Election

Let's say I agree with your proposition that there are 8 relevant issues. How many issues must a candidate agree with before you would vote for them?

I don't view a vote for someone as a whole hearted endorsement. Papa Combs always said that they he didn't vote for people, he voted against the other guy. So if there are two candidates running for the same race, why not vote for the one you absolutely know won't move these issues in any way you agree with?

On another note, I saw on Sullivan's blog that during this election cycle more gay candidates were elected to public office than ever before. That's not all that interesting in itself. What is interesting is not one of those gay elected officials is Republican. Not in any state legislature and not in Congress. That's astounding. As I believe was said on the blog - the Republican party now partly defines itself on the basis of excluding an entire minority group.

Election Day

Hoping election day can get this going once more.

I chose not to vote for anyone this year. I just can't seem to put my support behind any candidate, not just because I don't like them, but because I think all of their policies are absolutely terrible. While I understand that I will never find a candidate with whom I agree with all the time, I think there is a minimum level of agreement that is necessary for one to consider voting for them. And I don't find that with any candidate.

I think for the large part, we agree with each other on most issues (moore's anyway, you brooks people who read this are weird). 1) We all want full protection and validation of same-gender couples in the law, 2) we want more open and free trade, 3) we want serious, long term planning for the national debt by addressing medicare, medicaid, social security and defense spending, 4) we want the military to be used less for nation building and extensively worldwide, 5) we want a more sane and simplistic tax code that greatly reduces deductions for businesses and individuals, 6) we are okay with emergency fiscal stimulus but think its basically impotent given that its tools of tax cuts and direct spending are also used aggressively during periods of sustained economic growth, 7) we want systematic change in health care and 8) we want social safety nets for the poor and less social support for the middle and upper class.

I think those are the serious issues in this election. I think we all agree pretty closely on all of them (exception of health care since I'm sane and you people are commies but we know it needs structural change). But to be honest, I can't find candidates that agree with us on many of those issues. Republicans and democrats do not address any of those at all. Why should I give support to any candidate who doesn't seriously address the great issues of the day, or if they do address it, do so in ways in which I disagree?

So who did you vote for? Why did you vote for them? And, do they agree with you on issues in which you feel are the most important?