Tippecanoe

Do you waste you vote if you choose someone that you know will lose? Bart doesn't think so, and neither do I.

I see an election serving a couple of purposes. The main reason we vote, of course, is to choose leaders. Also, the election becomes a national survey on the issues. In the privacy of the voting booth, a person is most likely to choose based on opinion or belief, not peer pressure. It's too bad the questions can't be more specific. (If 60% vote for Kerry and 40% for Bush, is it because of the Iraq mess, the economy, Social Security plans, road bike vs. mountain bike? Who knows?)

I've never understood the attitude that says that if you vote for the loser, the vote was wasted. I look to the great literature for social commentary, and nothing covers this issue better than the 1996 Simpsons Halloween special. In the first segment, two aliens (Kodos and Kang) take over the bodies of Clinton and Dole just before the election. When they are uncovered, a voter threatens to vote for a third party candidate. Kodos (or was it Kang) replies, "Sure, just throw your vote away!"

My policy is to vote for the person I want to serve. Don't just try to vote for the winners. Don't vote 3rd party just because you hate the two party system. Vote for the best man or woman for the job. Then, when everything goes to Hell in a handbasket, you can say "Don't blame me. I voted for Kodos."

# posted by Tippecanoe : 7:49 PM