decided who can win and who can't". What a sad admission of powerlessness! When did Americans become so weak and scared? Why would someone counsel another to just roll over and give up like that? Just more evidence of how beaten down the average person in this once-great country really is.
People, stand up for what we once were! Stand up for what the patriots of the 1700s gave their lives for! You don't have to live in fear any more. Just do the right thing now. Show the powers-that-be that you still have the power to make change happen.
Abused Children
Ask any social worker who works with abused children and they will tell you that the abused child will ALWAYS choose to go back to the abusing parent.
The same principle seems to work with voters and politicians.
This is what I always say:
Since both parties are the parties of suicide, this is how I always answer this silly assertion: "If you had to vote between a 48% chance of being stabbed to death, a 48% chance of being shot in the head, and a 2% chance of walking away healthy, which would you vote for?"
www.paulforronpaul.com
Primaries and wasting votes
What's silly to me is, you can't really "waste" your vote in a primary.