Humorless Politics Thread

[cavorting with nudists]

On the Romney campaign's plan to raise holy shit if Obama doesn't get a mandate in the popular vote:

http://nyaltnews.com/2012/11/romney-obama-electoral-vote-popular/36579/

[dave from knoxville]

But God knows, the most important thing is to cast a pacifist vote that de facto enables the more bellicose of the two parties that have any chance of winning. Take comfort from that when you are forced to have a child you don't want and can't afford. When we're off to war with Iran and you have no choice over the control of your body, at least you'll know those male voters preserved their delicate honor.

I've given your argument some additional consideration, and I have come to a conclusion. You're kind of a dick.

[Drew D]

Getting pumped; tomorrow night is it!  Feel very good about the big show, but hope my state deliver's Warren to the Senate too! 

[not that clay]

See the thing is, Clay, that those righteous causes have an easier time, and require less exhausting effort,  when there are sympathetic leaders in Washington. Civil Rights advanced under JFK and LBJ. Women's and LGBT's under almost nobody's but Clinton's and Obama's. But if you are aware of any occasion, ever, where an elected leader has been influenced to do the right thing by being presented with the vote totals of the Green Party, this would be a good time to cite it.

Hey dummy, I'm on your side.

[cavorting with nudists]

Hey dummy, I'm on your side.

d'Oh! Apologies.

[nec13]

Was it OK for me to vote for Jill Stein because she most closely matched my beliefs, in my state where Mitt Romney has 100% chance of winning the state regardless of who I voted for? Should I have had it cleared first?

Absolutely, Dave.

This is America. Vote your conscience.

[Drew D]

Guys, be nice.

Voting is just a small part of the political process. Don't overthink it. All the good things the left has ever accomplished -- civil rights, environmental regulation, gay rights, etc -- didn't happen because of complicated reasoning about voting. It came from decades of hard work and lots of teamwork. So if you want something done, go join a dedicated and effective team, do some work, and don't hold your breath.

Love this, well put Clay. 

And to steal from Loomis over at the Lawyers, Guns and Money blog:

"Change happens outside the election cycles–elections are for institutionalizing the changes you have attempted to make in the past 4 years.

You want clean hands–organize the American public around the issues you care about. It will take the rest of your life. That is the timeline of real change. "

[Steve of Bloomington]

I voted for Nader both in '96 and '00. Since I was in Indiana, it didn't really seem to make a difference, but I was completely disillusioned after the outcome of '00 and haven't voted 3rd party at that level since, although I deeply dislike the two-party system (if I lived in VT, I would definitely vote for Bernie Sanders and would like it if more third party types won offices at various levels of government, local, state and federal). To me the idea of voting to increase the popular vote and (hopefully) the legitimacy of a (hopeful) Obama win outweighs other considerations. I am pretty completely anxiety-ridden about tomorrow but we'll see what happens soon enough (or, like in 2000, we won't).

[Gilly]

I don't understand why media outlets are saying this is a close race. Probably to raise drama and create a story, but Obama's going to win by at least 70 electoral points. Even the states that were supposed to be close, aren't all that close anymore. The states that are still considered battleground states won't even matter.

[Bryan]

I don't understand why media outlets are saying this is a close race. Probably to raise drama and create a story, but Obama's going to win by at least 70 electoral points.

I think you do understand!

[fonpr]

I voted for Nader in... '00.  I was completely disillusioned after the outcome of '00 and haven't voted 3rd party at that level since.

The above statement resonants deeply with me.

[Keith Whitener]

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/11/02/us/politics/paths-to-the-white-house.html?ref=politics

You can relax now.

[fonpr]

You could just stay home.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/2012/10/30/opinion/100000001874355/11-excellent-reasons-not-to-vote.html

[not that clay]

If you wanted complicated reasoning about voting, here you go:

http://rajivsethi.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-rationality-of-voting.html

[cavorting with nudists]

I had to drop out of that one (Fredericks' link) 90 seconds in. Could not process the bottomless contempt I was feeling for those humans.  There might have been some ironic intention in there somewhere.  Get back to me later with it.

I am SO FAR from being relaxed, having read what I've read about the beyond-shameless attempts by the governors of Ohio, Florida, and elsewhere to suppress the vote and manipulate the numbers they have to report.