NationStates Jolt Archive

Out of curiosity, who among us supported a 3rd party candiate and why?

I casted my vote for Badnarik, as I'm strongly in favor of SINCERE VOTING. Badnarik seemed like the best man for the job, and I highly support the Libertarian ideal. I don't consider my vote wasted - I hope that the Libertainrian party gains a stronger foothold in the near future from its voter base.

I voted "socialist workers party" becasue I am a pinko commie. Some old guy yelled at me at the polling space after he asked me who I voted for. I think a lot of his buddies were killed by communists in korea or something, but then he said "at least you didn't vote for nader" which was funny.

Out of curiosity, who among us supported a 3rd party candiate and why?

I casted my vote for Badnarik, as I'm strongly in favor of SINCERE VOTING. Badnarik seemed like the best man for the job, and I highly support the Libertarian ideal. I don't consider my vote wasted - I hope that the Libertainrian party gains a stronger foothold in the near future from its voter base.

I haven't posted here in about a year, but the election has upset me so much that I decided to see what my fellow political afficiandos were saying. Your post caught my eye because I'm a Libertarian and I am proud to say that I voted for Badnarik. I'm glad to see someone else who is fighting the "wasted vote mentality" that's plaguing America.

Please do not label me "Anti-American" or anything like that. I love the USA and am proud to be here: I think it's one of the greatest countries in the world. But I am afraid for the nation that I love. We're slowly losing the democracy that makes it so great to live in America, and I think Bush (or Kerry, actually, but I'd prefer a president who can eat a pretzel over one who can't, all other factors being equal) is going to just make things worse.

It's good to see another supporter of Michael Badnarik; heck, it's good to see another voter who won't compromise what they stand for just because their candidate isn't going to win. Thanks for your post, it made me feel a little better about the "state of the union"...though, admittingly, the election results still hurt.

hi badnarik voter. lapsed democrat here. voted for dukakis.

still think he'd make agreat candidate but teh Bush family's famous dirty tactics burned out a man who would have made a go of being an honest civil servant.

here's my beef:

i have come top teh CONCLUSION that the probelm with tehfederal US g9vernment cannot be solved by personalities who are running for the same old office, but 0only and only by infrastructural overhaul. give the conservatives something to resist with a vigorous drive fro the grassroots to overhaul the infrastructire pof this sick and cheat-inviting system. the ways that the GOP cheated to take this election might not be spoke of in the mainstream media til early next year but i bet they'll be spoken of.

that being said -- democratic initiatives have to come from citizens with no desire to rule whatsoever -- in other words the people who won't accept nomination and will give everyone thefinger who tries to dump it on them and have as their goal real reform. sincere people are NOT EXTINCT!


period. i really think that's necessary. and as no one who was running even SUGGESTED anything like that i did not vote! voting is supposed to be for someone, not against someone. we are supposed to be choosing a person we want, not fighting an uphillbattle.

reform is superior to revolution --- but the reform party was an insincere effort made up of sour grape republicans who wanted to butt in line , not actually change anything about the system. the system is 200 years old!~

what the FUCK do you have that is two hundred years old that you want to use now?


that's where we're at.

I haven't posted here in about a year, but the election has upset me so much that I decided to see what my fellow political afficiandos were saying. Your post caught my eye because I'm a Libertarian and I am proud to say that I voted for Badnarik. I'm glad to see someone else who is fighting the "wasted vote mentality" that's plaguing America.

Please do not label me "Anti-American" or anything like that. I love the USA and am proud to be here: I think it's one of the greatest countries in the world. But I am afraid for the nation that I love. We're slowly losing the democracy that makes it so great to live in America, and I think Bush (or Kerry, actually, but I'd prefer a president who can eat a pretzel over one who can't, all other factors being equal) is going to just make things worse.

It's good to see another supporter of Michael Badnarik; heck, it's good to see another voter who won't compromise what they stand for just because their candidate isn't going to win. Thanks for your post, it made me feel a little better about the "state of the union"...though, admittingly, the election results still hurt.

I'm not American, although I was with the Green party all the way. But considering they didn't have a hope, I went with Democrats on realistic terms. But they lost. And so I'm suddenly very glad to live in England even under Blair.

Mikorlias of Imardeavia

I haven't voted for a Republicratic president once in my life. I've always voted 3rd party. Heh.

I haven't posted here in about a year, but the election has upset me so much that I decided to see what my fellow political afficiandos were saying. Your post caught my eye because I'm a Libertarian and I am proud to say that I voted for Badnarik. I'm glad to see someone else who is fighting the "wasted vote mentality" that's plaguing America.

Please do not label me "Anti-American" or anything like that. I love the USA and am proud to be here: I think it's one of the greatest countries in the world. But I am afraid for the nation that I love. We're slowly losing the democracy that makes it so great to live in America, and I think Bush (or Kerry, actually, but I'd prefer a president who can eat a pretzel over one who can't, all other factors being equal) is going to just make things worse.

I definitely agree with all of what you said, and I'm glad to see there's someone out there who has similar beliefs to me. Though I'm not old enough to vote (I'll be voting in the next election, though-- at last), I've been following the elections closely, and my dad is a very strong supporter of liberty, which seems to be dying out. I have to say I'm a libertarian, and I'm proud of it-- I would have voted for Badnarik, and I would not say it would be a wasted vote.

If people could have seen that Bush and Kerry were not the best candidates for president, they could have thought about it for 10 seconds and realized there are other possibilities. People say "well, everyone else is going to vote Republican or Democratic!" But if they have that mindset, obviously everyone else will. It's just so sad that people couldn't realize that there was a way to get out of this mess.

I didn't vote third party this year, but they always hold my deepest respect and gratitude. Someone's got to stand up to the viciously polarizing two-party system that's tearing apart America at the seams. Kudos to all third-party voters and their candidates. :D

My support went to Badnarik, tho I'm not old enough to vote

I voted Badnarik, for much the same reason as Arcadian Mists.
Here's to focusing on local candidates and the '06 elections; to spending money in safe states rather than playing kingmaker in '08; and to the NH Free State Project.

here is what i think. Nader needs to step down. His party has alot of great ideas but in the eyes of most americans Nader is unfortunately a joke. Yet his party has the biggest foot in the door of any of the third parties. What they need is a fresh face. Perhaps have nader run for vice of that party.


I voted libertarian.

here is what i think. Nader needs to step down. His party has alot of great ideas but in the eyes of most americans Nader is unfortunately a joke. Yet his party has the biggest foot in the door of any of the third parties. What they need is a fresh face. Perhaps have nader run for vice of that party.


I voted libertarian.

By the way, Nader really had no party.

Well, I voted Badnarik. Couldn't vote for the lesser of two evils, had to vote my heart.

Lots of Libertarians here :cool:

I've noticed that everyone who voted Badarnik didn't vote to spoil the results (Nader lol) or to throw away their vote, but because they honestly believed that the Libertarian party has the correct ideals (as do I)

I voted for Badnarik, cause he supports my ideals, I live in VA and my vote don't count 'cept for Republicans, I hate big gov., and I didn't want to give Bush my support.

I personally hate the two party system. I watched one of the thrid party canidate debates on c-span a while ago. I loved the third party canidates a lot more than Kerry or Bush. My brother voted for Badnarik. Out of the third party canidates, I liked David Cobb the most; the Green Party canidate.

The Constitution Party canidate (forget the name) was crazy. I really did not like that guy.

The Socialist Party canidate....well....lets just say they could have picked someone better. He looked like he was 90 years old and he kept forgeting things so he kept looking at his papers in the middle of talking.

Bill van Auken (Socialist Equality Party) looked like an interesting canidate. I really wanted to hear what he had to say, but he wasn't on the debate.

I voted for Badnarik, cause he supports my ideals, I live in VA and my vote don't count 'cept for Republicans, I hate big gov., and I didn't want to give Bush my support.

Badnarik in VA as well...I really thought they would get more votes than they did...but what do you expect with no media coverage whatsoever.

Badnarik in VA as well...I really thought they would get more votes than they did...but what do you expect with no media coverage whatsoever.

Honestly I'm amazed at how well Badnarik did, when you consider the nearly complete lack of media coverage, the ignorance of the average American in regards to third parties beyond "oh yeah, that's that Nader guy" or something, and the fact that the divisiveness of this particular election kicked the "wasted vote" idea up a few notches.

Honestly I'm amazed at how well Badnarik did, when you consider the nearly complete lack of media coverage, the ignorance of the average American in regards to third parties beyond "oh yeah, that's that Nader guy" or something, and the fact that the divisiveness of this particular election kicked the "wasted vote" idea up a few notches.


It really bugged me to see how much coverage Nader got. You'd think he was the only third party/independent running...I think things would have been a lot different had they all been allowed to debate.

Though I cannot yet vote, my support went to Badnarik, as he, like others have said, is the candidate that best represents my ideals.

I voted for Badnarik in Illinois, but I'd have done the same in a non-swing state. I have as much trouble understanding the mindset that allows someone to vote for someone they don't respect as others have undersanding why I vote for someone who can't win.

Yet one more person who voted Badnarik. You know, I never heard the news mention the Libertarians at all last night.

I voted for Badnarik.. I really think that is America learned what the libertarian party stood for, there would be a "third horse in the race", so to speak. They are what the other parties say they are. They support freedom for EVERYONE...

Still, I think Bush was still a pretty good choice.. Let's hope we get a libertarian judge or two appointed. I'm not holding my breath, but it could happen..

I didn't vote third party this year, but they always hold my deepest respect and gratitude. Someone's got to stand up to the viciously polarizing two-party system that's tearing apart America at the seams. Kudos to all third-party voters and their candidates. :D

Ditto, I'm a libertarian at heart but too cowardly to vote for them. FIGHT THE GOOD FIGHT!

I voted for Badnarik.. I really think that is America learned what the libertarian party stood for, there would be a "third horse in the race", so to speak. They are what the other parties say they are. They support freedom for EVERYONE...

Still, I think Bush was still a pretty good choice.. Let's hope we get a libertarian judge or two appointed. I'm not holding my breath, but it could happen..

Speaking of Libertarian judges, I'd love to see Jim Gray running for Prez in '08.

Wow, this is turning into a Libertarian thread.

Congress could use a few more Libertarians. I voted for the Libertarian candidate, Lenny Rasch for Senate. Unfortunately, Chris Dodd won again by a landslide.

It would be nice to see a few more legislators in office that really believed in smaller government. Rather than the current Democrat philosophy of 'tax a lot, spend a lot' and the republican philosophy of 'tax a little, spend a lot'. The Libertarians would help the republicans curb Democratic overtaxation and help the Democrats keep a balanced budget.

However, it's important to pick your libertarians carefully. Many want to practiaclly dismantle the government overnight. That would lead to a significant amount of unnecessary suffering. But some well chosen libertarians with strong beliefs in the U.S. Constitution(which most do), would be a great benefit in congress.

I've always thought that most third parties underestimate the benefits of local office. State senates and houses are a great place to start. But there were NO third party candidates running for local office. :(

I have to agree that our country is losing touch with it's democracy.
Last election I voted Nader because he represents my ideals, and I liked what he had to say. And I also believe that the more we vote for third/fourth/fifth however many party candidates, the more we can open the floor for the other parties, and they will eventually (hopefully in my lifetime) receive the same coverage, and ne admitted to the same debates as the republican and democratic candidates. It happened once with Perot. Think how different the debates would have been with Nader and Badnarik there, as well. The problems with the two parties is, you're right, that they're polarizing our country, and dividing it very sharply into two camps, two camps that are becoming increasingly more fanatic in support of their candidate and ideals, which forces the belief that one or the other ideal must win and be the word for the country, which is entirely counter to the idea of democracy.
This year, I voted Kerry because I was hoping to oust Bush at any cost. The number of jobs lost and lives lost since he's been in office are inexcusable to me, no matter what anyone has to say in W's defense.

I voted for Badnarik in Illinois, but I'd have done the same in a non-swing state. I have as much trouble understanding the mindset that allows someone to vote for someone they don't respect as others have undersanding why I vote for someone who can't win.

That's exactly what I don't understand... If we vote for someone that "is going to win," we're then stuck for the next four years with a moron. Heck, let's all vote Libertarian and get some lower taxes and less foreign involvement. It'll make things a lot happier.

By the way, I was talking to a Republican friend of mine a few weeks ago about why it was a good idea to get involved with Iraq; she said "because Saddam had nuclear weapons." Well, if he did, then why didn't he use them before? If you ask me, it's all a bunch of rubbish. We could have just stayed here and defended ourselves if he decided he wanted to come over here.

The US has a problem with sticking its nose where it doesn't belong. That doesn't mean I'm anti-American-- for heaven's sake, I just want to use some common sense here.

I voted for Cobb, the Green Party's candidate. Of all the people on the ballot in my state (which doesn't allow write in's) his platform and ideals were the closest to my own personal beliefs.

Yet one more person who voted Badnarik. You know, I never heard the news mention the Libertarians at all last night.

According their newletter, they have 330k votes so far...and I assume that will go up a bit with absentee ballots. Not bad considering they raised just over 1 million, compared to the combined $600 million for the GOP and dems.

1/300th the budget of the GOP...

I've always thought that most third parties underestimate the benefits of local office. State senates and houses are a great place to start. But there were NO third party candidates running for local office. :(

There was somebody in my state (and female too, which made me like them all the more!) but they did not win. She did better than Badnarik did in my state, even got 1% of the vote!

A question to those of you who were "too cowardly" (your words, not mine) to vote Libertarian: why? Is it the wasted vote mentality that we've brought up, or something else? I honestly can't see a reason not to vote Libertarian if that's the party that's most alligned with your beliefs, which seems to be the case. To me, it would be rather "cowardly" to vote for someone I didn't believe in just because he was going to win anyway.

On another note, those who voted 3rd party (not just Libertarian, though I am biased) have restored my faith in America! It is so wonderful to see people standing up for what they believe in, going against the mob. If Kerry/Bush is genuinely your candidate of choice, then I have no problem with this; however, from the people I've spoken with in real life, this is not the case 90% of the time. I hear things like, "Yeah, I really don't like either one, but you have to pick one, right?" or "I'm not going to vote because I hate BOTH the candidates running" (ARGH, as if there's only TWO!) or my personal favorite, "I'm voting for Bush because he seems like he'd be a better grandfather than Kerry." I am not lying. I actually heard that one. I love my grandfather, but I'd neve elect him.

I got my mother to vote for Badnarik this year (if I can change the mine of just one person who would have voted for Bush, I've done my job!) and a lot of people in my family are Libertarians. It's great to see it spreading, especially with the lack of funding and NO media coverage!

Thanks, everyone, for doing your civic duty the way it was meant to be done!

Congress could use a few more Libertarians. I voted for the Libertarian candidate, Lenny Rasch for Senate. Unfortunately, Chris Dodd won again by a landslide.

Same here... voted for Jerry Kohn in the election featuring the better-known candidates Obama and Keyes. Keyes, of course, got his arse handed to him.