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For going on sixteen years now my mother has shook her head at my continued mis-spent efforts to be a part of the "democratic process". To quote her "why do you waste your vote?" In a way I guess she is correct I haven't voted for a winning candidate for president in 16 years, in fact my candidate didnt even come in second! Wow, must be a record. But did I really waste my vote, or did she in reality, waste hers; even though she has voted for a winning candidate... Lets delve into it.
My mothers contention is that I waste my vote because I consistently vote for candidates that are neither republican nor democrat, they are, or at least have been, completely "un-electable" owing solely to their non-affiliation with either of the major parties. Well, its true. My candidates never win. Therefore, my vote is pretty much null in the grand scheme of things. Does that mean that her vote then did count? Either she got her parties candidate elected or she at worst negated a vote for the "other" party. Maybe, but lets look at what really has happened.
I have always heard talk of the "two-party system". Now the truth be told, as far as I can tell there is no law nor does the constitution support such. No, the two-party system is a term created by the two dominate parties, who wish to keep all voters in line and voting for either one of the two parties. Its only the two dominate parties that want a two party system. So what does it take to be the winning party in a two party system? Simple, you have to get more people to vote for your party then vote for the one other party. THAT'S IT. Whats the best way to do that? Simple again, appeal to the most people. How do you do that? Simple again, by making sure your party excludes no-one, and is the best at making the most people "happy" with your agenda. Well, how do you do that? Simple again, by maintaining the status quo, and by guaranteeing them mediocrity. So Pine, what does that mean or prove, isn't your momma still right? Nope! And here's why:
In a two party system there is always one winner and one loser... always. So about half the voters didn't get what they wanted. But! per above, since the only thing that matters to a party is winning, and to do that the winning party MUST move away from any extreme points of view on any and every topic, at least half (or more) of those that voted for the winning party only got about half (or less), of what they really wanted in terms of THEIR agenda. That is to say at least another 25% of all voters while their candidate "won" really didn't get views represented. And that means that for any election, in which either a democrat or a republican won, at least 75% of the voters "lost". Now... who wasted their vote?
When I cast my vote, all the candidates (all the world?) can be sure of this: I voted for someone that MOST closely represented MY views. For the past sixteen years, that candidate was neither democrat nor republican. The two parties have both moved so toward the middle, they have both done as much as they could to not offend, to not represent any extreme sentiment, they both promised things they had no ability nor desire to deliver, that neither party in any way shape or form came close to representing me. All the world loves a winner... but I prefer to stand by one who is right, even if it means that for sixteen years.. I have voted for the loser. I therefore must take solace in that, I did not waste my vote on someone that does not and cannot represent my veiws ( and in reality cannot represent ANYONE's views)
To paraphrase one of my favorite authors: "I am not for either side, for no-one is altogether on MY side".
PS: If I have offended any voter that has voted democrat or republican in the last sixteen years, really, I am ok with that! And yes I blame both parties and their system for the last 16 years and the next 8 years at least (yeah I just can't leave the economy out completely).
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