How Do You Decide Who To Vote For?

[Archaeology cat]

I look for info at [url="http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm"]ontheissues[/url] first, and then Google. I'll have to check out the one Cath posted.

[Brother Adam]

[quote name='Archaeology cat' timestamp='1288013080' post='2182303']
I look for info at [url="http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm"]ontheissues[/url] first, and then Google. I'll have to check out the one Cath posted.
[/quote]

This is useful. Thank you.

[Ed Normile]

When I vote I examine as much info as possible about the candidate to see if that candidate is compatible with my ideals. I guess I fall into the " lesser of two evils " category as there is no perfect candidate. When I voted for McCain I did so as he always voted pro-life, without exception, during his career. I did not agree with some of his liberal views especially his bowing to the democrats on almost every issue or as he called it, reaching across the aisles., but he was a strong anti-abortion candidate and he did have a pro american agenda without any socialist trappings, I would have liked him more if he was stronger on the borders etc. Whether this makes him the lesser of two evils, or makes me the Lessor or two evils is practically a moot point, but at least I did my best to look for the candidate who could best represent my views and actually had a chance to win. What I mean by that last sentence is if there is a perfect candidate who has no backing , say a third party candidate who may pull in 15% of the vote if he is lucky I would not waste my vote on that candidate. To not vote in my opinion is either laziness or just acquiesence to the winning candidates ideals, to put it plainly, if you do not vote than you are culpable in the decisions made by the winning candidate, I see it as if you have personally voted yes for each abortion he paves the road for and each right he diminishes or takes away from your indecision or unwillingness to vote. I may back the loser, but at least I am not guilty of culpability in his actions.


[font="Verdana"][size="2"]A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnstuart118013.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]John Stuart Mill[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"] [/size][/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]Action cures fear, inaction creates terror.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/douglashor152735.html"][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"]Douglas Horton[/color][/size][/font][/b][/url]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]I never worry about action, but only inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/winstonchu156874.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Winston Churchill[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"] [/size][/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]The Holocaust illustrates the consequences of prejudice, racism and stereotyping on a society. It forces us to examine the responsibilities of citizenship and confront the powerful ramifications of indifference and inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/timholden324754.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Tim Holden[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"] [/size][/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/meistereck384053.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Meister Eckhart[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"] [/size][/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnfkenn109216.html"][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"]John F. Kennedy[/color][/size][/font][/b][/url]

ed

[Lil Red]

[quote name='CatherineM' timestamp='1287946308' post='2182099']My Grandmother always voted for whoever had the prettiest name.

I use [url="http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/"]Politifact[/url] to look at impartial views of the truthfulness of politicians.[/quote]
my state isn't listed.

[quote name='dominicansoul' timestamp='1287947239' post='2182108']I find it more and more difficult to vote, because there are really no "pro-life" candidates...


...almost all of them declare they are pro-life with exceptions...


and I'm getting kinda tired of voting for the "lesser of two evils..."[/quote]
yah, me too. it's just a political tool.

[quote name='Archaeology cat' timestamp='1288013080' post='2182303']I look for info at [url="http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm"]ontheissues[/url] first, and then Google. I'll have to check out the one Cath posted.[/quote]
thanks for this!

[Sarah147]

I rarely vote for the smaller elections because I haven't found a less time consuming way to compare their stances to Catholicism.

I have voted for the Presidential elections, and it has happened to have been the Republican/right-wing/conservatives. I vote for the person that has the most Catholic stances, especially issues of mortal severity and that's mainly anti-abortion.

Thank you for posing the question, Adam, because it's something I have wanted to learn more about. I appreciate the links and I will be visiting them.

[MissScripture]

First, I have to figure out who is actually running for what...
I find it quite humerous that I hadn't even heard the name of the democrat running for senate in my state until I looked it up, yet one of the newspapers in the state claims it will be a close race or something like that. I found it even more humerous that there is a libertarian running who I had not heard of, and he didn't have any website to find out info about him, and his e-mail address was a "hotmail" account.

I tend to rule out who I definitely WON'T vote for first, and go from there, actually...

[Ed Normile]

[quote name='MissScripture' timestamp='1288028021' post='2182371']
First, I have to figure out who is actually running for what...
[b]I find it quite humerous that I hadn't even heard the name of the democrat running for senate in my state until I looked it up[/b], yet one of the newspapers in the state claims it will be a close race or something like that. I found it even more humerous that there is a libertarian running who I had not heard of, and he didn't have any website to find out info about him, and his e-mail address was a "hotmail" account.

I tend to rule out who I definitely WON'T vote for first, and go from there, actually...
[/quote]


Thats because right now in this political environment most democrats are ashamed to have their name connected with their party. Here in Ohio you only see signs with " John Anonymous, Republican" the democrats just have their name and a slogan on their ads and omit their party as not to be associated with the current socialist regime so they will stand a chance at getting re-elected/elected.

ed

[MissScripture]

[quote name='Ed Normile' timestamp='1288029253' post='2182384']
Thats because right now in this political environment most democrats are ashamed to have their name connected with their party. Here in Ohio you only see signs with " John Anonymous, Republican" the democrats just have their name and a slogan on their ads and omit their party as not to be associated with the current socialist regime so they will stand a chance at getting re-elected/elected.

ed
[/quote]
I haven't even seen his NAME on any signs or heard any commercials for him! I think it was more a matter of putting a name on a ballot than actually thinking he would have any shot at actually getting it.

[Sternhauser]

[quote name='Ed Normile' timestamp='1288018878' post='2182320']
To not vote in my opinion is either laziness or just acquiesence to the winning candidates ideals, to put it plainly, if you do not vote than you are culpable in the decisions made by the winning candidate, I see it as if you have personally voted yes for each abortion he paves the road for and each right he diminishes or takes away from your indecision or unwillingness to vote. I may back the loser, but at least I am not guilty of culpability in his actions.

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnstuart118013.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]John Stuart Mill[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"] [/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]Action cures fear, inaction creates terror.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/d/douglashor152735.html"][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"]Douglas Horton[/color][/size][/font][/b][/url]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]I never worry about action, but only inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/w/winstonchu156874.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Winston Churchill[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"] [/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]The Holocaust illustrates the consequences of prejudice, racism and stereotyping on a society. It forces us to examine the responsibilities of citizenship and confront the powerful ramifications of indifference and inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/t/timholden324754.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Tim Holden[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"] [/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]The price of inaction is far greater than the cost of making a mistake.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/m/meistereck384053.html"][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"][b]Meister Eckhart[/b][/color][/size][/font][/url][b][font="Verdana"] [/font][/b]

[font="Verdana"][size="2"]There are risks and costs to action. But they are far less than the long range risks of comfortable inaction.[/size][/font]
[url="http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/johnfkenn109216.html"][b][font="Verdana"][size="2"][color="#0011ff"]John F. Kennedy[/color][/size][/font][/b][/url]

ed
[/quote]

Ed, there are two [i]major[/i] logical fallacies behind these statements. I will be more than happy to cover them thoroughly, if you'd like.

~Sternhauser

[Ice_nine]

I usually don't vote (i voted for Barr in 08, that was it) based on some reasons that have already been covered by sternhauser but I don't tell people not to vote nor do I listen to accusations that I am lazy, apathetic and all that. To insinuate that I am doing "nothing" because I don't vote is kinda funny. So if someone worked in a crisis pregnancy center, used compassion to change a mother's mind outside of an abortion clinic, donates time and money directly to a pro-life cause . . . and then doesn't choose to vote because he/she believes politicians are all bs and that relying on them to eliminate the culture of death is beyond ineffective, would you call that person "inactive" "apathetic" "irresponsible" or any of that? I think it's ridiculous. Voting or not voting is not indicative of a person's character or submission to evil or any of that croutons.

I mean George W. was "pro-life" but what happened under his presidency to stop this genocide? Partial-birth abortion was banned but that's hardly something to celebrate. It's not good enough. The same evil is being perpetrated every day.

[Winchester]

[quote name='Ice_nine' timestamp='1288042820' post='2182496']


I mean George W. was "pro-life" but what happened under his presidency to stop this genocide?
[/quote]
Abortion isn't genocide. It's murder, but it isn't genocide.

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1288012788' post='2182302']
Politicians always tow the party line. You never vote for an individual--you vote for his party.
[/quote]
Cars are towed, lines are toed

[Micah]

Last time I voted liberal because the conservatives were selling us Canadian citizens out to the Americans. Stephen harper decided that George Bush had the right to set tariffs on softwood lumber like it was alcohol or something. Plus, he decided to sell America all of our uranium and bury the waste back in Canada. *rant rant rant*

Of course, I'll be voting conservative next time, as I am now Catholic and espouse certain conservative principles. And hopefully old harper-face will be gone.

[Winchester]

[quote name='notardillacid' timestamp='1288050807' post='2182518']
Cars are towed, lines are toed
[/quote]
Sure, if you believe the liberals.

[quote name='Micah' timestamp='1288052463' post='2182529']
Last time I voted liberal because the conservatives were selling us Canadian citizens out to the Americans. Stephen harper decided that George Bush had the right to set tariffs on softwood lumber like it was alcohol or something. Plus, he decided to sell America all of our uranium and bury the waste back in Canada. *rant rant rant*

Of course, I'll be voting conservative next time, as I am now Catholic and espouse certain conservative principles. And hopefully old harper-face will be gone.
[/quote]
Why would anyone buy a Canadian?

[ardillacid]

[quote name='Winchester' timestamp='1288052610' post='2182530']
Sure, if you believe the liberals.


Why would anyone buy a Canadian?
[/quote]
Your complete disregard for grammar belies your hidden anarchist tendencies.