Please tell me why I should not stay home in Nov 2012?

[jzodda]

I certainly will never vote Republican but since 2009 and especially since late 2010 with the extension of tax breaks for the rich it seems that this administration bends over backwards to placate the right when in fact they only wish to destroy him.

Now, with this debt ceiling deal approaching it appears the right will be winning again with substantial cuts to programs that help poor, middle class, sick and elderly people while the rich are spared yet again.

So far 2+ years into this presidency we have a defense budget approaching $1 Trillion dollars a year. Cost of living goes up and up and the only people who are doing well these days are the rich-who are getting away with murder taxwise. So they don't have to pay more, the greedy corps don't have to pay more, defense gets small (if any cuts), medicare still can't negotiate for prescription drugs and the program itself will now face cuts. Facing cuts when instead they could easily means test programs like Social Security and medicare. Warren buffet needs his medicare?

I have watched Cenk on MSNBC every night constantly rail against the caving in by Obama to people who want to destroy him so they can protect their rich and powerful friends. I could never have believed that this administration would entertain right wing proposals that throws the poor and middle class off the cliff and yet here we are.

I am having a hard time getting myself motivated for 2012 so can somebody convince me why I should vote? Should I vote to try and protect the health care law at least? I guess I am just depressed-I want Obama to fight!

[Richardo]

1. Do whatever the hell you want to do.

[young but wise]

31. +1000

[okieinpain]

49. agree 100%. n/t.

[krawhitham]

50. You either do your civic duty and vote or you stop bitching because you are now part of the problem

Once you did in the booth you must decide, are you a Democrat or slime ball

If you are a Democrat you vote a straight ticket, if you are a slime ball you vote for some or all Republicans

[Zoeisright]

62. Exactly. Why don't some people get that?

[Drale]

2. Not voting is as good as a vote for the Republicans

which may very well be Michelle Bachmann. Do you want to be saying President Bachmann, the women who just said she would completely get rid of pornography?

[jzodda]

3. No if a real right wing wacko gets the nod I probably won't stay home

She is dangerous-very much so.

I just expect more from Obama-do I have unrealistic expectations?

[Drale]

7. I don't know but many people here on DU do

I just saw a post saying the Obama has become Cheney. WTF is that? Obama is not Cheney, hell if Cheney had been president Hitler would have been better then Cheney.

[Fearless]

40. Hitler mass exterminated a people... I think you're being very dramatic.

[guruoo]

53. Hitler did a lot of things. nt

[FormerDittoHead]

52. Unless it's raining.

I would LIKE a better reason to vote FOR someone.

I'm afraid they would otherwise interpret my vote as approval for the way they do things.

[damonm]

71. Name a NON-"Right-Wing Wacko" currently running...

I won't hold my breath.

[polichick]

56. delete - wrong place

[whosinpower]

4. You will do what your heart tells you to

Vote or not vote.

If you decide that Obama does not deserve your support - that is the beauty of a democracy.
You get to choose. Even if you hate the choices.

[jzodda]

6. As I said in another post maybe I have unrealistic expectations?

Of what Obama can do? I don't know these days. It seems that 87 freshman tea party nuts in the house can really hold the gov hostage...

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Whisp]

5. why would I care what you do?

seriously, some of you disgruntles think you are the centre of the friggin universe.

do what you like! whose stopping you!

what depresses ME is the feets of clay around here. one word from some anonymous whatshisname or two words from Hamsher if she's in a shitty mood and the place goes up in fireworks.

calm the fuck down

[jzodda]

8. LOL you don't have to care but this is a MESSAGE BOARD

and it was created to talk about these things..What else is there to talk about?

[Whisp]

13. GBCO dramatic posts, should make a form letter for them

they keep popping up whenever some anonymous asshole leaks something. and it usually turns up being pretty smelly

(Goodbye Cruel Obama)

[Bake]

35. Center of the universe? What planet do you live on?

Oh, that's right...we just want our PONY!

Is it too much to ask that they leave Social Security and Medicare the fuck alone??? THAT'S the PONY???

Bake

[Whisp]

48. wtf are you talking about?

[Retrograde]

9. Because your congressperson and one senator are up for election

the other offices are just as important as the presidency, maybe even more so.

[jzodda]

11. Thats a good point-Didn't think about that one

thanks :)

I suppose its a long way till Nov 2012 and I will prob vote for Obama because over the long general election campaign the repukers will get me angry as all hell. Those Sarah Palin rallies in 2008 got me madder than hell with the things that went on there.

[Tx4obama]

10. If you want a Republican pres in the WH appointing Supreme Court justices then stay home.

If you do NOT want Republicans taking control of the White and the Senate and screwing up the USA more than it is, then the best thing to do is NOT stay home Nov 2012.

If you want a sneak peek at what would happen to the whole USA if the Republicans had total control then just look at all the BS that is happening right now in the states that have far right-wing republican governors!

[jzodda]

15. Thats true-if Kennedy retires we have the CT....

n/t

[tcaudilllg]

43. Why persuade parts of the army to defect and send in a team to kill Grover Norquist, Tom Delay, etc

Really? I mean really, a lot of people are at the boiling point. The government has become so right wing and corrupt that it is no longer functional. We should just throw it out by destroying those who have abused power. Then we can put the people we want in charge, no questions asked.

[Mimosa]

76. Best answer!

"If you want a sneak peek at what would happen to the whole USA if the Republicans had total control then just look at all the BS that is happening right now in the states that have far right-wing republican governors!"

[vaberella]

12. Because there are people who died so they can fuckin' vote.

There are people walking on the street day in and day out fighting so they can fuckin' vote. And you, you fuckin' think you can sit on your ass and take for granted your measure of power while there would be someone who would fight to the death to have that power.

Republicans are fuckin' working hard to eliminate that power---and for you it's optional. Fuckin' sickening. There are people who realize the importance of their say in the political system and use it---but you're so selfish, that to you it's bargaining chip. Fuck it. Don't vote. You don't deserve to be a citizen either, if this is an option for you.

I spent 7 years, almost $1500 so I can become a citizen, so I can vote. And I was living in this country since I was 18 months old. My mother married my dad who was an American, but he never adopted me so I wasn't given the right to citizenship. I fought for mine for 7 years and I have to read your stupid posts.

Why should Obama fight for people like you who don't fight. You'd rather sit on your ass and not vote and need to ask for guidance to vote. Ugh.

[jefferson_dem]

14. Cause you're better than Cenk...

and his typically frayed outlook.

[tishaLA]

16. Supreme Court

[marlakay]

83. Second that nt

[bemildred]

17. Because there is a lot more than President to vote for? nt

[patrice]

18. Why would you be deciding, in July, what you're going to do in November?

[Name removed]

19. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Tx4obama]

21. Farewell. And good luck to you if the republicans win. n/t

[EC]

20. President Bachmann... n/t

[Cereal Kyller]

64. Who will invade North Dakota...

...to get rid of Kim Jong Il.

[CakeGrrl]

22. If you can't figure it out by now, what's the point? -nt

[GoCubsGo]

61. Yup,

You beat me to it.

[Jakes Progress]

23. People will call you names.

Seriously. You are in the same place with millions who voted for Obama. It is up to him and his supporters to convince you that he will finally do something right. The only argument they are offering now is that if you stay home, some bogey man (or woman) will win.

I'm having to decide the same thing after over forty years of campaigning, caucusing, voting straight Democratic. I don't want more republican government, but we're getting plenty of that now. I have to wonder if the senile geezer and the hill-billy tart had won how would it be different. I know that if the geezer were president and he tried to gut public education, take down unions, and cut SS this board and the rest of the Democratic party would be screaming and fighting. Maybe that's all we want. We want our representatives to scream and fight for us. It aint happening right now.

[patrice]

24. And why would you want to broadcast your vote anyway and, thus, make yourself ir-relevant?

Those who disagree with your vote will discount your issues since there's no percentage in making an effort for someone who's not going to do anything in return and those who agree with your vote will take you for granted.

The most effective thing politically is to not discuss your vote.

[aaaaaa5a]

26. The Supreme Court NT

[RBInMaine]

27. Here we go again already with this ULTRA INSANITY about "staying home to punish Democrats for not

being progressive enough" thus helping RePUKES. Oh GAWD. What NUTTINESS. Fringe Underground strikes again.

[robcon]

28. Vote or don't vote. Why would I care what you do?

Dems will vote for the president.
Repubs will vote for the Repub candidate.

Independents, not DUers, will, as always, decide the election.

[Vinca]

29. Go to the polls with the Congress and Supreme Court in mind.

No matter how badly we view Obama's policies, it can get a whole lot worse.

[BeyondGeography]

30. Stay home

[JoePhilly]

32. Given the choice between Gore and Bush in 2000, Cenk voted for Bush.

You know that right?

I will occasionally agree with a point he makes, but I honestly don't trust his motivation most of the time.

[Richardo]

33. If you need a 'reason' to vote, you're better off staying home.

[ChrisBorg]

34. Because it should be great skiing weather.

[Peacetrain]

36. If you have to have someone on an anonymous chat board convince you to vote

well.. you are not going to vote.. you never intended to vote.

[slackmaster]

37. I think you should stay home, if your commitment to civic duty is that weak

Every vote you don't cast makes mine a tiny bit stronger.

[NorthCarolina]

38. Don't stay home, cast a Write-In vote instead. Bernie Sanders would be a good write-in candidate. nt

[JTFrog]

41. Bernie Sanders supports President Obama.

I don't think he'd approve of this tactic.

[JTFrog]

39. Quit watching Cenk.

He's an asshat.

Problem solved.

:shrug:

[dionysus]

69. lol

:rofl:

[otohara]

42. Second Term Possibilities

I think he'll do stuff that will piss off the right and delight the left.
A girl can dream.

or maybe, just maybe, he will

[FrenchieCat]

44. You should stay at home--and since you won't "fight" although you are demanding

a Fight from Pres. Obama.....I believe that whatever results we end up with, you can feel that you made a difference in making it happen. I hope that most will think like you.....cause at the end of the day, y'all need a wake up call, which is exactly what you will get for 4 years, starting in 2012. Good luck with that. Hope you will feel "enthused" at some point, like when you have nothing left to lose, and don't give a shit about anyone else and what they have at stake; starting with the supreme court! That will show ___________________(fill in the blank).

[Sheepshank]

45. Please stay home

..that way I won't have read one poster whining about a vote that the media has convinced them to throw away somewhere else.

It would be a relief if you don't vote for Obama, and then STFU about the outcome of witholding a vote that helps someone else get into office...that someone who in this two party system is likely to be an "R". But please do remember to STFU about those issues.

[Doctor Hurt]

46. You and people like you are a tiny minority, and we don't need your votes.

There. Happy?

Now please go away for good.

[Hawkowl]

47. Vote left

The bigger percentage of people who vote left, the greater likelihood that one of the major parties will eventually start paying attention to us. So, don't stay home, go vote, if you must protest leave the president spot blank or vote third party and vote dems in for the other offices.

[Tom Rinaldo]

51. Bottom line; vote cause it's free and only uses up an hour or so of your year

For me, voting is a no brainer. Even if it comes down to chosing between a lousey lesser of two evils or casting a relatively meaningless protest vote for someone with zero of winning. In that situation I usually vote the lesser of two evils. I maight consider a protest vote if that person has a chance to shake things up by doing way better than expected while losing - but I weigh that against the possibility of the greater of two evils winning.

Simply voting is so relatively easy for most of us to do that I never see a reason to justify sitting out an election.

The much more difficult question to answer concerns what we could be doing with our time and money in addition to voting once a year. That is a different discussion.

[Ikonoklast]

54. Do whatever you want.

I find it difficult to care.


My *cats* know what the choices are, if you don't no one can help you.

[AtomicKitten]

55. Voting is a civil right and duty, but it's not compulsory. Do what you want.

[polichick]

57. I always vote - consider it a duty - but sometimes I think it might take...

...a complete meltdown for Americans to get it. Already idiot voters have forgotten how bad Bush was - and a registered Dem president who had so much of the country behind him consistently allows Republicans to frame the issues, refusing to stand with the people.

[Palmer Eldritch]

58. Nobody can do the right thing for you.

[rug]

59. Because you may not have a home by then.

[lunatica]

60. Sometimes the lesser of evils is all we have

Don't refuse to vote because things are perfect. The alternative is infinitely worse than Obama. Surely you saw that in the Bush administration.

[LatteLibertine]

63. I'm considering

writing in Cthulhu's name. I'm tired of the second rate evil we have in D.C.

[saras]

65. State and local candidates, Senators and Representatives

[treestar]

66. uncrecc'd for attention seeking

[watercolors]

67. Palin, Bauchman, Romney, Pawlenty and the list goes on!

[alcibiades_mystery]

68. Stay home or don't

Who cares?

[Township75]

70. Because people in your home are sick of you and would like you to leave.

even if it is only for an hour or 2.

[BigDemVoter]

72. If everybody stays home, we'll have a Repig in the WH

Is that enough for you?

[Ter]

73. Because there are third party options?

:hide:

[Name removed]

74. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tavalon]

75. President Bachmann

[hack89]

77. Can't think of a single reason. Republicans can run the country as well as any Democrat. nt

[backscatter712]

78. Not voting for Obama = a vote for the GOP.

Every reputable university political science department will tell you this.

[tabbycat31]

79. at the very least vote for the downticket races

Leave the presidency blank if that's how you feel but you are needed at the local, county, and state level the most.

[ZombieHorde]

80. The Supreme Court, science funding, and student loans. nt

[center rising]

81. Don't complain then when a Republican assumes the White House.

[woofless]

82. Take it one step farther.

Drive a Republican to the polls. Why not?

[ieoeja]

84. You'll run out of beer.

Eventually, you *will* have to leave your home this November.

[Fire1]

85. If you need convincing you should stay home. n/t

[slay]

86. You should vote in your local elections

but i can not tell you to vote for Obama - cause i am not going to. he's a traitor in my eyes. he helped cover-up the bush era war crimes.

[just a poor soul]

87. new here

stopped in to check du out. seems like there is a lot of anger.

[Jersey Devil]

88. No turkey for you!

Go ahead! Stay home. I'll eat your forken turkey at Gramma's house on Thanksgiving of 2012.

[Wait Wut]

89. You have to ask?

This is what amazes me. If someone contributes to any type of political site, they have an obvious interest in politics and know the importance of exercising their right to vote. If that same someone is contributing to a place called Democratic Underground, they have an obvious interest in the Democratic Party and know the importance of voting for the Democratic candidate.

I see that you have a site called Progressive Phoenix. Because I’m unable to click on the link I’m going to possibly make a fool of myself by assuming it’s a site that leans toward politics. If so, than you in particular should understand the importance of voting.

While I would prefer you not throw your vote away on some off-the-wall third party candidate, you are free to do so. I honestly believe that most of the folks here that are shouting “I’m not voting!!” have never cast a vote in their lives unless it involved pizza toppings.

I’m an American with the right to vote. I do what I can to protect this country and our citizens from the insane and selfish of the right. I vote.