Libertarians have heard it from friends, business associates, poker buddies and relatives: “You’re throwing away your vote!” But we know that a principled vote never is a wasted one. Here are some responses you can use this election season:
1) What do you mean by “wasted”? Do you mean that my vote won’t go to the Republican or Democrat who YOU want to see win?
2) Do you get some kind of prize for voting for the person who wins, even if you despise his proposals?
Specifically for the Presidential race, it may be necessary to educate your pals about the Electoral College system. National polls are irrelevant; the candidate who gets the most votes in Georgia will get all 15 of Georgia’s Electoral Votes. Polls show John McCain with a 5 percentage point lead in Georgia. No matter how much your relatives love or hate either of the old party candidates, there is nothing he or she can do to prevent Georgia from going for McCain, or to make Georgia go for Obama. Knowing this, you can point out that your friend’s vote is the wasted one. And since their vote will not change the outcome, they may as well show their displeasure with the current system and vote Libertarian!
For state and local races, the argument is different but comes to the same conclusion: unless you love what’s already happening in the federal or Georgia legislature, it makes no sense NOT to vote Libertarian.
Here is the typical scenario: You don’t like A, but you really despise B. Also on the ballot is Libertarian C, who is offering a program of small government, individual freedom, and personal responsibility. Who gets your vote?
1) Hold your nose and vote for A. The problem: A thinks you have given a ringing endorsement to every vote or proposal he’s ever made, no matter how socialist or otherwise insane. He does not know or care that you were holding your nose.
2) Vote for B under the theory that their platform is so extreme that either no one will pay attention to them once they are in office, or that his policies will hasten The Revolution and restoration of your real beliefs. The problem: it hasn’t worked yet, why do you think it will work now?
3) You vote for Libertarian C because you want his platform of individual freedom implemented. No matter who wins, you will sleep well knowing that you were true to your beliefs. In addition… the larger the percentage of the vote going to Libertarians, the more seriously the old parties will have to take Libertarians proposals.
Think about that. Considering that half the registered voters don’t bother to vote, a 10% vote for Libertarian C means whoever wins has the support of as little as 21% of the population. The winner will scream “mandate!” but he and his handlers know how vulnerable he is in future races. A sane person will realize the way to take votes away from future Libertarian candidates is to adopt Libertarian positions. If this is the case, our philosophy wins.
If candidates do not attempt to co-opt our beliefs, we will see Libertarian C getting more and more votes each election cycle. If this is the case, our philosophy wins.
Whereas a vote for A or for B will result in more of the same old same old: bigger government, higher taxes, less freedom, and more regulation.
Whose vote is the wasted one?
