General Discussion

Agnosticsherbet

(11,619 posts)

5. I look at the candidates and choose the one that best fits my idea of what a candidate should be.

Tue Feb 17, 2015, 02:58 PM

Feb 2015

Last edited Tue Feb 17, 2015, 05:02 PM - Edit history (1)

So I have never in my life supported the lesser of two evils.

I always vote for the best of the available candidates.

There are no ideal candidates.

The way I see it, the argument that people vote for the lesser of two evils, or hold their nose and vote, is essentially a whisper campaign to get people not to vote. It is an insidious form of voter suppression.

When I can afford to go out to dinner, I don't complain that because I did not go to a gourmet restaurant and eat $400.00 meal that I went to the lesser of two evils. I made the best choice from what I could afford.

When I buy a car, I don't complain that I bought the lesser of two evils because I could not buy a Maserati. I got the best deal on the car I could afford.

Political candidates are the same way. I measure the available candidates against what I want from my government. The one that comes closest, the best candidate, gets my vote.

I refuse to continue a whisper campaign that discourages people from voting.

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Highlight:

When will you stop voting for the lesser of two evils? (Poll) [View all] F4lconF16 Feb 2015 OP

Other: Both loyalty oaths and "I'm done" oaths are way premature. The primary has not even begun. merrily Feb 2015 #1

It wasn't meant as a loyalty/disloyalty oath thing F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #6

Yup. Agschmid Feb 2015 #31

I don't see our possible candidates as the lesser of the two evils. hrmjustin Feb 2015 #2

When the two-party system becomes Democratic and Green KamaAina Feb 2015 #3

Hillary or any equivalent is my red line Man from Pickens Feb 2015 #4

Post like this, in combination with alert stalkers, make me worry about DU's future. merrily Feb 2015 #7

Do you mean like post #13 just below? [n/t] Maedhros Feb 2015 #35

Dunno. msongs has always been an enigma to me. However, I have seen many posts merrily Feb 2015 #36

There are many bullies on DU. [n/t] Maedhros Feb 2015 #40

Fortunately, IMO, many have begun to refuse their bullying and to speak their own truth more boldly. merrily Feb 2015 #73

so you didn't vote for obama then? nt msongs Feb 2015 #13

That was my last time I will do that. Katashi_itto Feb 2015 #57

I look at the candidates and choose the one that best fits my idea of what a candidate should be. Agnosticsherbet Feb 2015 #5

A couple questions: F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #12

If one pickle is a planck length longer than another. One is still longer. Agnosticsherbet Feb 2015 #21

Some thoughts. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #27

The applicants will both be asked to vote on matters that count. The better applicant Agnosticsherbet Feb 2015 #34

Extraordinarily well said. Nt stevenleser Feb 2015 #42

Wow that was a great post Egnever Feb 2015 #58

Outstanding response to the foolhardy "lesser than two evils" argument. great white snark Feb 2015 #81

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This...times a gazillion...^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ pkdu Feb 2015 #93

I have hypertension and consequently moderate Chronic Kidney Disease DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2015 #85

thank you guillaumeb Feb 2015 #28

NO ONE has ever voted for his or her perfect candidate. merrily Feb 2015 #38

Under no circumstances do I go to a restaurant and order shit that I despise TheKentuckian Feb 2015 #68

I will ALWAYS vote for the best choice that can win... brooklynite Feb 2015 #8

voting for someone who can't win still shows the winner what we want alc Feb 2015 #25

Well said. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #29

Nader voters sure showed Bush* what they want and he showed them by invading Iraq. DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2015 #94

As we saw last November from the low voter turnout, most voters are already THERE. closeupready Feb 2015 #9

I'd agree with that, particularly when you look at younger voters. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #14

When there is a viable alternative Lurks Often Feb 2015 #10

Exactly. So far we've only seen spoiler candidates - TBF Feb 2015 #55

If a popular former president couldn't win as a third part candidate... DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2015 #95

It's a different decade - TBF Feb 2015 #99

I don't think Jeb or Hillary are evil in how I view the word. NCTraveler Feb 2015 #11

You don't think Jeb is evil? BrotherIvan Feb 2015 #92

I think evil is a relative term. NCTraveler Feb 2015 #108

I will vote for the Democratic nominee. Terra Alta Feb 2015 #15

"Always vote for principle, though you may vote alone, Tierra_y_Libertad Feb 2015 #16

+1. We should always vote for what we believe in. nt F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #17

Political triangulation can now be called a failed experiment. pa28 Feb 2015 #18

"A great idea until it hauled the intellectual center of the Democratic party to the right of 1980's F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #24

When I voted for Obama twice, I didn't vote for the lesser of two evils Cali_Democrat Feb 2015 #19

Evil, no. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #20

You said it just fine. Most DUers understand that Lesser of two evils is shorthand and they also merrily Feb 2015 #39

very simple - I will vote for a progressive alternative when doing so will not risk throwing the Douglas Carpenter Feb 2015 #22

I've known who I was going to vote for since 1978 ileus Feb 2015 #23

I've been doing this for years. bigwillq Feb 2015 #26

Then a question: F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #72

When I don't think one candidate will offer much difference than the other. bigwillq Feb 2015 #74

Thanks for the answer. nt F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #75

My response is ... 1StrongBlackMan Feb 2015 #30

All this whining about candidates Sheepshank Feb 2015 #32

Gee, it's been a while since the mindless pony meme got posted. merrily Feb 2015 #41

mindless pony meme? The shoe fits to a "t" here on DU lately Sheepshank Feb 2015 #61

People get too hung up on politicians' perceived characteristics as a human being. Starry Messenger Feb 2015 #33

Well said. YoungDemCA Feb 2015 #76

I like your metaphor A Little Weird Feb 2015 #106

I will always vote for the lesser of two evils treestar Feb 2015 #37

My life is full of "lesser of two evils". We should all work to improve the 'better of the two evils pampango Feb 2015 #43

The effort to depress the Democratic turn out continues. JoePhilly Feb 2015 #44

The most successful effort to depress Democratic turnout in history ... Scuba Feb 2015 #46

The perpetually disgruntled are always disgruntled. JoePhilly Feb 2015 #53

Don't have the time at the moment to properly reply F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #62

That's the level of compassion of the Third Way and corporatists in general. woo me with science Feb 2015 #96

Yes, just dismiss us as the "professional left" or "perpetually disgruntled." Scuba Feb 2015 #64

Dean's 50 state strategy was on guns and confederate flags. joshcryer Feb 2015 #67

When are you willing to let theocratic teabagger fascists totally take over the government workinclasszero Feb 2015 #45

That's certainly what the Koch brothers want you to think. Scuba Feb 2015 #47

Every candidate nominated by the Party thus far has run saying shitty things about LGBT rights and Bluenorthwest Feb 2015 #48

Well, I can't speak for others F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #66

I don't do this...I resort to writing in a democratic candidate that is acceptable. HereSince1628 Feb 2015 #49

When there is a sufficient SCOTUS majority allowing for ... 11 Bravo Feb 2015 #50

By the time Kentucky votes, the nomination will already be sealed. Ykcutnek Feb 2015 #51

There's never "not" been the lesser of two evils. liberalmuse Feb 2015 #52

I consider this post an attempt at inducing voter apathy. MohRokTah Feb 2015 #54

It works well for the 1%er party though workinclasszero Feb 2015 #56

Hyperbolic nonsense. MohRokTah Feb 2015 #60

Not voter apathy so much as voter awareness. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #70

I've never voted for the lesser of two evils in my life. MohRokTah Feb 2015 #71

We have the opportunity to choose the Democratic candidate in the primary. Someone who can't win the Chathamization Feb 2015 #59

You seem to be a young man or woman DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2015 #63

Why just dismiss this? Why not instead recoginize that it's a call for wresting the Party ... Scuba Feb 2015 #65

I am and there are many, many, many more like me. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #69

Exactly, their only narrative is bully and intimidate. Which is why we lost last year. Rex Feb 2015 #80

My thoughts are in Post 85. /NT DemocratSinceBirth Feb 2015 #86

LOL. And people like you wonder why we lost on November 4th. Rex Feb 2015 #78

I wouldn' be here if I would votw for a repukian turd maggot olddots Feb 2015 #77

I have hit what I call The Popeye Point hifiguy Feb 2015 #79

Same here, they are a poison to the party and seem not to care or even know it. Rex Feb 2015 #83

The poison to the party are ideological purists who hold their breath until they turn blue MohRokTah Feb 2015 #98

What I hear in the majority of the replys: ret5hd Feb 2015 #82

Cool strawman, bro. eom MohRokTah Feb 2015 #100

Maybe this is more apt: ret5hd Feb 2015 #101

Cooler strawman, bro! eom MohRokTah Feb 2015 #102

Does "Not voting for the lesser of two evils..." mean Blue_Tires Feb 2015 #84

Either one you should choose. F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #91

I have never voted for anyone evil-that includes President Obama. great white snark Feb 2015 #87

I'll stop voting for the lesser of two evils when a candidate offers me more than that. n/t Exhibit A Feb 2015 #88

Let me change that a little bit: Exhibit A Feb 2015 #90

EVERY election i ever voted in was the lesser of two or more evils. hobbit709 Feb 2015 #89

I'm a native Lefty Democratic Californian. hunter Feb 2015 #97

Other. H2O Man Feb 2015 #103

I forgot to include the assumption that there are no good options F4lconF16 Feb 2015 #104

It's an interesting H2O Man Feb 2015 #105

Other: lesser of two evils, provided there's been an open nomination contest. Jim Lane Feb 2015 #107