I voted! Have You?

[rlditmars]

I for one did not vote this year, and for two reasons.

1) I didn't feel that either candidate was worth casting my vote for. In my opinion one is a complete liar and the other has proven ineffective at getting things done. This is the third presidential election in which I have been old enough to vote and I decided that I wasn't going to be reduced to picking the lesser of two "evils."

I respect your right to do as you chose. That is the beauty of this country and I know you will follow your Commander in Chief. I am just and trying to understand your position/philosiphy. This election will be very close. Close enough in fact that a "no vote", may essentially be a vote in the incumbent's favor. In the words of Geddy Lee "If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice."

You state the incumbent has proven himself an ineffective leader. Reminding you that he did this with the benefit of a same party, controlled congress to start and should have been doing as much in his power as possible to positon himself favorably for reelection. How do you see his effectiveness going forward as a lame duck? Do you consider not voting to change the situation, the same as giving your permission for the President to continue to be ineffective?

I don't seeing it being the "Lesser of two evils" unless both are known or unknown entities. That is not the case in this election. One is a known entity and one is not. At least as it pertains to the presidency. We can presume to know what the new candidate will do, but won't really know and can't, unless he is given the chance to do so. And yes, that may be regrettable four years from now. However, we know exactly what the incumbent has and has not done, as it is a matter of record and now and forever a part of our history. In my opinion, that is regrettable today. And forgive my presumptiousness, but I interpret your words to sound like it may be yours too. Can you really expect an incumbent will do better second term, when there is even less incentive for him to do so?

Again, I do not wish to impose my choice for President on anyone in this forum. Vote your party, your will, your heart, whatever. I am simply asking if you believe that not voting is really the best choice?