Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:15 PM

Would you end a friendship with someone who planned to vote third party?

I know people discuss ending friendships with republicans, but what do you think about ending friendships with people who aren't in touch with what's going on and think they are somehow pure/noble by voting third party?

62 replies, 2104 views

Thread info Bookmark this thread Trash this thread

Reply to this thread

Always highlight: 10 newest replies | Replies posted after I mark a forum

Replies to this discussion thread

62 replies	Author	Time	Post
Would you end a friendship with someone who planned to vote third party? (Original post)	apples and oranges	Oct 2012	OP
Politics is just about the last thing I base a friendship on.	cherokeeprogressive	Oct 2012	#1
Not in my world	krawhitham	Oct 2012	#24
That's fine...	cherokeeprogressive	Oct 2012	#30
I don't think I would end the friendship.	Ilsa	Oct 2012	#2
I see a third party vote as a vote for Romney	apples and oranges	Oct 2012	#7
I wouldn't unless	Camballo	Oct 2012	#3
My third party story. I had a friend who was convinced to vote for Nader. I know the guy/s that	brewens	Oct 2012	#4
That's hilarious!	apples and oranges	Oct 2012	#12
I don't end friendships unless people don't want to be friendly.	immoderate	Oct 2012	#5
Of course not.	Blue_In_AK	Oct 2012	#6
not over politics	stklurker	Oct 2012	#8
I don't base friendships on how they vote; however, my answer is a bit more complex.	Selatius	Oct 2012	#9
No, not if they are progessives.	Zorra	Oct 2012	#10
I'm curious, what is that pic on the right of your sig? What are you against there?	cui bono	Oct 2012	#37
Look closely, and, please, don't forget what it looks like.	Zorra	Oct 2012	#42
Ah... I see. :) n/t	cui bono	Oct 2012	#50
They can vote any way they want...	sadbear	Oct 2012	#53
hell no	liberal_at_heart	Oct 2012	#11
I have to disagree with what you say about progressives becoming just as detached from reality	cui bono	Oct 2012	#38
One of my best friends is a life long Republican. She would	virgogal	Oct 2012	#13
I encourage all republicans to vote 3rd party...	jorno67	Oct 2012	#14
They have an impressive lineup to choose from: Goode looks especially yummy.	dimbear	Oct 2012	#21
Depends on how right wing the 3rd party is.	Hoyt	Oct 2012	#15
I disowned my youngest child for voting for Nader in 2000!	femmocrat	Oct 2012	#16
I have a few friends on line...I have made packs with...	AsahinaKimi	Oct 2012	#17
No - real friendships transcend politics. nt	hack89	Oct 2012	#18
not a chance	quinnox	Oct 2012	#19
Give them the biggest dope slap they ever had	Mikeystyle	Oct 2012	#20
No, because I haven't ended friendships because people were Republicans	CreekDog	Oct 2012	#22
Yes, but I live in Ohio	krawhitham	Oct 2012	#23
I hope my friendships are deeper	Le Taz Hot	Oct 2012	#25
I might be less inclined to	OriginalGeek	Oct 2012	#26
No. (But I don't end friendships with people just because they're republicans, either.)	fishwax	Oct 2012	#27
+1	Lucinda	Oct 2012	#32
I try not to be quite that petty	Posteritatis	Oct 2012	#28
No. And anyone who would end a friendship because of politics	Nye Bevan	Oct 2012	#29
two things you never discuss with people you truly care about	liberal_at_heart	Oct 2012	#31
No. I have very dear friends and family who are Republicans.	ibegurpard	Oct 2012	#33
No. I consider my wife my friend. And, I admire her not being a "purist" Democrat.	Tierra_y_Libertad	Oct 2012	#34
Of course not. n/t	Marr	Oct 2012	#35
No, it's better to just argue with them	dooner	Oct 2012	#36
I stay friends with different political ideals for me...	cherish44	Oct 2012	#39
I only end friendships with people who are bad friends.	Iggo	Oct 2012	#40
If I felt that way, I would be ending a marriage of almost 40 years...	Contrary1	Oct 2012	#41
Depends what state they live in	eridani	Oct 2012	#43
I voted 3rd party once	Art_from_Ark	Oct 2012	#44
If they were your friends only because of how they vote, why not?	dems_rightnow	Oct 2012	#45
Of course not.	LWolf	Oct 2012	#46
I would think that a friend who would ditch me over my vote...	Marrah_G	Oct 2012	#47
No. n/t	Ganja Ninja	Oct 2012	#48
End a friendship because someone votes their conscience..	99Forever	Oct 2012	#49
no	Sheepshank	Oct 2012	#51
Maybe if they were voting for the Constitution Party... n/t	backscatter712	Oct 2012	#52
Very few states are "in play" in 2012.	bvar22	Oct 2012	#54
For that reason alone? Nope.	cordelia	Oct 2012	#55
No.	WilliamPitt	Oct 2012	#56
For me and mine, judging a person's character	LanternWaste	Oct 2012	#57
about the most shallow	hiphopnation	Oct 2012	#58
I know people who vote Libertarian.	Lone_Star_Dem	Oct 2012	#59
I can no longer hang out with people whose values seriously	tblue37	Oct 2012	#60
Help me out here.	bvar22	Oct 2012	#61
A red state--I wouldn't care; a state that could go either way--I would care a great deal.	tblue37	Oct 2012	#62

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:18 PM

cherokeeprogressive (15,320 posts)

1. Politics is just about the last thing I base a friendship on.

And it IS the last thing I use to decide on ending one.

Reply to this post

Response to cherokeeprogressive (Reply #1)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 11:58 PM

krawhitham (3,165 posts)

24. Not in my world

1st thing

Reply to this post

Response to krawhitham (Reply #24)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:01 AM

cherokeeprogressive (15,320 posts)

30. That's fine...

I'm lucky in a way lots of people aren't. My social circle outside of work consists of people I've known since elementary school, jr high, and high school. It includes their husbands/wives/children. We camp together, travel together, barbeque together, and at ALL of our drunkfests, we talk about old times/good times/remember when so and so did this or that kind of stuff. Politics? Get that shit out of here... I loved you then, and I love you now. C'mere and gimme a hug. Who Wants A Shot!!??

At 51 years old, not many people can say that. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world... ESPECIALLY a vote.

As far as the big picture goes, I can remember when people said Reagan's election would be the end of Roe v Wade. Then it was Bush I, then it was Bush II. Funny, out of all the time there has been a "conservative" Supreme Court, Roe v Wade still stands.

God forbid the worst case scenario happens; this, too, shall pass. Love your friends. Keep them close.

Subjective friendship isn't friendship at all. It sure isn't how I want to live MY life...

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:20 PM

Ilsa (31,914 posts)

2. I don't think I would end the friendship.

I'm more likely to end a friendship over them voting Republican than third party.

I have a struggling friendship right now. She thinks Obama is bad for her pocketbook, bad for her privacy, and bad for her gun rights.

I think the GOP will kill my disabled son when our money and insurance are gone and they've turned off Medicaid and SSI.

Reply to this post

Response to Ilsa (Reply #2)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:26 PM

apples and oranges (1,140 posts)

7. I see a third party vote as a vote for Romney

and I hate Romney. So it's really hard not to let that spill over into my friendship.

I hope things work out with your friend but she seems to be worried about things that are not happening; on the other hand, the GOP has promised to repeal the ACA.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:21 PM

Camballo (69 posts)

3. I wouldn't unless

Last edited Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:24 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

You live in a battleground state; then maybe. Ha! Just kidding, but no. Can't you just mention GW and snap them out if it?

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

brewens (3,051 posts)

4. My third party story. I had a friend who was convinced to vote for Nader. I know the guy/s that

talked him into it too. Then he tells me about his voting adventure. I would never admit to being this stupid. He gets his ballot and goes in the booth and sees Nader isn't on there. Then he turns to the volunteers at the polling place and loudly says, "hey! How come Nader isn't on here?"

Of course he wasn't on the ballot in Idaho as in many other states. In fact that was the main focus of his campaign. You could not possibly have paid any attention at all to Nader, seen him on tv or read any news stories about him that year, and not known that! What a feakin' tool! He is the kind of person I can go along with discouraging to vote. If you can't bother to become the least bit educated, sit it out.

Reply to this post

Response to brewens (Reply #4)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:30 PM

apples and oranges (1,140 posts)

12. That's hilarious!

I agree.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:24 PM

immoderate (16,506 posts)

5. I don't end friendships unless people don't want to be friendly.

Last edited Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:27 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

I have a small number of friends that vote Republican. We argue. But they have been kind to me personnally and I prize that friendship.

I have a couple of neighbors that are also Republican, Fox news and everything. We don't talk about politics. They don't handle it well. But they are nice people.

In short, treat me nice -- I treat you nice.

On edit: I have some friends who don't want to vote for Obama of Romney. I have expressed my differences -- but it's not worth a friendship.

--imm

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:25 PM

Blue_In_AK (37,826 posts)

6. Of course not.

I have many friends here who will be voting third party because Romney is almost guaranteed a win in Alaska. I don't agree with them, but I understand where they're coming from. They are all opposed to drones, NDAA, etc.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:26 PM

stklurker (177 posts)

8. not over politics

Not over politics.. its is their given right to vote however they wish, hopefully they would engage in a rational discourse where you could make your case..

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:29 PM

Selatius (20,441 posts)

9. I don't base friendships on how they vote; however, my answer is a bit more complex.

If you're living in a swing state like Virginia or Ohio, I'd tell you point blank that you have no room to vote for a third party if the goal is to prevent George W. Bush version 2 from assuming office.

If, however, you're living in a safe state like Massachusetts or Hawaii or even Mississippi, you have plenty of wiggle room to vote for a third party.

The rules governing winner-take-all in the Electoral College essentially wastes the votes of minority groups in states that are dominated by Republicans or Democrats. Unless the state is split along razor-thin margins between Republicans and Democrats, voting for a third party won't affect where the state's electoral votes go, unless you're in Maine or Nebraska.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:30 PM

Zorra (19,063 posts)

10. No, not if they are progessives.

Last edited Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:31 PM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

They have reasons that I understand for voting third party even if I believe the act of voting Third Party is dangerous. What they would vote for would be things that I agree with, even though I recognize voting Third Party is a total exercise in futility.

Republicans are conservatives who want to legislate as much evil as they possibly can.

There are huge moral, ethical, ideological, and integrity chasms between Third Party progressives and republicans.

Reply to this post

Response to Zorra (Reply #10)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 02:27 AM

cui bono (7,531 posts)

37. I'm curious, what is that pic on the right of your sig? What are you against there?

Cuz if it's a pit bull then I would end my friendship with you if we had one.

Is it something I should know about? The other two are clearly about the GOP...

Reply to this post

Response to cui bono (Reply #37)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 04:18 AM

Zorra (19,063 posts)

42. Look closely, and, please, don't forget what it looks like.

Last edited Thu Oct 25, 2012, 04:20 AM USA/ET - Edit history (1)

It's the very same dog that caused republicans to gain the most seats in the House of Representatives since 1938, in the last midterm elections.

As you can see, the dog is one very sick puppy ~ it is cyanotic. If you see it running in your neighborhood, do not be tempted to bring it home, and call animal control immediately. These dogs will definitely bite, and their bites can cause severe long lasting infections.

If you need a good dog, there are many healthy rescue dogs available for adoption in the large blue tent. You'll know the rescue dogs by their yellow color ~ the breed is actually known as yellowdog, and they are revered around the planet for their many admirable attributes, and foremost among these attributes are loyalty and intelligence.

Reply to this post

Response to Zorra (Reply #42)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:07 PM

cui bono (7,531 posts)

50. Ah... I see. :) n/t

Reply to this post

Response to Zorra (Reply #10)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:14 PM

sadbear (4,262 posts)

53. They can vote any way they want...

as long as they don't try to get other likely Obama voters to change their minds.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:30 PM

liberal_at_heart (3,954 posts)

11. hell no

People have gotten too self rightous. The reason the republican party has become detached from reality is because they only associate with people who think like they do. If we do that then we will become just as detached from reality as they are. It's not even practical to expect a group of people to agree on every subject. It's just not possible. We are not programmed robots. We are human beings with brains and thoughts and opinions.

Reply to this post

Response to liberal_at_heart (Reply #11)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 02:30 AM

cui bono (7,531 posts)

38. I have to disagree with what you say about progressives becoming just as detached from reality

as the current GOP. Seriously, those people are guided by superstition and bigotry. That is not what guides the progressive base. No way the same thing would happen. Plus, a progressive trait is live and let live and also to work together for the good of all, but the GOP wants everyone to live as they want them to and could give a crap about what is good for the community, they are short sighted and live in their little "moral" bubble and can't see the consequences of their actions.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:35 PM

virgogal (7,430 posts)

13. One of my best friends is a life long Republican. She would

do anything for me,and I for her.

There really are lots of things to discuss besides politics.

She knows how I feel,I know how she feels.

It doesn't matter.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:35 PM

jorno67 (1,985 posts)

14. I encourage all republicans to vote 3rd party...

and admittedly I would be very disappointed in any Dem who bolted...

Reply to this post

Response to jorno67 (Reply #14)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 11:24 PM

dimbear (5,301 posts)

21. They have an impressive lineup to choose from: Goode looks especially yummy.

Come on Rs, vote your real feelings! Don't throw away your vote on a RINO.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:36 PM

Hoyt (12,360 posts)

15. Depends on how right wing the 3rd party is.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:36 PM

femmocrat (14,370 posts)

16. I disowned my youngest child for voting for Nader in 2000!

Kidding... but he won't make that mistake again!

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:37 PM

AsahinaKimi (18,492 posts)

17. I have a few friends on line...I have made packs with...

We have agreed to never ever talk Politics or Religion. One of my friends is very right wing, and ultra conservative, but she has the good sense to know our friendship is more important and so we have made it taboo to talk about those things. So far its worked out well..

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:38 PM

hack89 (21,532 posts)

18. No - real friendships transcend politics. nt

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 10:38 PM

quinnox (16,034 posts)

19. not a chance

Instead, I would be very understandable about their position and respect their decision. Hell, I have a long time friend who I know will be voting for Romney, and it changes nothing as far as our friendship is concerned.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 11:14 PM

Mikeystyle (158 posts)

20. Give them the biggest dope slap they ever had

people who voted for Ralph Nader really voted for George W. Bush.

blah, blah blah.... that's not how they see it----so what? That's the reality

Third-party candidates claim to be about some issue or another. Naturally, I find it amusing when the third-party candidate draws support away from a Republican but the point is third-party has no chance

"oh, but only if more people would consider a third-party candidate.... if more people...."

---- except they won't, so it's dope slap time!

if Romney wins Roe v Wade and a woman's right to choose will be overturned. The wealthier will get a break and the rest of us will get screwed----that's the bottom line.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 11:55 PM

CreekDog (37,344 posts)

22. No, because I haven't ended friendships because people were Republicans

but I might encourage them to vote for Democrats or Obama, depending upon how I thought it would be received.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Wed Oct 24, 2012, 11:56 PM

krawhitham (3,165 posts)

23. Yes, but I live in Ohio

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:10 AM

Le Taz Hot (14,644 posts)

25. I hope my friendships are deeper

than passing judgement on someone based upon who they vote for. Life is short, good friends are hard to find and I see a person's vote as their business. I'd never throw people away that cavalierly.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:14 AM

OriginalGeek (5,665 posts)

26. I might be less inclined to

become friends with a known non-dem but I have a number of friends who either started out dem and changed over the years or we became friends before either of us knew each others' political leanings or neither of us was assholey enough to thwart the friendship in its early stages so no, I wouldn't end a friendship just for that.

In fact I find it helpful to have friendly insights into the mind of the opposition.

I'm a liberal atheist with liberal christian friends and tea-party atheist friends and a lot of combinations in between.

Heck, I know people who won't vote at all.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:16 AM

fishwax (25,188 posts)

27. No. (But I don't end friendships with people just because they're republicans, either.)

Reply to this post

Response to fishwax (Reply #27)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:12 AM

Lucinda (16,860 posts)

32. +1

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:23 AM

Posteritatis (17,452 posts)

28. I try not to be quite that petty

If the third party's something truly crazy like the Constitution Party or one of the other actually-really-fascist parties, perhaps, but the sorts of people who vote for those aren't likely to become friends of mine in the first place.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:37 AM

Nye Bevan (11,272 posts)

29. No. And anyone who would end a friendship because of politics

has their priorities screwed up.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:09 AM

liberal_at_heart (3,954 posts)

31. two things you never discuss with people you truly care about

religion and politics. It sounds cliche but it is so true. I was destroying my relationship with my father by talking about religion. Our relationship is much better when we avoid that subject.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:12 AM

ibegurpard (11,038 posts)

33. No. I have very dear friends and family who are Republicans.

Including my mother who is on just about every crackpot teabagger mailing list out there.
Not much you can do if it's a relationship that you value.
I wouldn't date one though...that put an end to it right there.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:57 AM

Tierra_y_Libertad (36,792 posts)

34. No. I consider my wife my friend. And, I admire her not being a "purist" Democrat.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 02:15 AM

Marr (13,934 posts)

35. Of course not. n/t

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 02:16 AM

dooner (1,090 posts)

36. No, it's better to just argue with them

I understand where they (in my friends' cases - disappointed progressives) are coming from but they seem pretty out of touch with the reality of what it takes to be president of such a divided country.

Encouraging people to vote 3rd party, just to make a statement, even when their state is safely democratic, seems like a rather dumb and pretty dangerous idea to me.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 02:49 AM

cherish44 (2,460 posts)

39. I stay friends with different political ideals for me...

I don't think all Republicans are bad people. Most of the people I "click" with as friends that vote GOP are at least moderates...a few are conservatives but they're not loonbat "Obama is the devil" types... I couldn't be friends with someone who had truly radical right views and wouldn't shut up about them though

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 03:14 AM

Iggo (22,571 posts)

40. I only end friendships with people who are bad friends.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 03:21 AM

Contrary1 (10,963 posts)

41. If I felt that way, I would be ending a marriage of almost 40 years...

In a word...No.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 04:46 AM

eridani (38,601 posts)

43. Depends what state they live in

In Washington State, certainly not. There is plenty to worry about down-ticket, but not in the matter of re-electing Obama.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 08:36 AM

Art_from_Ark (17,099 posts)

44. I voted 3rd party once

Back in 1980, I thought Anderson was more liberal than Carter, and I actually thought he had a chance. I do regret now not voting for Carter. However, even if all of the 10,000 or so Anderson voters in Arkansas had voted for Carter, he still wouldn't have come anywhere near to winning the state's 6 electoral votes.

In January of 1981, I made a friend from California. We had a lot in common. But one day I mentioned I had voted for Anderson, and I didn't think too much of Reagan. He went ballistic because he thought that Reagan was The Greatest, and he never talked to me after that.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 08:38 AM

dems_rightnow (1,930 posts)

45. If they were your friends only because of how they vote, why not?

If instead they had other qualities that made you consider them a friend, then no way.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 08:49 AM

LWolf (36,287 posts)

46. Of course not.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 09:00 AM

Marrah_G (22,698 posts)

47. I would think that a friend who would ditch me over my vote...

.. was never really a friend at all.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 09:04 AM

Ganja Ninja (15,732 posts)

48. No. n/t

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 09:33 AM

99Forever (5,332 posts)

49. End a friendship because someone votes their conscience..

... and isn't willing to succumb to fear tactics?

Really?

Not in this lifetime.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:08 PM

Sheepshank (5,167 posts)

51. no

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 12:08 PM

backscatter712 (20,384 posts)

52. Maybe if they were voting for the Constitution Party... n/t

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:00 PM

bvar22 (29,958 posts)

54. Very few states are "in play" in 2012.

A Liberal who lives in one of the many safe states and chooses to vote for a 3rd Party Candidate for President with a platform to The Left of Obama's can do so without fear or guilt.
Down Ticket is another matter,
and I would caution them to be very careful.

In Battle Ground States, I would STRONGLY advise them to vote for The Democrat.
In these states, their actions can affect us ALL,
but I wouldn't end a friendship over it.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:02 PM

cordelia (1,662 posts)

55. For that reason alone? Nope.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:05 PM

WilliamPitt (54,576 posts)

56. No.

Here in Massachusetts, a third-party vote is a safe and entirely moral decision, especially since Obama is going to win by seven zillion points here.

People's votes are their own decision and their own business.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:05 PM

LanternWaste (16,493 posts)

57. For me and mine, judging a person's character

For me and mine, judging a person's character (all things being equal) on his political beliefs, his religion, his philosophies, his economic views or status, et al, is an absurd waste of my time.

I'd feel I'd done a great disservice to him, and an even greater disservice to myself if I ruled out a relationship solely on the basis of one of these wholly imaginary and divisive constructs which appear no where but our own imaginations. These constructs are, for many, many people, but a very small indicator of who we are are individuals.

I'd just as soon rule out a friendship because someone is a Muslim, a Pyrrhonian Skeptic, a Distributive Capitalist, or a Monarchist-- each one being but a part and parcel of the individual, rather than a label en toto.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:18 PM

hiphopnation (3,100 posts)

58. about the most shallow

base, craven, warped thing I can think of. WTF? You don't WANT to be friends with a person who would do something so vile.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:19 PM

Lone_Star_Dem (27,748 posts)

59. I know people who vote Libertarian.

I encourage their stance. They're wacky when it comes to politics, and are active in promoting their parties candidates. They say too many Tea Party people have sold out to the Republicans.

To be fair, they'd never vote for a Dem. So, I find their dissent to be a good thing.

My Dem friends are all pretty smart. They know what's at stake and won't waste a vote in a national election on a third party. However, we've all voted down ticket third party before when their wasn't a Dem running for the office. Which sadly happens here from time to time.

Since, I'm in Texas I don't think I'd kick one to the curb if they did vote third party in a national election. If I lived in a swing state we'd probably disagree so much over the issue, it would become an issue to our friendship.

Reply to this post

Response to apples and oranges (Original post)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 01:24 PM

tblue37 (11,754 posts)

60. I can no longer hang out with people whose values seriously

contradict my own.

Ironically, a third-party voter might think he or she is voting values that are the same as mine, but in our winner-take-all 2-party system, a third-party vote is equivalent to a vote for the bad guys, and if the person cannot comprehend that, then he or she falls into a diiferent category of people I am no longer willing to share my time with: the hopelessly shallow and thoughtless who refuse to take into consideration the consequences if their actions!

Reply to this post

Response to tblue37 (Reply #60)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 04:38 PM

bvar22 (29,958 posts)

61. Help me out here.

As you stated, we have a "winner-take-all" system.
How is someone who votes their Liberal Conscience for President in a hopelessly RED state that even the Democratic Party has abandoned "equivalent to a vote for the bad guys" ?

I will agree that Down Ticket makes a difference,
but the President is selected by the Electoral Collage in a Winner-Take-All, State-by-State process.

So please explain it to me in easy, simple to understand words.

Reply to this post

Response to bvar22 (Reply #61)

Thu Oct 25, 2012, 09:54 PM

tblue37 (11,754 posts)

62. A red state--I wouldn't care; a state that could go either way--I would care a great deal.

Last edited Thu Oct 25, 2012, 09:56 PM USA/ET - Edit history (2)

Notice that the OP didn't specify red state. In fact, in a for sure red state I would willingly vote third party to give Greens enough votes to legitimize them for ballot access and other perks that go along with reachign a certain percentage threshold.

Reply to this post

General Discussion (Forum)