Civic Duty

And today we vote.

Jim MacDonald put it quite well, I think. I've always been a little uncomfortable with the people who claim to "vote their conscience." It's a fine idea, and I'd love it if we could all vote for the most honest, upstanding candidate, but it simply isn't practical. It's an idealistic outlook, and our electoral system is far from ideal.

Third party candidates and write-in candidates are not viable alternatives. Yes, sometimes they win; more often, they don't. If you think you're making a statement by refusing to vote for the lesser of two evils, think again. You can't ignore the rules of the system and still expect that your voice will be heard and counted, and the system is decidely two-party.

Look at it another way: the goverment is set up to function as a system of interdependent parts. It goes beyond the three branch/check-and-balance stuff you learned in civics - your governor can appoint a new congressperson if the elected one gets eaten by wild giraffes. All of a sudden the third-party governor who didn't matter because they didn't tip the balance of power in congress - well, can you be sure they'll tip the balance of power the way you would have?

It's all very well to be cool and independent and refuse to buy into the mainstram when your fifteen. By the time you're old enough to vote, you're old enough to face facts, and the fact is, our system favors two major parties. Bite the bullet and pick one.

Anyway, go read better analyses on Making Light, because I'm sick and not thinking too clearly, and Blogger has already eaten this post once.