How do you choose who you vote for?

[DisgruntledVirus]

How do you vote?

If you vote for the issues/candidates that you believe will be the best thing for this country why? If there is a key personal issue for you, does that change your vote to what is best for you instead of the country (for example the bailout and/or healthcare)?

If you vote for the issues/candidates that you believe will help you the most why? Do you care about the effect on future generations as long as it helps you out now? If there is an issue that your best interests and the countries are conflicting, how do you choose which way to vote?

I tend to vote for what is best for the country/state/city, but with the presidential election I think both will make the country worse. In issues like this presidential election I will vote for personal reasons more than the countries best interest.

Edit: added second poll for 2 other options so you can vote for 2 new options based off responses in the thread.

 

[GTKeeper]

I think most people vote with 'what is best for them'. I vote what is the best for all .... or what I think will benefit the US as a whole.

This is why I have a hard time aligning with the current GOP mentality of individual responsibility = individual benefit. The attitude that I see from some of my conservative friends is that, if it doesn't affect me, or if I was responsible, why the hell should I care.

Case and point, the housing market. People who got good loans are now pissed (understandable) but I really have a hard time convincing them that if all the 'irresponsible' people out there lose their house.... that hurts EVERYONE. The bad apples rot the good apples. That seems to be a concept that very few people understand. Same issue with the bailout. The best thing for our country was to pass it. If we didn't things would be a lot worse than before.

 

[StageLeft]

Most do a bit of both but for most they would believe these are not mutually exclusive.

 

[yowolabi]

What's best for me is what's best for the country.

YOU WOULDN'T LIKE ME WHEN I'M POOR AND ANGRY!!!

 

[Atreus21]

I can't imagine voting for what is best for me, because no vote I've ever cast in my life has ever affected my livelyhood. Nor has any politician done anything that directly and meaningfully changed my life.

I vote according to my principles, and how I project them on what I think the country should be.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

I vote almost straight ticket 3rd party. Even if I were crazy enough to think either of the two parties would be good for the country, there needs to be more than two.

 

[Descartes]

Everyone says they vote for what is best for their country, but I hardly believe that's true; or, perhaps they think what they believe is what is best for the country. Everyone seems to suffer from this idealistic myopia.

For the first time in my life, I'm voting for someone that will have a negative impact on me. Granted, it's not extreme, but it's nevertheless against my personal interests. I'm voting more on behalf of friends, family and others with whom I've had countless conversations.

I have my own criteria for evaluating a candidate leader. I won't bother trying to explain it here.

 

[Possessed Freak]

By default I do not vote for incumbents. I figured they had their chance and did not improve on the area they are representing. I will only vote for them again if I feel they are doing a bang up job...

For congress, it is not enough in my mind if they didn't vote for this or that if the vote still passed. It is the reason why if I feel congress is doing poorly in decision making, I will easily vote them out regardless of how they voted. They should have done more to make sure their peers didn't vote yes on a bad bill...

 

[PrinceofWands]

Generally speaking I think what's best for the country IS best for me, and vice versa. I think steadfast protection of civil liberties is better for both, small government is better for both, transparency is better for both, etc ad nauseum. I can't think of a time when what's best for me is different than what's best for the country.

 

[brencat]

When you're young, you tend to vote more idealistic. When you're older and have a family to care for, job to secure, bills to pay, and college to save for, most people vote in their personal interest (i.e. wallet issues).

 

[andy04]

all those who voted for the 1st option, can you please stop buying cheap Chinese/Japanese/Korean stuff and but "Made in America" things? how about start with Cars!

 

[andy04]

Originally posted by: Atreus21
I can't imagine voting for what is best for me, because no vote I've ever cast in my life has ever affected my livelyhood. Nor has any politician done anything that directly and meaningfully changed my life.

I vote according to my principles, and how I project them on what I think the country should be.

Whatever helps you sleep at night :thumbsup:

 

[DisgruntledVirus]

Updated poll with 2 more options based on responses.

 

[Possessed Freak]

Originally posted by: andy04
all those who voted for the 1st option, can you please stop buying cheap Chinese/Japanese/Korean stuff and but "Made in America" things? how about start with Cars!

Bought American cars all my life. Next lesson please?

 

[blackangst1]

I vote for whats best for the country and what falls in line constitutionally. Often it goes against my personal views.

 

[BrunoPuntzJones]

Originally posted by: andy04
all those who voted for the 1st option, can you please stop buying cheap Chinese/Japanese/Korean stuff and but "Made in America" things? how about start with Cars!

You know those "Japanese/Korean" cars are made in the US right?

 

[nageov3t]

weird question.

I think most people perceive that which is best for themselves as also being that which is best for everyone, thus the lopsided results of this poll.

I can admit my own failings, I'm voting for the candidate that will do the most for the special interest groups that I identify with and support.

 

[cKGunslinger]

I tend to vote on pure ideals, which is probably why I'm so bitter every 4 years at the choices that seem to bubble up to the top spots.

 

[miketheidiot]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
Most do a bit of both but for most they would believe these are not mutually exclusive.

pretty much this

 

[Moonbeam]

Always what is best for the country. It can't get better for me.

 

[Tab]

Coinflip.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

I figure out how Butterbean is voting, then vote the exact opposite.

 

[TheSlamma]

I vote the exact opposite of the Christian Radicals.

 

[PokerGuy]

I vote for the one who is best for the country, which in turn also translates into best for me since I live in the country.

 

[Craig234]

You left out 'what's best for the world/human race'. I look at that, too. It's a combination of all of the above, though I look most at what's best for the world.

However, it's not that simple - for example, I think the US has a lot to offer the world as a leader in things like freedom compared to China or India, for example, and so often things that favor the US also favor the human race. However, the US's bad tendencies such as supporting terrorism in the lower American countries are a factor the other way.

Electing a Nixon gives us the horrific replacement of Allende by Pinochet and terror for a nation. Electing a Kennedy gave us the 'Alliance for Progress' to spread democracy.

The short-sighted might point to Pinochet and say he was 'good for America' by introducing Milton Friedman economic and good deals for American corporations. If that's the case, I'd put the global view ahead of the American one. On the other hand, Kennedy's policy was good for both America and the other nations.

The Republicans have made it clear they're a sort of global mafia for whom the 'US interest' is not 'enlightened' but rather the thug approach, e.g., disregard for international law when it gets in the way of 'interests'. They have myopically pursued the short-tem greed for our corporations without much regard for doing right, IMO.