I agree with Red here. I probably invalidated my absentee ballot when I voted for McCain last week. I can honestly say that I am proud of who I voted for, and that I truly believe he would have been a great leader. When was the last time you were able to say the same?
<< Our political system is totally dorked, possibly beyond repair, but a virtually meaningless vote certainly doesn't help at all. The system is broke and it needs fixing but until we can reach a point to do something about it we've got to work with the choices we're given. Sadly thats either Democrat or Republican. >>
We'll never get to that point if the public keeps voting for the parties responsible for the current situation. While I disagree rather strongly with both the Green Party and the Libertarians, I support what they are trying to accomplish. It's no longer an "endless cycle", as evidenced by the fact that Ralph Nader is seriously harming Gores chances to win the election.
I voted for McCain because I can not, in good conscience, vote for either of the morons that are running. Gore will embroil us in conflicts around the globe, further infuriating nations that have a right to be free of American meddling. He will put American lives on the line for regional conflicts where our interests are not at stake. He will continue to let the Chinese get away with whatever they choose, and he will turn a blind eye to Russia's arms dealings. He will continue to tarnish the United States' reputation on the world political scene. He claims that he will be a new "Peace broker", but who is going to let peace be dictated by a nation that shoves its troops into every little "hot spot" on the planet?
Bush, on the other hand, is a bumbling moron who is not qualified to lead this country. What has he, himself accomplished in Texas? He has proved that he is just as much of a lying scumbag as Gore and Clinton. He has never been honest about his drug use, he never disclosed his DUI conviction, and he's currently facing allegations of doctoring his military record. While I don't believe that past mistakes should keep a candidate from office, his refusal to bring the issues out in the open before they were "exposed" by the Democrats shows a complete lack of intregrity on his part. The whole "truth and integrity" bullsh!t message of his campaign has accomplished nothing other than to show his hypocracy. From his bailouts to his shady stadium deal, he has not done anything on his own. He is not a man of ambition and vision, he is a puppet, handpicked by the Republikan party. A vote for Bush is not a vote for the man himself; it is a vote for the Republikan party, as they are the ones who will be running the country if he wins.
For a long time, I was supporting Bush because I despise Gore so much. After some more thinking, and in light of the current news involving Bush, I really can't say which one is the less dangerous candidate. I am half-heartedly supporting Bush, but only because there is a chance that he will chose advisors that are at least half-competant to run this country. Regardless of who wins, though, the United States will be worse off in four years. The Republikans had a chance to nominate a true leader, a man who actually had the respect of the American public, and a man who would actually have done some good for the country, but they chose their own hand-picked puppet instead. I can not in good conscience vote for either candidate, so I chose to excercise my right to "waste" my vote. I am not helping either candidate win, but at least I voted based on my ideals.
I am registered Republikan only because their platform is a closer match to my own views, and Pennsylvania does not have an open primary. I despise both parties, though. They don't care about the country, and they don't care about what is best for me; they care only about their respective parties. Unless Americans start to show their dissapproval by voting for a third party, both parties will continue advancing their own interests and leaving behind what the public really wants and needs.