If you must vote Green please only do so in the writeoff states

[bluestateguy]

Of course I would like to see everybody vote for the Democratic nominee, as I want the nominee to win the popular vote, and I'd rather the Greens not cross the 5% threshold which would allow them to harass Democrats in 2008, only with money.

However, I plea with those of you who are contemplating voting for the Green candidate to only do so if you are registered to vote in a state where your vote will not throw the state's electoral votes to Bush. So if you are a voter in Texas, Idaho, Nebrasksa (Reddest of the Red states)or Massachusetts, New York or Rhode Island (Bluest of the Blue states) I won't jump on your case if you decide to vote Green. In fact, I probably won't even invest much energy in trying to get you to change your mind, but Green voters in states like Florida, New Hampshire or Iowa should be ashamed of themselves, and they will hear it from me (and, I trust, others here at DU).

[DagmarK]

1. Heck, if folks want to vote green......

I will be HAPPY to buy them some green lensed sunglasses.....

It will be green, green, green in that voting booth!

[number9]

2. How about voting green for everything except President?

then you could have the possibility of improving green programs in various legislatures, and have a president that wouldn't fight you every step of the way.

[drdigi420]

3. Green voters made the 2000 election

close enough for dubya to steal.

Mike Moore begged Nader to concede Florida and throw his support behind Gore, but he refused, because he was after those matching funds. He should be heavily ashamed of himself. He is partly responsible for the current economic and ethical problems our nation faces today.

[KG]

13. bill clinton made the 2000 election

close enuff for dubya a to steal.

his self-serving extra-marital affair cost al gore a slam-dunk walk-off win in 2000. he should be ashamed of himself.

[MrPrax]

Jeez...I Am Lost about this Democracy thing

I am just curious, if any of the Democratic Party hopefuls want 'Green' votes...why don't they adopt 'Green' platforms and 'attract' the Green vote...
It's a democracy thang
:eyes:

[number9]

6. I'm thinking Kucinich has

and I think more than two parties don't work in this country because there is not a chance to get a representative group in office - it's all or nothing - winner take all. We should have runoffs and percentages should be used for representation. that's if we want a coalition government, that doesn't seem to work well at all. So I'll stick with the two parties, and try to join the voices asking that the democratic candidates listen to the liberal wing of the party for some issues. I don't expect to win them all.

[MrPrax]

4. Jeez...I Am Lost about this Democracy thing

I am just curious, if any of the Democratic Party hopefuls want 'Green' votes...why don't they adopt 'Green' platforms and 'attract' the Green vote...
It's a democracy thang
:eyes:

[pasadenademocrat]

7. The problem with that

is we don't have a representational government. It is majority takes all on the state and local level. In some countries, if you had a nationwide parliment/congress election and the dems got 48% of the vote, the repubs got 47% greens 3% and libertarians 2%, you would have that percentage of total reps. So say it was like the senate, you would get 48 dems, 47 repubs, 3 greens and 2 libertarians. The dems and the greens would make an alliance to govern, and the greens would get consideration.

In our system, winner takes all in each district and state. So if you don't get the majority in a district or state, you don't get representation. I like the other system better, but this is what we have to work with, and under this system, it is imperative that you vote for the person that most closely matches your views, but has broad support. To do otherwise may elect the greater evil.

[DeathvadeR]

5. Vote Bush for crying out load!!!!!

It doesn't matter what we vote for, Only electorial votes count anyways.

I'd almost bet Dumya wants out next term anyways, to allow everything to get swept under the rug. Out of sight, out of mind....He's done plenty for him and his rich buddies already. They got the pipeline going in afghanastan, They have taken the second largest oil reserve on the planet, They cut the taxes for the rich , They increased military budgets , They have wrecked havoc on environmental laws , They got the world to turn against us , Social services and schools are in diseray , They guted military bennies , and They clamped down on our freedoms. Shit what more is there left to do????? The repukes could ride this one out for a decade or two....

I say let the bitchs stay in front of the cameras so we can catch him really fuqin up... Other wise he's gonna just disapear....

[kainah]

8. I'm in Wyoming and I probably will

If I wasn't in a write-off state, I wouldn't. But I did in '00 and I've never regretted that one, so..........

[leftyandproud]

9. solution to end all of this..

nominate KUCINICH and 95%+ of the greens will support us! Nader said he would not run and would ENDORSE Kucinich if he gets the nomination...For god's sake...It's a no brainer!!!

[inthecorneroverhere]

10. agreed. Do it only in the write-off i.e. clearcut states

Agreed. Probably OK to vote 'green' in Alabama as well.

[Iverson]

11. no blank checks

Neither the Green nor the Democratic candidate has been decided yet. Given the recent problems related to political blank checks, I cannot in good conscience make any conclusions about who gets my vote before I even know the choices.

I appreciate your efforts toward coalition, even if they come in the form of a scold and a threat to "hear" from you and others if we don't shut up and vote Democratic when and where you say. However, that threat is weak because Greens on DU get vilified just for being Green.

A couple of other respondents had the right idea: earn the votes in a democracy by making the Green alternative unnecessary. That is much more persuasive than the possibility of future civility or additional scorn.

[Loonman]

12. Stakes are too high this time

To be screwing around with Nader.

[Mairead]

14. How about everyone supporting a real Dem: Kucinich

Then the Dems will naturally get the Green vote.

Or are the Greens the only ones who have any responsibility to think of the greater good?