by Stacy Hutto
News editor
Dictionary.com defines an Independent voter as “a person who votes for candidates, measures, etc., in accordance with his or her own judgment and without regard to the endorsement of, or the positions taken by, any party.”
The above definition means I can do my own research and make up my own mind as to how I want to vote. I don’t have any talking heads telling me I need to vote for person X because they will do what’s best for the party, when in actuality person X is giving talking head all kinds of things so listeners and/or viewers will vote for X.
When the topic of politics comes up in my house, things can get interesting. When my children ask me for my opinion on an issue, I tell them my viewpoint. I also tell them not to believe anyone. I tell them to do their own research, and then make up their mind.
Too many times when I ask people why they have a particular point of view the answer I get is “because that’s what my parents think.” If my children have an opinion on something and stand behind their convictions because of the facts they uncover then I feel I did my job in raising a responsible voter.
As an Independent voter I see the presidential elections as a circus that happens every four years. One of the many reasons I am registered as an Independent is while there are things I agree with in both parties, there’s a lot I disagree with as well. As I watch the news coverage I feel that the only difference between a Democrat and a Republican is the initial in front of their name.
Both parties claim they are going to do the same things. They are going to save the economy, create more jobs, bring troops home or whatever sounds good and people want to hear.
I feel that too many people in this country view the election as a horse race and everyone wants to pick the “winner.”
The sad thing is journalists are furthering the whole horse race ideal. Check any news station when results are coming in to see it for yourselves.
I feel that if people would vote for the person they thought would do the best job regardless of party affiliation America might be a little different. If that person isn’t doing what they claimed they would do, or if they go against their constituents’ best interest, then vote them out.
By doing so, politicians might, just might, wake up and see business as usual won’t work anymore. That the voters are holding them accountable for what they do, or don’t do, while in office.
Considering the choices I have to choose from for president, I don’t agree with either of the candidates who are in the news and on TV constantly.
I don’t agree with Mitt Romney because what he says changes depending on what group he is talking to. Also, he hasn’t given specifics on how he plans to make his ideas work. During the debates he says the same things in different ways without giving details. I feel the details he isn’t talking about are important.
President Obama talks about when he was voted into office the country was already in debt. What he isn’t talking about is the spending bills he rushed through Congress during the first six months of his term. I feel that during his term he had a lot to deal with, but should have concentrated more on fixing this country before trying to fix other countries.
For that reason I am writing in the candidates I feel would do the best job as President and Vice-President. Many people who know me would be surprised that I plan on writing in a Republican for President and an Independent for Vice President.
For those who might be curious, I plan on writing in Ron Paul for president and former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura as vice president. I feel that Paul is on the right track when during the Republican nominee debates he talked about making things right in this country before going out and helping the international community. While there are things he mentions I disagree with, he is the candidate I agree with the most. I feel that Ventura did a good job on turning Minnesota around during his time in office. I also feel that he will do what is best for the country as a whole, not just special interest groups and people that give him the most money.
Many people will say I’m “throwing away” my vote, but my conscious will be clear knowing that I’ve voted for the people I think will do the best job.
If more people wrote in the people they think would do the best job, no one would be voting for “the lesser of two evils” and people in office, who should be doing what is best for the country as a whole instead of doing what is best for special interest groups and their friends, would do what people have shown with their votes and communications with their elected representatives.
I feel this country would be in a lot better shape. If the people that are voted into office keep the promises made during campaigns, or explain why the promises weren’t able to be kept.
Whether Democrat, Independent, Republican, or whatever party, the important thing to do is get out and vote.
The only wasted vote is the vote that wasn’t made.