To the Gary Johnson supporters, hear me out.

[Danke]

Don't know the specifics. But getting at least x% of the vote helps in the future (5%?).

So why not vote for GJ for those reasons?

 

[TCE]

Don't know the specifics. But getting at least x% of the vote helps in the future (5%?).

So why not vote for GJ for those reasons?

Federal funding for a future Libertarian Presidential Candidate.

 

[Luieburger]

No! He's not on the ballot, so he doesn't get my vote. They rarely show write-in numbers anyway. They'll show Gary's numbers.

Let it be know than we're voting for Gary Johnson, and let it be known that EVERY vote that Gary gets would have gone to the republicans if they had chosen Ron Paul. Make the GOP learn from their mistakes.

 

[The New Fury]

I plan to vote for Paul in the general election. I wasn't even old enough to vote for him in 2008, and I want to be able to vote for Ron Paul in my lifetime. But I will gladly support Gary Johnson being included in the debates, and if it develops that my vote is pivotal, I would consider voting for Johnson.

 

[Danke]

Federal funding for a future Libertarian Presidential Candidate.

Yes, doesn't it also get one in the debates?

 

[Jodi]

Seriously, I can't believe you think your votes count. In my heart of hearts I believe Ron Paul should have been nominee in 08 and should have been running for re-election this time around. But the votes were stolen then, just as they were this year. Iowa was a prime example - how could exit polls show him winning by 50% and then come in 3rd. We hashed this out in 08 with all arguing that the exit polls were wrong but the vote always came pretty close to what the media said, that is until this year with Iowa. So do you really think it matters who you vote for or write in?

 

[WesSeid]

So do you really think it matters who you vote for or write in?

Voting got Ron Paul almost nominated at the convention.

We may need twice as many votes because they cheat, but so be it.

 

[unknown]

If Ron Paul runs third party, that's one thing, but if we're just going to be voting Ron Paul out of some superficial sense of obligation, we'll be doing nothing short of pissing in the wind.

Not obligation, Ron Paul is someone who actually deserves our votes.

 

[No1butPaul]

All I know now is, Romney TERRIFIES me! I pray to god he is defeated and would throw my support in any direction that would help achieve that.

 

[Travlyr]

Seriously, I can't believe you think your votes count. In my heart of hearts I believe Ron Paul should have been nominee in 08 and should have been running for re-election this time around. But the votes were stolen then, just as they were this year. Iowa was a prime example - how could exit polls show him winning by 50% and then come in 3rd. We hashed this out in 08 with all arguing that the exit polls were wrong but the vote always came pretty close to what the media said, that is until this year with Iowa. So do you really think it matters who you vote for or write in?

For sure. Rampant vote fraud has been proven.

Diebold Demanded HBO Cancel Film "Hacking Democracy"

 

[Cdawg45]

Those who still plan to vote for Ron Paul: Wouldn't you rather band together and vote for Gary Johnson. It's not as if he is going to win, but at least our votes will count. I think of it as the Ron Paul movement "hijacking" the Johnson ticket, just as a means of making our numbers seen. Everyone who sees that Johnson got 5% percent of the vote will know that those are really Ron Paul votes...

I know it will feel good to write in Paul in protest, but give it some thought. It doesn't help the movement, and really is a selfish thing to do at this point. We need to work together to strengthen the chances for future 3rd party candidates. Especially with all the new rules! NO ONE BUT JOHNSON (on behalf of RON PAUL)!!

 

[sailingaway]

Those who still plan to vote for Ron Paul: Wouldn't you rather band together and vote for Gary Johnson. It's not as if he is going to win, but at least our votes will count. I think of it as the Ron Paul movement "hijacking" the Johnson ticket, just as a means of making our numbers seen. Everyone who sees that Johnson got 5% percent of the vote will know that those are really Ron Paul votes...

I know it will feel good to write in Paul in protest, but give it some thought. It doesn't help the movement, and really is a selfish thing to do at this point. We need to work together to strengthen the chances for future 3rd party candidates. Especially with all the new rules! NO ONE BUT JOHNSON (on behalf of RON PAUL)!!

Not for me. I don't want Johnson and a vote for him says a vote for him. I'd rather vote for Ron even if it is only counted as a none of the above, by the gap between voter number and votes for named president candidates on the ballot. That better represents me.

 

[Occam's Banana]

The rest of us actually have aspirations to win this f*cking thing (no matter how small those chances are).

The chances of winning with a Ron Paul write-in vote: zero.
The chances of winning with a Gary Johnson on-ballot vote: zero.

So what was your objection to Ron Paul write-ins, again?

If I said I was writing in "Micky Mouse" you'd call me nuts - so why is "Ron Paul" justified?

No, actually, I wouldn't call you nuts. A wiseass, maybe. But not nuts.

Most of the candidates on the ballot are nasty rats, after all. So why not vote a nice one?

Gary Johnson IS running for the Presidency and a vote for Gary is a vote for the Constitution.

A vote for Gary Johnson is a vote for cost-benefit analysis, maybe. But a vote for the Constitution? I think not.

 

[Cdawg45]

Not for me. I don't want Johnson and a vote for him says a vote for him. I'd rather vote for Ron even if it is only counted as a none of the above, by the gap between voter number and votes for named president candidates on the ballot. That better represents me.

Everyone can vote how they choose, but you are making it easy for the media and establishment to pretend this movement doesn't exist. 95% of the population will never even know about any gap between voters and votes. But they would take notice of a Perot type of showing for Johnson. And again, Johnson isn't going to come close to winning, you are just helping to support the future of this movement...giving it a little Street Cred.

 

[hrdman2luv]

I'm putting my full support behind Gary Johnson. I think Ron Paul will do so soon.

 

[jay_dub]

I'd like to see Johnson in the debates at least. Everyone should voice their support for him if a pollster calls, for instance. It doesn't mean you have to vote for him.

 

[rprprs]

All I know now is, Romney TERRIFIES me! I pray to god he is defeated and would throw my support in any direction that would help achieve that.

Those who care only about seeing Romney defeated (or punishing the GOP) are the lucky ones. They have a number of viable options available to them. Third-party vote, abstention or, chief among them, a vote for Obama (a double whammy) will all work towards this end.

Unfortunately, those among us (myself included) who abhor the politics of both Romney and Obama are less fortunate, as all currently available options come with a downside and are flawed in at least some respect. It is important to me that should Romney lose (and I believe he will), that the REASON he lost be both known and acknowledged. I most certainly don't want it seen as a vindication of Obama's (rhetorical) progressive politics as most in the MSN will surely paint it. Should the country be seen as moving even further to the left, the Republican party, going forth, will be all that less likely to embrace the true conservatism of someone like Ron Paul.

I fear that our numbers are yet too small and the divisions among us too great (this board providing evidence of the latter) that it wll be incredibly difficult for us to provide a loud, clear, and unified voice in protest to the status-quo duopoly.

An independent run by Ron would allieviate this situation, but that simply is not going to happen.

I can only hope that come November, I will see a clearer path, but at the moment I feel lost.

Disclaimer: I recognize the cynicism in the above and I know that I am not providing answers or solutions here, but I hope that my post will not be misconstrued as any form of defeatism. I am quite cognizant of the gains we have made and feel assured more will be seen in the future. But I am older than most here and may not be around to see them come to fruition. I just needed to vent my frustration at the mess we currently find ourselves in.

 

[green73]

At least Ron Paul inspires people to read books and learn libertarianism. That's what advances liberty. Gary Johnson doesn't do that because he has only a superficial idea of what libertarianism means; he's a big fat statist.

 

[Occam's Banana]

Everyone can vote how they choose, but you are making it easy for the media and establishment to pretend this movement doesn't exist. 95% of the population will never even know about any gap between voters and votes. But they would take notice of a Perot type of showing for Johnson. And again, Johnson isn't going to come close to winning, you are just helping to support the future of this movement...giving it a little Street Cred.

You can't have it both ways. You don't get to say "95% of the population will never even know about any gap between voters and votes" and then turn right around and claim that "they would take notice of a Perot type of showing for Johnson."

If that "gap between voters and votes" was Perot-style, they damn well *would* notice.

 

[hrdman2luv]

Those who still plan to vote for Ron Paul: Wouldn't you rather band together and vote for Gary Johnson. It's not as if he is going to win, but at least our votes will count. I think of it as the Ron Paul movement "hijacking" the Johnson ticket, just as a means of making our numbers seen. Everyone who sees that Johnson got 5% percent of the vote will know that those are really Ron Paul votes...

I know it will feel good to write in Paul in protest, but give it some thought. It doesn't help the movement, and really is a selfish thing to do at this point. We need to work together to strengthen the chances for future 3rd party candidates. Especially with all the new rules! NO ONE BUT JOHNSON (on behalf of RON PAUL)!!

I will be voting for Johnson. And I'd hope everyone else that supports the liberty movement would do the same.

Here's why.

Johnson is at about 5% right now. If we all banded together and supported Johnson, that 5% could easily turn into 10%. Especially when you consider that Ron Paul, if he, Romney, Johnson and Obama were on the presidential ballot together, would gather at last 5%.

So lets turn that 5% into 10%. And really show the RNC that we are a force to be recond with. The RNC needs to know, that the 10% we'll get this time around, will be 20% next time. And then 35% next time.

The Liberty movement will continue. But only if we are not divided.