[Daniel] Voting Outside The Mainstream

I am going to rant about the election here. Not because I'm unhappy about Bush being re-elected (believe me, I am). Not because Kerry didn't win (I'm not really that sad as I don't think he was the appropriate president). I'm going after what I feel is a much bigger problem than some pretzel-choking, war-mongering fool being re-elected.



For those that are unaware, I voted for the Independant candidate, Ralph Nader. For whatever reason, I have been told it was a waste of a vote, that he has no chance and generally being laughed at. NOTHING could possibly piss me off more.



First off, it was my decision, 100%. Let's look at what I did, shall we? I checked my facts. I read up on the issues. And I researched the other candidates involved, from Bush & Kerry all the way to Badnarik and Cobb and beyond. Since I am a citizen of the U.S. last time I checked, I could swear I have the right to cast a vote on Election Day for the officials I choose.



Second, it is not a waste of a vote. Wasting a vote would be betting on the person I think will win. Wasting my vote would be voting for someone I don't like but is better than the likely alternative. Wasting my vote would be not voting at all.



Instead, I voted for the person I agree with on issues like gun control, abortion, stem cell research, the environment, gay marriage and good old fashion diplomatic relations with the rest of the world. I voted for someone I wouldn't mind following as a leader of the United States. I voted for who I felt was competent and savvy enough to lead while maintaining democracy here in America, the supposed land of the free.



I don't care that people think he has no chance of winning. The only reason why he doesn't have a chance is because so many people merely think he doesn't and spread that same crappy idea with reckless abandon. After all, it's much easier to follow the rest of the flock than to bother to think for yourself and really pick who you think can do the job.



I'm sick of only having two (usually crappy) choices for president. I don't think there should only be two parties (which happen to be nearly the same anyhow) that run our country. I hope I live to see a day when that changes. And you can count on me voting that way from now on.