dyed in the wool
here's what i want to know. when people say that they will or will not vote for someone, what are they basing it on? when they say there's plenty of reasons they won't vote for someone, or they just think so-and-so is such a great candidate and would make an amazing president... do they know something i don't know? or are they just saying it based on who they "think" the candidate is?
i consider myself fairly well informed when it comes to the presidential race. i've watched the presidential debates (both sides). i've tried to keep an open mind about it. i've dabbled in MSNBC, CNN, FOXnews, etc. and listened to their responses, to try and keep things as balanced as you can be with the mainstream media. i've talked to people who avidly support candidates from both parties. i've received email forwards (see mrs. dub's post for today about how much email forwards SUCK), though mostly from republicans bashing on democrats... not sure if that's just a coincidence. i've tried to read up on the candidates and the overall party platforms. but... i just don't get it. how are people so committed to one political party over another?
i have pretty much determined, at least for now, that i have two choices when the time comes that i can actually vote (yeah for 2012!): i can either be a democrat who disagrees with a number of issues typically associated with the democractic party, or i can be a republican who disagrees with a number of issues typically associated with the republican party. but in either case, i'm not totally sold. so, does that make me an independent? and am i really ok with that?
so what is it? is it because that's the way your parents voted? is it because it's NOT the way your parents voted? is it really because of one or two specific issues? or are you so well-versed in both political parties and all the candidates that your opinions are incredibly well-founded? how do you decide you love romney and hate obama... or hate huckabee and love clinton... or (dare i say) kind of like mccain, romney, obama AND clinton?!
so... on what do you base your decision about who you vote for and/or what political party you espouse to? and is that it? are you done forever? dyed-in-the-wool, through-and-through member of such-and-such political party come what may?
i'm just trying to get ready for 2012... so bare with me here. :)
posted by janaya at 3:36 PM
12 Comments:
Congrats on voting in 2012. I used the highly scientific process j/k of using this quiz that is circulating the blogosphere. http://www.gotoquiz.com/candidates/2008-quiz.html Just plug in your beliefs and it spits out your candidate of choice.
January 22, 2008 5:34 PM
hmmm... just did that (thanks... kinda fun). and now i'm REALLY not sure what to think. :)
January 22, 2008 6:10 PM
Personally I choose my candidate based on two things: 1. their past experience (meaning political, business, etc.) and 2. a few major issues that I feel are most important and say a lot about that candidate and how they will face up to other situations...so basically I find myself voting both ways.
In local politics I usually lean towards the democrats, national politics I'm usually republican.
I think I need to take that quiz.
January 22, 2008 6:22 PM
When I read Mrs. Dub's post and especially some of the responses about a particular candidate- I felt the same way. How can someone say they 'hate' someone and why? I wanted to know why- even though I do not like some of the candidates 'I don't hate them or have any reason to'- To answer your question.. in the past I have been a 'born & bred' republican who married a 'born & bred' Utah Democrat. I do find it interesting that over the 11 years of being married to a 'Democrat' in a mormon world - how appalled some people are and how they try to 'convert' my DH to the 'Republican' side. Well- in the last couple of years I have leaned more to the left...and I continue to lean that way (gasp* from my Rep. parents and others) I could go more in detail.. but I will stop... but - I agree that Republicans seem to be know it alls and believe that their way is the right way or no way... I am personally getting fed up with it...so there you have it! (Talkee, talkee, no more talkee!)
January 22, 2008 11:21 PM
HAve you heard of the book Intuitive Eating? Well, I am going to write one titled Intuitive Voting. Only I don't know much about politics so it will be pretty short. I listen to the debates and take the quizzes and feel confused but usually my intuition tells me when someone is really mean hearted or whose motives are self serving. I don't know yet who to vote for. My quiz placed me tied with a Democrat and a Rebublican? Can I become Canadian?
January 22, 2008 11:47 PM
The framers of the constitution (or the founding fathers) never intended for America to be based on a two-party system. It turned out that way fairly quickly, but they fought against it for the reasons you're talking about in your post. The worst thing that has happened to politics in America is straight-party voting where you just check one box to either vote for all the R's or all the D's. Horrible. Emilie and I do it in a similar way -- learn all you can about the candidate (personally and politically) and then make priorities. Base your vote on who you agree with on the issues on which you place the most importance. Put all the candidates side by side -- with no names or parties -- and choose. Then live with whatever the people choose. Or move to Australia.
January 23, 2008 1:19 PM
I agree with bells and emilie... I base it on the person and on what they are willing to do.
January 23, 2008 10:24 PM
I just don't vote. Oh wait, that's because I can't (darn that incarceration...it always catches up with me!). I say you make a list of the issues MOST important to you and see what candidate falls most closely to those. You'll never find 1 candidate you support on 100% of the issues, so better to vote for someone who shares your opinion on what you find most important than base it on the person of the same gender, race, religion or who likes their eggs the same way as you. Go Nader! lol Mark loves that I can't vote - he figures I would cancel his vote anyway.
January 24, 2008 8:46 AM
2012...2012....hmmm, that is ringing a bell....Oh yeah, that's the year the mayan and aztec calendars say the world will end! So gear up Janaya, looks like there's going to be some pretty hot topics to vote on that year, or maybe it's Heavenly Father's idea of a cruel joke to end the world the year you can finally vote! Ha Ha!
January 29, 2008 1:24 PM
Ah, voting. One of the most treasured and hated responsibilities of the masses. I'd like to think that I've never made up my mind about being aligned with one party or another, that I am constantly checking myself. But I do think that even if I don't feel terribly sure about one candidate or another, I always try to exercise my right to vote. I mean, so many men and women worked so hard to make it possible for us to have that right, that I feel it would be shameful to let it pass. I mean, just because I vote for the cutest candidate doesn't mean my vote ain't worth something! ;) Ha. Right.
January 30, 2008 12:54 PM
Janaya-I think you are a better American than a lot of people living here. In fact, you are one of the most amazing people I know. You should run for President, I would vote for you-hands down, no contest!
January 30, 2008 4:01 PM
I think that makes you a Canadian...always on the fence! Ha Ha Ha, only kidding. I'm only giving you a hard time because you're the girl who almost broke up the band (as the sun sets in California...)
February 13, 2008 3:21 AM
Post a Comment
<< Home