Election 2008: Vote along party lines or split ticket?

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Election 2008 is going to be about so much more than President, and yet that's all we seem to talk about!

So, for those of you who know what races will be on your ballot in November and for those of you who've already seen your ballots (and perhaps even voted early), will your vote be along party lines or do you plan to split your ticket? If you've already voted, did you vote straight D or R or did you split the ticket up?

[Jenn! 918]

We have some interesting ballot questions here in MA: abolish the state income tax; decriminalize marijuana; abolish dog racing.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

We have some interesting ballot questions here in MA: abolish the state income tax; decriminalize marijuana; abolish dog racing.

I wish we had interesting questions like those. Our questions are pretty dull, mostly procedural #######.

[IAMX 3,055]

When I registered at 18, I registered DTS (Decline to State), as in, I have no party affiliation. Seems that was always the best option.

I'm not voting for a single person who is in either party. The reasoning behind this is because both parties try to march in lock-step, and I'd rather vote for an individual, not someone bound to the views of a party. Views which change, by the way. Loyalty to a political party to me seems rather naive.

So Moore/Alexander are getting my votes this year for President. For the others, I have my sample ballot here and will look at third parties for the rest. For those that offer no third party or alternate choice between Democrat or Republican, I keep blank.

Edit: Yeah, we have some interesting ballot stuff as well.

Major fast rail line between Sacramento->LA and San Francisco-> LA. It's going to be very expensive but it's also worth it.

Yet again the "48 hour parental notification before minor has abortion" thing comes up, and I'll vote NO on it again.

Gay marriage comes up yet again, and an obvious NO to block it.

Edited October 17, 2008 by SRVT

[Jenn! 918]

When I registered at 18, I registered DTS (Decline to State), as in, I have no party affiliation. Seems that was always the best option.

I'm not voting for a single person who is in either party. The reasoning behind this is because both parties try to march in lock-step, and I'd rather vote for an individual, not someone bound to the views of a party. Views which change, by the way. Loyalty to a political party to me seems rather naive.

So Moore/Alexander are getting my votes this year for President. For the others, I have my sample ballot here and will look at third parties for the rest. For those that offer no third party or alternate choice between Democrat or Republican, I keep blank.

Aren't you kind of doing the same thing though by immediately disqualifying someone if they are Democrat or Republican?

[IAMX 3,055]

When I registered at 18, I registered DTS (Decline to State), as in, I have no party affiliation. Seems that was always the best option.

I'm not voting for a single person who is in either party. The reasoning behind this is because both parties try to march in lock-step, and I'd rather vote for an individual, not someone bound to the views of a party. Views which change, by the way. Loyalty to a political party to me seems rather naive.

So Moore/Alexander are getting my votes this year for President. For the others, I have my sample ballot here and will look at third parties for the rest. For those that offer no third party or alternate choice between Democrat or Republican, I keep blank.

Aren't you kind of doing the same thing though by immediately disqualifying someone if they are Democrat or Republican?

Indeed. I stated the reason why.

It makes no sense to me to vote for Joe Individual when, while he has his own views, he's only conforming his votes to the political party agenda. There is a big conflict of interest here.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

It makes no sense to me to vote for Joe Individual when, while he has his own views, he's only conforming his votes to the political party agenda. There is a big conflict of interest here.

It's called building a coalition. That's the only way to effectively run anything.

[Mononoke28 137]

I'm voting democratic all the way. And I have to be honest, I don't know who ½ these people are on the ballot. I am keeping track of the amendments they want approved and have a list of which ones I'm voting for.

Diana

[IAMX 3,055]

It makes no sense to me to vote for Joe Individual when, while he has his own views, he's only conforming his votes to the political party agenda. There is a big conflict of interest here.

It's called building a coalition. That's the only way to effectively run anything.

I disagree on their methods of "building a coalition". Particularly when it involves screwing the people that voted them in.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

I picked candidates based on who they are not what party they belong to. There are Republicans that will have my support. Just not on top of the ticket.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I picked candidates based on who they are not what party they belong to. There are Republicans that will have my support. Just not on top of the ticket.

Same here. I voted Democratic for anyone going to DC. Republican for all local races (mayor, town council, etc.).

[jundp 191]

Yep, I'm with Big Dog. I vote person not party.

We have some interesting initiatives on the ballot this year too in Washington. One is a transportation measure to reduce congestion, synchronize traffic lights, etc. We're currently building a light rail and Seattle traffic is pretty bad. Not as bad as LA or other larger areas, but for sure Seattle wasn't built to handle this type of constant traffic.

There's also an assisted-suicide measure on the ballot. I'm incredibly conflicted on this issue. It goes against my faith, for sure, but at the same time, my brother died of colon cancer and a dear friend died of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Watching someone die is not easy and I'm not sure how I feel about this law...neither one of them wanted to end their lives though, so I am sure someone with a different experience would have a different POV.

It just seems that "legalizing" the right to die for someone who has been told they have 6 months or less to live is wrong.

And there's also a measure to require all long-term care workers to be certified, with an examination, and to complete criminal background checks.

[IAMX 3,055]

Yep, I'm with Big Dog. I vote person not party.

We have some interesting initiatives on the ballot this year too in Washington. One is a transportation measure to reduce congestion, synchronize traffic lights, etc. We're currently building a light rail and Seattle traffic is pretty bad. Not as bad as LA or other larger areas, but for sure Seattle wasn't built to handle this type of constant traffic.

There's also an assisted-suicide measure on the ballot. I'm incredibly conflicted on this issue. It goes against my faith, for sure, but at the same time, my brother died of colon cancer and a dear friend died of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Watching someone die is not easy and I'm not sure how I feel about this law...neither one of them wanted to end their lives though, so I am sure someone with a different experience would have a different POV.

It just seems that "legalizing" the right to die for someone who has been told they have 6 months or less to live is wrong.

And there's also a measure to require all long-term care workers to be certified, with an examination, and to complete criminal background checks.

Lets just put it this way. Do your beliefs have to apply to others? I know your vote is your vote, if it's put on your ballot, but some people just don't get that some things should not be up for a vote, and that there are important implications when it comes to individual rights. If I want to die, who is someone else to force me to stay alive against my own wishes? It would be much better in a protected environment to die peacefully than someone throwing themselves off a building, bridge, or using a deadly weapon.

The reason I bring this up is there are things on the ballot initiative I disagree with. If I were a parent, I sure as #### want to know (for the parental notification of a minor having abortion 48 hours prior, on our ballot in a few weeks) if my child did something like this. On the other hand, my own family has had instances of forced abortion by physical coercion (one by assault, one by intimidation) and one by not being able to afford the kid. Now, thinking outside a parents perspective, putting myself into the female's who wants the abortion, if I didn't trust my parents enough or I was too afraid my parents would do something, it's my body, so I'm going to do it without their consent or notification. Any decent parent has kids who can talk to them about almost anything. When a child has such a distress like this, the one person they know they can go to is their parent. However, if they can't, something is certainly amiss. I don't trust that in the hands of a parent to decide for their kid's body about a baby. They should, at the time they let their kid sleep around, trust that she makes the right decision.

It's very simple, to me, to just check something off. It's another thing to understand the impact upon real people's lives this has.

Edited October 18, 2008 by SRVT

[jundp 191]

Well, I go against myself and my moral make-up if I vote for something that I don't support and believe in. I suppose if I'm too conflicted I will abstain from voting on that issue. You're right that this issue shouldn't even be on the ballot, but I can't vote against something just because I shouldn't force my beliefs on others. I believe that by giving me the opportunity to vote, it's my voice and I should be able to use it to support my beliefs.

Isn't that what Prop 8 is about in California? Someone's personal belief on the ballot? Many of these issues on the ballot are going to be affected by personal belief. Well, maybe not traffic congestion.....

ETA: I've read the entire Death with Dignity Act, btw, and I haven't yet made a decision about this.

Edited October 18, 2008 by jundp

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I will be voting a split ticket too.