I’m not voting this year. I just don't like either candidate all that much. But if I had to choose, I would vote for Obama. I really just don't like McCain at all. He has too many flaws to me. (I know it is really shallow, but it almost looks as if his face is a mask. It’s kind of scary)
John McCain. Republican, family-oriented, veteran. I didn't like him from the beginning, though. I just think that he is a bit outdated. His views on abortion (even though I am neither pro life nor choice) are based on nothing more than his religion, and the same goes with his views on gay marriage. He is going to try to promote a more spiritually-strong community, and wishes to "protect" marriage. If he really wants to protect marriage, he needs to focus on the divorce rates. He also wants to promote adoption. OK, now let everyone who is capable and wants to adopt. There is no proof that a child raised in by same-sex parents is any different from a child with a mother and a father. By eliminating the same-sex couples, he eliminates the possibility for so many children to find a good, permanent home. His ideas that a child needs a mother and a father are a little...odd. What about those of us who are raised by a single parent? Does this mean they are less worthy parents as well?
This to me means that his religion will get in the way of his decision-making. He is more concerned about what is right in Gods eyes then in the basic rights of people. It also means (to me) that his presidency will make it harder for those who are not of the same religion as him. His ideas on terrorism SEEM to be that the only terrorists are Islamic. I just get the idea that he is paranoid about a missile attack, very similar to the fear in the 1950's. I was not aware that we received threats. Don't we have missiles as well? Are we the only country who is aloud to have missiles? I also disagree with his views on guns. I don't think that anything stronger than a hand gun or a hunting rifle should be sold. They are dangerous, can fall into the wrong hands, and I don't think that guns should be legal. Basically I don't like his ideas about guns. He says he wants to fallow the constitution, but yet his ideas on abortion are misguided and not based on anything.
I do agree with his and Obama’s ideas about immigration and illegal immigrants. Those who are here and are making progress in their lives (legally) should be aloud to stay. What is to be gained by sending them back? Not only that, but there is no way we can find all of the illegal immigrants in the country (not just the Latin-American ones). I also agree that healthcare should be more available to everyone and cheaper. Everyone deserves the chance to be able to take better care of themselves with healthcare. It would level the playing field for those who are not able to afford regular doctor-visits and dental care.
I still don’t think that I will be voting this year. I may change my mind along the way, but I will defiantly not vote for McCain. He is just a little to outdate in his thinking reasoning.
Why I'm not voting for McCain.
By Leesanimevampire - Posted on September 14th, 2008
I think its really sad that you're not voting. I've been anticipating being able to vote in a presidential election since I was fifteen. I really believe in the idea that you can't complain about the government unless you vote, even if you vote for the most obscure third party candidate. The point is that you made your voice heard, even if it was for a lesser of two evils or for a candidate who never had a chance of winning.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
I see that some of your views are different from McCain. The comment about the mask was pretty shallow (and kind of mean, seeing as how his past battle with skin cancer has left marks on his face) but I kept reading and just wanted to bring up some points.
* I don't think outdated is an accurate word to describe his views. Some of them are conservative but that doesn't necessarily equal outdated. I'm a 22 year old college student with many of the same views as he and I wouldn't call myself outdated.
* My question to you is how are people allowed to make their decisions? Or rather, what things in our lives are allowed to influence our decisions? Religion, or rather God, is important in my life and that of course reflects on the decisions I make and my political views. I'm Hispanic and that affects my political views. I'm a struggling college student and that affects my political views, etc. Just because you many not be any of these things doesn't mean that I can't base my decisions off them.
I understand your points though, on why you wouldn't vote for McCain. I do, however, encourage you to vote. As Esuffern said, you can't complain about government if you haven't done your part!
Good luck with your decision.
~ElegantFree~
I personally don't think that religion has any place in politics. It can cloud interpritation of laws, and turn some of their campagns into religious ones. That is just how I see it. I really don't get into politics at all, I am more concerned with other things.
Faith is like a glass of water. When you're young, the glass is small, and it's easy to fill up. But the older you get, the bigger the glass gets, and the same amount of liquid doesn't fill it anymore. Periodically, the glass has to be refilled.
-Dogma
My first reaction was to advise you not to vote, because, as I always say, I don't want some uninformed voter electing a candidate who can mess up this country. But you gave some valid reasons why you don't like McCain- so maybe you should vote for Obama (just for the record, I am currently voting for McCain).
I think that 75% of the electorate doesn’t agree with everything their candidate says, but you just have to compromise and pick the one who you think is best. Voting is the most important privilege of an American- would you so easily forgo your right to free speech?
Most of your complaints about McCain seem more aimed at Republicans in general. McCain is a moderate Republican. If you want an example of an extremist, just look at his VP.
Religion is important in politics, but a politician shouldn't force his views on the people. Most of our laws are religiously inspired (thou shalt not steal, murder, etc), whether the proponents of secularism want to admit that or not.
I really don't know anything about politics, so that is the original reason I am not going to vote. I did not want to be unaware of what I am voting for. I still don't know if I am going to vote or not, because I prefer to stay out of politics in general.
Faith is like a glass of water. When you're young, the glass is small, and it's easy to fill up. But the older you get, the bigger the glass gets, and the same amount of liquid doesn't fill it anymore. Periodically, the glass has to be refilled.
-Dogma
I find it interesting that you "prefer to stay out of politics in general". Government and the people that are part of it affect every aspect of your life. And when I say every aspect, I'm not exaggerating. That's why everyone should care about who is in charge of every level of government.
The government controls access to birthcontrol, the reasons why your employer can fire you, which harmful chemicals and in what amount are allowed in products, materials and food, how much money you take home in your paycheck, what the money from your paycheck is used for, what you can go to jail for, how long you go to jail for, what jail is like if you go there...The list goes on and on.
Every right you think you should have as a human being the government can help to protect or it can work to take it away. That's why I'm voting.
Common sense is as rare as genius. ~Emerson
Colorado November Ballot Measure to Legally Define a Fertilized Egg as a Person
I don't really understand it is what I ment. I have opinions, but then I have to think about what they affect, where the funding will come from, so on and so forth. I don't get involved because I have no solution and no answers that are... realistic.
Faith is like a glass of water. When you're young, the glass is small, and it's easy to fill up. But the older you get, the bigger the glass gets, and the same amount of liquid doesn't fill it anymore. Periodically, the glass has to be refilled.
-Dogma
Interesting... I would also classify a lot of my political ideas as unrealistic (repeal of the IRS and income tax, overhaul of the Federal Reserve, and even support for Prohibition) but that doesn't keep me from voting. I'm going to elect candidates who represent the greatest step in one of my unrealistic directions.
I'm young and idealistic, and I hope I stay that way. Well, the idealistic part, anyway. I'm not so idealistic that I think I'll never get old (hah)...
And one other thing... sorry if I seem to be beating you up (that is not my intent), but you imply that you don't want to have to think about the practical aspects of your opinions. That seems almost like an intellectual laziness.
If we don't govern our country (by voting), who will? How about corporate interests, big oil, corrupt politicians, psychotic ideologues... the list goes on.
Its not that I am lazy, I just really feal helpless when I think about change. What if no one agrees with me? What if i devote myself to a cause that had no chance to change anything to begin with? I don't think one vote will matter much, and I really don't want to be seen as jumping on the Obama bandwagon (almost all of my friends are voting for him, but really don't know his possitions, and they are african-american) because I am about half black (my dad is a mix of caribbean and a little british way bak in the family lines.
Faith is like a glass of water. When you're young, the glass is small, and it's easy to fill up. But the older you get, the bigger the glass gets, and the same amount of liquid doesn't fill it anymore. Periodically, the glass has to be refilled.
-Dogma
While I agree that our government affects really just about everything in our lives, I'm not sure voting is going to do anything to change the vast majority of that.
You mention that the government controls which harmful chemicals are allowed in food, for example. That would, I imagine, fall under the jurisdiction of the FDA. But the FDA is an entrenched governmental bureaucracy, which, in all likeliness, will be totally unaffected by the outcome of this election. The only way to change something like the FDA would be through some sort of radical reforming candidate, and the rigid two party system of the United States simply doesn't allow for those types.
Regardless of all that, I'm still going to vote. There are other important issues at stake, ones which my candidate has the power to change.