2012 US Presidential Election

[opaltiger]

Well, I think it's now officially close enough that I can make a thread. I follow US politics quite closely, and I'm sure there must be others who do as well!

So, what do you guys think about the race? Who do you support? Who do you think will win?

I'm a bit disappointed. Most boring election year ever? Maybe it's just that we were spoilt in 2008 with all the drama. Anyway, I'm struggling to remain cautiously optimistic, but "cautiously" is proving hard to hold on to. Two polls today have Obama up ten in Ohio and nine in Florida - that's on the high end of the spread, sure, but is there any way Romney can close the gap in time? Ohio and Florida are both supposed to lean Republican, and there is very little he can do if he loses either, and literally nothing he can do if he loses both.

If you're curious about day-to-day happenings in the race, I recommend FiveThirtyEight, which publishes a daily forecast of the presidential and Senate races as well as more-or-less objective commentary and analysis (though it's fairly obvious the writer leans left), and Daily Kos, which has posts on all aspects of US politics as well as daily round-ups of news and polls.

 

[sovram]

I actually think it's been pretty interesting recently, what with the streak of fuck-ups that Romney has been making.

Right now I'm basically torn between Stein and Obama. I really like Stein but also our political system makes me sad. So I might vote for Obama. Don't know.

 

[Music Dragon]

I don't vote on principle. The system sucks. Why the hell are there only two parties that people actually vote for? I find it highly unlikely that either one of them accurately represents most people's opinions!

I also don't vote because I'm not a US citizen.

 

[shy ♡]

I don't vote on principle.

I also don't vote because I'm not a US citizen.

That is quite an important principle to hold.

I agree re: two party voting, but there doesn't seem to be much we can do about it, honestly.

 

[Superbird]

Funny thing is, the writers of the american constitution never really wanted there to be competing parties in the first place. At least, not to this scale.

Anyway, I'm not old enough to vote yet so my opinion doesn't matter all that much. However, I'm really not a fan of McCain.

 

[Tailsy]

Ha ha ha, two party systems and MAJORITIES, Sarah cackles as she pretends that weird freak incident that was the Scottish parliamentary election 2011 didn't really happen

Funny stuff. But seriously I am so sick of the internet telling me to vote every five bleeding minutes. Does it look like I can vote in your stupid election >:C

 

[shy ♡]

Funny stuff. But seriously I am so sick of the internet telling me to vote every five bleeding minutes. Does it look like I can vote in your stupid election >:C

I agree so much. I can vote and it's annoying as fuck. God, I'm already voting ffs, stop telling me to vote. :|

 

[Adriane]

I'll probably vote Stein to make myself feel better. While I know she (sadly) has no chance of winning, my state's a pretty guaranteed Romney state.

 

[hopeandjoy]

Nooo, don't third party, that's what elected Bush! Don't take anything for granted. It's bad enough we have people like my hippy aunt who's not voting period.

Remember your IDs, people in relevant states!

Ah, I wish I could vote. (Only two more years to go!)

 

[Adriane]

Nooo, don't third party, that's what elected Bush! Don't take anything for granted. It's bad enough we have people like my hippy aunt who's not voting period.

I live in South Carolina. Gingrich won the primary here.

 

[Minish]

Nooo, don't third party, that's what elected Bush! Don't take anything for granted. It's bad enough we have people like my hippy aunt who's not voting period.

It's really not fair to judge people for not voting when sometimes that feels pretty awful. And yeah... ~every vote counts~ doesn't actually feel like it applies that much sometimes.

Obama might generally be better than Romney, and it would super-cool to keep in a black president for a bit longer, but he still drops bombs on little brown children... some people just genuinely can't vote with that on their conscience, and wow just leave them to it.

 

[Flora]

I live in South Carolina. Gingrich won the primary here.

I guess SC really wants their moon colony

I'd like to vote (because the phrase President Romney scares me shitless) but I need to mail in my voter registration and I don't have stamps.

Though I'll see if they can just take my paperwork the next time the school has a "GOVOTEGOVOTEGOVOTE" event

 

[ultraviolet]

I don't vote on principle. The system sucks. Why the hell are there only two parties that people actually vote for? I find it highly unlikely that either one of them accurately represents most people's opinions!

every time I come across this on the internet it's like 'what' and then I remember that voting isn't compulsory everywhere. I mean here it's 'vote or get a $50 fine' but most people who aren't interested just graffiti the ballot or something anyway.

still, isn't it worth voting just so the one you like the least has less of a chance to get in? I mean, sure both candidates are kinda icky but one of them's going to get in; would you rather it be someone you really, really don't like or someone who's not quite as bad? even if I didn't like obama, I'd still vote for him over mitt romney because that guy's a scary fucker. :C

idk I would probably just vote obama if I was american because it seems like independent parties don't really count for anything in the US. :B

 

[sovram]

idk I would probably just vote obama if I was american because it seems like independent parties don't really count for anything in the US. :B

there have been a couple of times where third parties did pretty fairly in the general election, I think. just not very often.

I think mostly the goal with Green is to generate a respectable amount of votes, then the party will get some media coverage (maybe), then people might think, "hey, maybe we shouldn't just decide between these two parties!"

not that I think it's very likely but yeah as Cirrus said I don't exactly feel justified voting for Obama

 

[Eta Carinae]

I'm not American, or of voting age, but in all honesty, I think I'd vote Romney please don't hate me if I had the choice. No, I don't uphold many of the Republican views, but I want to see what he can do. This is just my general opinion on the Obama presidency, but I think a fair few people voted for him so as to seem accepting and fair, because he would be the first black president, not because he was that much better than McCain. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama is awesome as well, but I don't feel this term was that much of a success.

I think it's mainly because I'm pro-economics at this point, and I think a change is the best thing we can do right now, just in the hope that something works.

 

[Adriane]

I'm not American, or of voting age, but in all honesty, I think I'd vote Romney please don't hate me if I had the choice. No, I don't uphold many of the Republican views, but I want to see what he can do. This is just my general opinion on the Obama presidency, but I think a fair few people voted for him so as to seem accepting and fair, because he would be the first black president, not because he was that much better than McCain. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama is awesome as well, but I don't feel this term was that much of a success.

I think it's mainly because I'm pro-economics at this point, and I think a change is the best thing we can do right now, just in the hope that something works.

Yes, because clearly that's Obama's only redeeming quality. He's black. Yessir.

 

[shy ♡]

I'm not American, or of voting age, but in all honesty, I think I'd vote Romney please don't hate me if I had the choice. No, I don't uphold many of the Republican views, but I want to see what he can do. This is just my general opinion on the Obama presidency, but I think a fair few people voted for him so as to seem accepting and fair, because he would be the first black president, not because he was that much better than McCain. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama is awesome as well, but I don't feel this term was that much of a success.

I think it's mainly because I'm pro-economics at this point, and I think a change is the best thing we can do right now, just in the hope that something works.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

This is just like, really quick easy to find articles. And that video where he says 47% of america might as well die for all he cares. n_n

 

[Autumn]

but I want to see what he can do.

that's... not a great reason for voting someone imo

 

[Minish]

Really big, massive, world-controlling change purely for the sake of it is preeeeetty dangerous...

 

[opaltiger]

I'm not American, or of voting age, but in all honesty, I think I'd vote Romney please don't hate me if I had the choice. No, I don't uphold many of the Republican views, but I want to see what he can do. This is just my general opinion on the Obama presidency, but I think a fair few people voted for him so as to seem accepting and fair, because he would be the first black president, not because he was that much better than McCain. Don't get me wrong, I think Obama is awesome as well, but I don't feel this term was that much of a success.

I think it's mainly because I'm pro-economics at this point, and I think a change is the best thing we can do right now, just in the hope that something works.

His term hasn't been much of a success because the Republican Congress is devoted to making sure Obama doesn't get re-elected. Did you know they have blocked bill after bill designed to help the economy (for example)? That bill should have passed 58 - 40, but thanks to the abuse of the filibuster, 60 is the new 50.

Sure, blame Obama for some things. But to suggest that the lack of progress during his first term is wholly (or even mostly) his fault is ridiculous.