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I voted Green Party in the 2000 election. I’m trying to prevent others from making the mistake many of us made that year that directly resulted in Bush getting elected. That election led to the wildly disproportionate response to 9/11, resulting in almost one million deaths. I protested that travesty, and I’m a New Yorker.
The reason Democrats keep putting up moderates is because they keep losing. The mentality of “showing them a lesson” by abstaining is exactly what makes them move right to capture more of the active voters. If Democrats maintained control for an extended period, the primary would become the new election, and they’d be forced to move left to capture more of the active voters.
If you're a New Yorker, then your 3rd party vote in 2000 did not result in, or contribute to, Bush "winning". All NY electoral votes went to Gore. Personally I think that if you live in a solid blue state, then you have the luxury of being able to vote your conscience.
My vote personally? No. My advocacy? Possibly. The Floridian votes for Nader directly resulted in Bush’s win.
Since you understand how the Electoral College works, please tell me why you see any point in voting third-party when you know they’ve never earned a single Electoral vote, let alone the 270 needed to win an election?
I'm not trying to be argumentative here lol. I don't fundamentally disagree with you, and I think that some people, especially in the most recent few elections, have decided that the only options they find acceptable are to vote 3rd party or simply not vote at all. I hope we agree that a 3rd party presidential vote, in a solid blue state, ideally with blue down-ballot votes, is better than nothing. I'm just pointing out that some people can weigh that decision a lot less heavily than others.
You’re right. Unfortunately, the vast majority of Americans are not as well educated on the structure of our government, let alone how the Electoral College works. The frequency in which I see people blame POTUS for congressional failure is terribly disheartening. Those same people have likely never voted in a mid-term election. The average person doesn’t know the difference, and my comments are meant to address the average person. A wall of text explaining where some can, and others cannot, vote third-party without actively helping Trump is only going to be ignored by those who won’t take it upon themselves to learn how the government is designed in the first place.
Frankly I see a LOT more of that misunderstanding from people who think shaming others into voting blue is an effective strategy than I do from people who express that they want to vote third party.
I understand. I’m not judging individuals who take it upon themselves to be educated on our system and know that their vote will not enable Trump’s success. I’m critical of people advocating that others vote third party without the same thorough education. It’s exactly that ignorance that ends up enabling a Republican win, and I’m sure you know what’s at stake in this election.