“Black Wednesday,” January 6, 2021, will long be remembered and written about as the day that American democracy faltered. As time passes, pundits and partisans will take sides to analyze and spin the event to suit their cause. But make no mistake about it, this single day was the end result of one single vote repeated over and over and over. It is easy to go to the polls and pull the lever or check a box or vote by mail. The lesson is that this cherished right is too often taken lightly without sufficient thought. Frequently, we cast our votes solely on loyalty to one party or another regardless of the consequences.
In my case, I may have unwittingly contributed to the storming of the Capitol in Washington with my vote back on November 3, 2016 when I voted for the Libertarian candidate for president because I didn’t want to vote for Hillary Clinton. Like many people I had enough of the Clintons and wanted to move on. I couldn’t vote for Trump because I knew his reputation. It was clear to me that he did not have the temperament or credentials to be president. John Kasich, the former governor of Ohio, was my choice but he lost out to Trump in the primary. Looking back I’m confident to say that we would not have sustained the trauma and damage to our republic if Clinton had won. The nation would have come through the last four years much better regardless of our differences.
I know many who voted for Trump because they would never vote for a Democrat under any circumstances. Doing so, in their opinion, would lead to terrible consequences resulting in big government, assaults on the business and corporate communities and pandering to the great “unwashed masses” who they believe rely on public doles. It was simply unthinkable to do otherwise. Do these voters still believe that a vote for Clinton would have been worse?
In short, we all must give more consideration as to how we vote and learn from the last two presidential elections. We must not fall prey to the hollow rhetoric and promises of candidates of either party.
Wise words, my friend. I, too, have done stupid things with my presidential ballot at times. I voted against Jimmy Carter because of his budgetary policies as governor of Georgia; for Richard Nixon because of his foreign policies; and for Ronald Reagan because I lost a bet. Not the best reasons, but, strangely, I felt confident that the United States would be safe and institutions upheld regardless of who won in those elections. I haven’t felt that way since 2000. Abrazos!
Many of us have, I’m afraid. At least you have the honesty to admit it Nick. Let’s see how many of our friends and others come forth and say they made a grievous mistake in voting for Trump!
You can be proud of your conscious decision to not vote for or the lesser of two evils. Trump and Clinton were a Hobson’s choice at best. One was a liar and a thief. The other stole things and didn’t tell the truth. When you voted for the Libertarian you voted for individual freedom and personal responsibility. How could that ever be deplorable?
In a system driven by achieving one’s objective by force, voting for the lesser of two evils assures a continuing move towards evil and escalating force. We can probably be assured that the Republicans are already at work targeting the weakest for a mid-term recapture of the majority. Then they can force whatever it is they want into reality. Meanwhile the Democrats are in hot pursuit of Peter so they can be assured of Paul’s support. Together with Paul, and the rest of the village, they can keep Peter in-line and at the wheel.
The vote is not some sort of musical chairs. It should represent what we believe. What we want. What we think is best. What is moral. If one believes it is proper to take property from one person so it can be given to another, they should vote for candidates that intend to do that. If one thinks they have some sort of special right to tell other people how to live their lives, they should vote for candidates intent on straighten out all the lost and depraved littering their lives.
It’s my impression that joining the Democratic or Republican parties requires saying you are one however that may be defined. Sort of a situational ethical buffet.
To join the Libertarian Party you have to certify that you oppose the initiation of force to achieve political or social goals.
Folk, who can’t bring themselves to say they don’t believe in the initiation of force to get what they want, must be saying that they intend to use force to get what they want. Doesn’t that put the getter and the gettee in constant escalating conflict? Are we there yet?
That you voted for personal freedom and individual responsibility did not result in Donald Trump. He was already there and who he has been all of his life. Even had you voted for Clinton and had she won, that would only be a penny on the fuse box. That’s when the house burns down.
Your argument is full of presumptions that, apparently, represent the truth to you but not everyone. Libertarians are not the only ones who “oppose force to achieve political or social goals” Libertarians are not the only ones against violence to solve problems. Libertarians are not the only ones who abhor taking from some to give to others. And I might add that we all sometimes vote for the lesser of evils in our personal lives as well in our public lives. Don’t tell me you have never done so. You might remember that Alexander Hamilton voted for Thomas Jefferson to be president whom he despised rather than Aaron Burr. Certainly, Hamilton was voting for the “lesser of two evils,” huh? Lastly you might want to revisit the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution to rethink your definitions of freedoms and rights as well. Please!
Thank you, Pancho. Banalities, polemics, and pseudo-truths, while comforting to the uttered, lack any real substance or force of argument.
“Utterer”