Who am I voting for?

Since I went ahead and said that it's okay to ask other people who they are voting for, I have been encouraged to put forth my own two cents. That's the problem with asking questions, isn't it? When I answer you may discover that I am more ignorant and unlikeable than you originally thought. So I'll start you off easy: tomorrow I will not vote for Mitt Romney; I will also not vote for Barack Obama.

Now that you've judged, if you're still with me, here are some of my reasons.

In the interest of fairness and honesty, I am conservative and unlikely to vote for Barack Obama. I've heard a lot of interesting arguments for the President, but it takes a lot more than hope for change to bring me around to that way of thinking (primarily the Keynesian way of thinking). So, the question for me has become, do I vote for a "conservative" candidate who is electable, but in whom I may not necessarily have any confidence? To be completely honest, I came close to choosing not to vote this year, because neither of my "options" seem optimal.

But wait. Why is it that I have only two choices? As Americans we expect - sometimes demand - more options than that when we're shopping for milk and bread; what happened to our enthusiasm for the democratic process? No, don't answer that, I'm sure to be depressed. What my complaint really comes down to is the fact that I don't like having only two parties because they are so polarized that other voices are rarely heard, and maybe you agree that it's just not healthy. Sure, there are a lot of crazies out there that have been weeded out by the parties... but I'm sure you can agree that quite a few lunatics have managed to slip through in the past.

My father isn't thrilled with my current decision-making process. You probably won't be either. But tomorrow I'm not necessarily casting a vote for the president, I am casting a vote for the process: I am voting libertarian. Not because I think he can win, or even because I agree with all things libertarian, but because I want more options. I want honest discussions. I want the opportunity of a voice that is more than a straight party vote.

As I write, I realize that this seems ridiculous. The presidency is such an important thing - why would I use that vote to make a statement? Quite simply, because I don't think there is any other way for me to make a statement. And before you tell me it's impossible... according to Gary Johnson, if 5% of America made this choice, the third party would have equal access to the ballot and to federal funding. Think about that.

So many other things I would like to say, but I need to leave it now and look for a Higher Ed article. Happy Voting.