Undecided about the 2008 presidential election?

[gblake]

The most important thing that you, young and old voters, need to do is look at the candidates platform and decide if the candidate represents your views.... Be informed and do your homework.

If studying platfoms comes first then I have a 2-part recommendation for what comes zero-th (because I distrust platforms and the processes that create them, and I believe actions speak louder than words).

0.a) Notice what powers are granted to the president/executive by the constitution (and give a little weight to the "bully pulpit" influence presidents exert over other parts of the government), and then ignore any claims candidates make about how they will accomplish objectives that simply are not within their power.

0.b) Look at the candidates' parties' platforms from several recent campaigns, and count how many of their planks actualy were accomplished and yielded the intended or promised net results.

Then carry out some of the other suggestions found in this thread.

Me - I personally like this approach to politics - "Any man who is under 30 and is not a Liberal has no heart; and any man who is over 30 and not a Conservative has no brains."

Quite obviously, healthy bodies need both hearts and brains.

Blake

[hallk]

I really liked both candidates before they started running for presidental office. I guess it's going to come down to who they pick as running mates. I'm excited because this will be my first presidental election that I can vote in

[GaryVoshol]

Originally Posted by Eugenia Gabrielov

For those of you who do not live in the same state / location year-around, absentee voting deadlines often come extremely early. You must generally register to vote, and then request an absentee ballot (at least in Indiana). I recall that our registration deadline is October and absentee is somewhere soon after. This is often a valid decision if you want more say in the representatives from the are you are from, not just the state you work in for a while or attend school in.

If this is the first election you will take part in and you wish to vote absentee, there may be additional requirements than normal. That's to help guard against fraud.

Whatever the requirements are, you usually have to complete voting so that your ballot can be received back in your home district by election day. Plan ahead.

[Joe Matt]

Originally Posted by katiyeh07

So I ask you, as a nation of FIRST participants and supporters, to elect Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers to the White House!

I absolutely refuse to elect either to any positions.

There's a difference between being able to run an organization, company, or whatever, and being a political figure and President.

Also this is treading in the whole creepy "Dean Kamen is god" complex and the unnecessary pop idolization of him.

[Elgin Clock]

I'm personally leaning my vote towards one candidate already, but waiting upon the announcement of the two leading candidate's VP selections.

I did NOT vote in the last election, & this was a contributing factor.

I did not like Lieberman who was going with Gore so in turn he was out in my mind (kinda regrettably thinking back on that decision), & I did not like G.W even more, so he was out (don't regret not voting for him, that's for sure).
We all know how the election turned out, & it was what it was & I could personally care less how that went. These past 4 years have been rough all around economy wise, & with other issues global & local, so this year I will be voting.

I believe if you do not vote, you can't complain about anything that's going wrong. I've bit my tounge these last 4 years because of that fact, & this year I will be voting no matter what, so I can not only have a voice this year, but also so I can complain about issues in the future without anyone saying I can't because I didn't have a voice when November rolled around.

(I just still have to go register. - Why can't that be done online? Ughh...)

[=Martin=Taylor=]

Dean Kamen?

I think I'll write-in someone even more unlikely to win... Like Ron Paul...

[IndySam]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

I'm personally leaning my vote towards one candidate already, but waiting upon the announcement of the two leading candidate's VP selections.

I did NOT vote in the last election, & this was a contributing factor.

I did not like Lieberman who was going with Gore so in turn he was out in my mind (kinda regrettably thinking back on that decision), & I did not like G.W even more, so he was out (don't regret not voting for him, that's for sure).
We all know how the election turned out, & it was what it was & I could personally care less how that went. These past 4 years have been rough all around economy wise, & with other issues global & local, so this year I will be voting.

I believe if you do not vote, you can't complain about anything that's going wrong. I've bit my tounge these last 4 years because of that fact, & this year I will be voting no matter what, so I can not only have a voice this year, but also so I can complain about issues in the future without anyone saying I can't because I didn't have a voice when November rolled around.

(I just still have to go register. - Why can't that be done online? Ughh...)

Dude Gore vs GW was 8 years ago!

[JaneYoung]

Originally Posted by Elgin Clock

(I just still have to go register. - Why can't that be done online?)

Some actions are worth the trip.

Another trip worth taking is to a museum of history or a library that shares the passages of time and voting rights in our country, to refresh the lessons and the memories. My generation can well remember the hard fought battles for voting rights. We can see these struggles in other places today in 2008. If you are in Washington DC, go to the Lincoln Memorial and watch the coming and going of the many peoples, their children, their aged, their flags, and listen to some of the accents and languages as they gaze upon Mr. Lincoln and share their thoughts. I did that this summer.

[Andy Baker]

For the first time in 20 years, I am undecided. I can make arguments to vote either way.

One thing I am decided about is that this is darn fun to watch.

AB

[acdcfan259]

Originally Posted by Andy Baker

For the first time in 20 years, I am undecided. I can make arguments to vote either way.

One thing I am decided about is that this is darn fun to watch.

AB

You aren't sick of it yet.

[Andrew Schreiber]

Elgin Clock: you may be interested to know that you can register to vote by mail according to http://www.usa.gov/Citizen/Topics/Voting/Register.shtml I personally found that it was a piece of cake. Besides, isn't choosing the next president, or next school board member, worth it? Remember, just as you represent your team on CD our leaders represent us in the world. Personally I think that is worth the 25-30 minute trip to and from the secretary of state's office.

Actually a lot of the stuff on that site linked above is kind of interesting. I also can't agree more with Jane about the struggle for the right to vote.

I won't tell you who to vote for, nor will I tell you who I voted for. But I will say that millions died to give us the right to choose to write Dean Kamen, or anyone else on that ballot in November. So I won't tell you who to vote for but I will tell you vote for someone.

Andrew
Proud Participant in the American Experiment Nov 2008 - ????

[Jeff K.]

I have to agree with Joe Matt on pop idolization. I also find it ironic some of you would vote for Dean or McCain..a Democrat..or a Republican. Can't go both ways.

I'm leaning towards one candidate, and it probably won't change when they choose their VP. This year will definitely be a big one in the book of US Government and a big U-Turn for the economy..hopefully.

[Protronie]

I'm just going to flip a coin... we really have no good choice.

I would have really loved to have seen Fred Thompson in the race but the back room boys decided it was McCains turn.

If Obama wins I'm betting on the Jimmy Carter factor. After four years with him in the office the GOP could run Goofy against him and win. I just hope theres something left to rebuild.

If McCain wins theres a 25% chance he'll die in his first term (not my prediction that came from the folks in the insurance industry) so well have the gal from Alaska running the show. My problem with McCain is his flip-flops on immigration, the Fair Tax act (HR2525), and CNG use.

I don't see either making any positive change. 2012 going to be a very interesting year.

Just for the record... I consider myself a Confederate Conservative.

-p

[Bill Gold]

I’m sure that a lot of the members of these boards who have been around for quite a few years already knew who I’d be voting for this election cycle. I’m pretty sure I’m one of the few people responsible for politics being a closable thread topic on these boards. I’ll try to keep this short and try not to be as inflammatory as I have been in the past (religion / politics / war).

I’m supporting Barack Obama for president this year, and I supported him and voted for him in the primary here in California, too. I support Obama’s stance on practically every major issue, with a few exceptions here and there.

After eight years of failed foreign and domestic policies this country needs a 180 degree change. That won’t happen if we elect someone who has drawn from the same stagnant pool of intellectuals that this administration has been using.

Despite the fact that many people seem to believe that this election just comes down to the flip of a coin between two candidates, this is never the case. People thought that Gore and Bush were so similar that many decided to vote for a candidate that they knew had no chance of winning (Nader), they stayed home, or they flipped a coin. It should be pretty plainly obvious to even the least informed voter that an Al Gore presidency would not have looked like the past eight years, if only for the fact that this country would have invested in clean energy and upped mileage standards on cars more significantly.

It’s okay to be undecided because (for example) you are pro-life and would favor McCain, but your family is worse off financially and has no healthcare and would favor Obama. This is a legitimate quandary. But to say that “they’re all the same so it doesn’t matter who I vote for” is to let your country down by failing to educate yourself on the candidates’ positions. As a possible voter in this election you owe it to your country to decide which candidate represents moving forward in a direction that will help us get back on our feet (infrastructure and domestic policy-wise) and help uphold human rights and regain our moral high-ground in the international community.

This election is not to be taken lightly. Arguably, for the first time since the election of FDR the aggregate direction of the world could hinge on this vote in November. We can’t afford to screw it up because we failed to observe the obvious differences between the only two candidates who have a chance of winning.

-Bill

*If this is too much, go ahead and delete it Brandon*

[IndySam]

Not cool Bill.

The thread had been alright until you injected your opinion. Now what are those that disagree with you supposed to do, respond and start a political discussion? You know how quickly that could (and usually does) break down.

There are many forums where that type of thing would be appropriate. This is not one of them.