Reply #84: I'm solid idealism. You can practically watch it sublime off me. [View All]

[Mairead]

But I'm cynical and practical, too. At least sometimes :)

What will voting my conscience do? Not much, by itself. It's like owning a fax machine or telephone--if I've the only one in the world, then it's not worth much. But if I'm one of millions, then it can be quite important and valuable.

I can only control my one vote. If I could take control of everyone else's, believe me I'd be tempted! I'd like to think that at the end of the day I'd have the integrity to resist, but I'm glad I'll never be put to the test.

But I can control my one vote.

But we're getting off the track here, I think. Will contends that we have leverage that continues to exist after we vote in November. I say that as a practical matter we don't, and I offer in evidence the fact that the 2002 losses didn't produce any soul-searching or come-to-Jesus reaction this year the way that voter-leverage theory predicts.