Fluther: Can you find fault with this political reasoning?

Can you find fault with this political reasoning?

Asked by rojo (24179

) October 23rd, 2012
17 responses
“Great Question” (1

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The state in which I reside is a hardcore red state.
The Republicans will win the majority by a large margin.
All the electoral votes will go to Romney.
Therefore it does not matter whether I vote for a Democrat or a third party candidate.
Is this correct?

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Topics: politics, election, logic

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Answers

Hypothetically speaking you could be the only voter in your state, and no one else shows up.

The power of one makes a difference period, little, or a lot.

_Whitetigress (4378

)“Great Answer” (3

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It’s not correct if you care about the popular vote count. If Romney wins the popular vote but looses the Electoral College voote, Republicans who have always insisted the antiquated system makes great sense will suddenly change their tune. I think if I were in your shoes, I’d vote for Romney.

ETpro (34605

)“Great Answer” (1

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@ETpro What if I have an “Anybody but Romney” philosophy?

rojo (24179

)“Great Answer” (1

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You should vote for the person you want. If nothing else you can say “I supported my candidate”

DrBill (16066

)“Great Answer” (1

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@rojo I was just enjoying a flight of fantasy but @DrBill is quite right, you should vote for the candidate you believe should win. Every vote counts in the political capital the winner comes out of the election with.

ETpro (34605

)“Great Answer” (2

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Even in a state that you know is going to go opposite to the way you voted, the numbers tell a story. So yes, it does matter.

Jeruba (55838

)“Great Answer” (3

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Well there are state and county positions like sheriff etc that you could have sway.

woodcutter (16377

)“Great Answer” (1

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Defeatism ranks up there with jealousy and envy as a state of mind that should be avoided at all costs

josie (30934

)“Great Answer” (4

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They have cowed you to the point where you feel your vote doesn’t matter.
Resist it. The Presidential race isn’t the only thing on the ballot. Go vote!
And never feel like you have to fit in.

filmfann (52242

)“Great Answer” (2

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You should vote for the candidate that comes closest to the things that you believe in. I live in TX & it is by far a Republican state. But I will vote for the candidate that I WANT to win. Hopefully every vote will count.

Linda_Owl (7748

)“Great Answer” (0

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If enough people take your perspective, then everyone practically hands over the state to the GOP.

Defeatism and Liberal complacency is what gets GOP the control they have in the first place, they are counting on you to feel disenfranchised. Saves them the work of actively disenfranchising voters.

So damn right your vote matters.

sinscriven (6695

)“Great Answer” (1

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@sinscriven, @filmfann, @josie I think you misconstrue my question. It is not whether my vote does or does not “count” or that I do not intend to vote.
It is that since I do not intend to vote for the Republican candidate and given that we operate an all or none award system and I am not voting for the party that will win the state, then it really does not matter who I do cast my vote for. There is a difference.
If there was a chance in Hell that Obama could win the state then it would be a completely different scenario.

rojo (24179

)“Great Answer” (0

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Correct. Vote for who you want to. You do not need to vote strategically. Unless, you are strategically voting for a third party just to see their numbers go up, even though you are not really a supporter. But you can’t harm Obama by voting this way.

wundayatta (58722

)“Great Answer” (2

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@rojo Then let me be the first to encourage you to stay home on election day.

josie (30934

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@josie why would you say that?

rojo (24179

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