I’m on the fence with voting. Half of me feels like it’s a total waste of time. After all, from my limited understanding of such things, I learned in school that we have an electoral system in place, not direct elections, so how does my vote count? Plus, I don’t really care for any of the candidates. Some of them are downright despicable, but the others are just not my choice for the role they’re campaigning for. I hate the idea of voting for the best of the worst. That’s a lousy choice.
On the other hand, I feel that we have to do whatever we can to make things as good as possible, individually and collectively. This means doing stuff like voting, which is a responsibility, not a luxury. Plus, if you don’t vote, then I feel you have no right to complain about whoever gets elected.
Then, as we get closer to the election, I become increasingly alarmed by what I’m hearing and seeing about the candidates. Below is a short Associated Press video of Matt Damon talking about Sarah Palin. He basically sums it up in under 2 minutes why I have to vote against McCain/Palin.
From what I gather of Palin, if she gets into higher office, it seems like we’re doomed. She’s a pentecostal. She believes in armageddon. Not just figuratively, but literally. Which means she doesn’t care about the world, or peace. If the violent biblical prophecies happen then they’ll be closer to getting to heaven. So World War 3 would be just dandy to someone who believes in armageddon.
Palin told her Assembly of God church earlier this year that the war in Iraq is “a task from god.” Literally.
As an atheist I’m mortified that this country can even entertain the idea of a total crackpot as the vice president. Not only would she be the vice president, but the chance of her becoming president when McCain dies during his term are very real and terrifying.
The Friendly Atheist wrote up a post about Sarah Palin and her theology. She belongs to the Assembly of God church. Dan Barker, co-president of the Freedom from Religion Foundation, used to be a preacher of that denomination. Then he became an atheist. But Palin is quite happily embracing her religion. And the Republicans chose her to pander to the disenfranchised Hillary supporters.
Personally I find it all rather disgusting, with no one getting to the real issues and everyone pandering and saying whatever they think will win over the most people, not what they really plan to do with their term in office, if they win.
I have to say, I don’t really care for Obama’s stance on religion and faith based initiatives either. But damn, at least he seems relatively sane compared to Palin, who supported the “sport” of shooting wolves and black bears, including cubs, from planes. She offered $150 for the left front paw of every wolf. Read the story about it here, or search “Palin” and “hunt” in google for yourself.
Well, then, I guess, even if my vote doesn’t count, I have to at least make an effort to vote against McCain/Palin. I just wish my vote meant something.
Yeah, I can sympathize. Obama’s holding steady at a lead of about 15% in my state, so I feel it would be pretty safe for me to vote for my actual, third party preference. I haven’t been particularly charmed by Obama, even less so by the Democratic Party, this election season, and am tired of sucking it up and voting for the lesser of two evils (although I honestly can’t characterize Obama as “evil”). But even though I have a huge electoral college safety net for my individual vote this year, Palin scares the crap out of me, and I might just end up voting for Obama after all.
If it helps, I think that if you live in a swing state and you vote for Obama, you’re helping to move things forward. Painfully, slowly, forward.
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Good for Matt Damon!!!
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I vote because of the local issues and how they influence things on up the line. Our Mayor is Super Delegate and when she cast her vote she voted with the voters locally for Obama over Clinton. So that is what keeps me going to the polls. Who I vote for locally can influence the electoral votes for the presidential election. And I agree with you I would like to see some rational debates about the issues. Sick of them telling us who is the best this or that, invoking faith for rational debate. I think a lot of people feel ambivalent with election process, who wouldn’t after the last two presidential elections.
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Thanks for commenting, Steve. Yeah, and I lived in Florida for the last two presidential elections. I was so disgusted and disheartened when my vote got thrown out.
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Palin makes me sick. I don’t get Christians like her. Isn’t one of the 10 commandments thou shall not kill?!
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Oh Colleen, being an atheist you don’t know the way it works! If you’re a TRUE christian, you get to break all the commandments when you feel you’re doing god’s work. So killing endangered animals, wolves, muslims, atheists, and basically the whole world is fine, because it makes your god happy. The christian god actually loves killing. Especially if you burn the body afterwards. The sweet aroma of BBQ’d flesh is pleasing to the lord.
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