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Who are you voting against?

by Peter Tharaldson

Of all my friends who are not supporting an Independence candidate for office this year, I have noticed a remarkable pattern. They are to a person voting against someone. This has always been a bad trait in our political system...but I strongly feel that it is now the foundation of the two party system. This year it has gone to the absurd.  Case in point...a good friend from college has talked several times about the governor's race. He has a tendency to vote Democratic (was a Republican one time). In many conversations he has only talked about voting against Emmer. I have some Republican friends who think we must keep the  anti-Christ in the form of Mark Dayton from getting in. Have these people gone off the deep-end? How can they rationalize this.

It takes some courage to start voting for somebody again. When people do, we usually see them supporting an Independent. Can you really tolerate hate voting anymore? What has it gotten you?


Comments (3)

Hate Voting
written by Dan Justesen , July 21, 2010

Great phrase choice Peter. It is an interesting framing of the issue. We need to figure out how to run with a campaign against hate voting.


Ben Franklin and the Two Party System
written by Brian Banish , August 11, 2010

In the formation of our modern Democracy, Ben Franklin warned that a two party system would cease to be effective as '...both parties will have convinced the public that they are different when really they are the same...'

What that means, primarily, is that both major parties (Whigs, torries, Rep & Dem) essentially run the same vehicle and tactics...but accomplish the same thing.

In 2001, George Bush took office with a majority of both houses, and crammed down his party's will down the throats of voters. In 2007, Obama & co did the same thing.

What's crazy, is that the argument for regime change in Iraq, 2003 was the same argument in 2008...yet, all we've done is oscillate from one regime to the other. None of us are any more represented now than in 2001.

The problem with a 2 party/majority system is that 51% of partisans are happy, while 49% are utterly appalled and cry fowl. Since only 1/2 the population votes, 25.5% of Americans rule the other 74.5%...all of which are unhappy else they would have voted for the majority regime.

What we need a strong and permanent third party for is to stop with the habitual oscillation of regimes and turn towards consensus.

What's the difference between a majority & a consensus?

In a majority, 75% of Americans are unrepresented and subsequently angered. Yet, 25% of American's are thrilled because they hold the power!

In a consensus what happens? While noone is happy, we can all agree to live with our workings.

Ex: Arrange all of your friends, spouses and relatives and say, "Let's all go to a restaurant."

5 Vegetarians
25 Omnivores
10 On a restricted caloric & sugar diet
30 Fast Food junkies

In a majority, we take a vote. If there are more junkies, we would all go to McDonald's and have crummy greasy deep fried junk food. Everyone else would either starve or suffer. Heck, most people wouldn't even show up.

In a consensus, we would all send a representative from each subgroup and try to get as much in for our constituents as well as try to retain the whole group. We'd probably end up going to a buffet with an extended salad bar. This would please the vegetarians, restricted dieters, and omnivores...and there would be enough fried foods and pizza and roasted animal to provide something for everybody.

How is it we'd have nearly perfect attendance? Because in a consensus, noone would be happy, but we can all agree to live with getting something so long as we are all represented.

This is what our government needs. Without a 3rd or 4th party (strong ones that capture enough seats to prohibit a 51% from any party) our government will continue to oscillate from one pompous group and special interest pandering to the next.


Correction 2009
written by Brian Banish , August 11, 2010

Obama & co took office 2009. :)P



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...here's the operative quote: 'When underdogs choose not to play by Goliath's rules, they win.'

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