Each election year I get aggravated by many people I talk with about politics. It's not that I disagree with their choice of candidate but in what reasons they often give me. So very few can give me a reason that is vote worthy, or even know the positions their named candidate holds on the issues. It almost drives me to the point of thinking we should have to take some sort of test or class to be able to vote. One lady interviwed at the Iowa caucus stated that she had her choice narrowed down to three people. She named Clinton, Obama, and Romney. Come on, those three just do not belong in the same conversation. A few other examples...
1 - Coworker (Female, Black, Masters Degree, 36ish, Southern Baptist) Went along with the issues questions and they pointed to Huckabee. She said she would most likely vote for Clinton. I pointed out the issues and she kinda shrugged and said that her family always voted Democrat, and she thought it would be good to have a female President. I asked her if she might then vote for C. Rice in 4/8/12 years if she decided to run (being black and female) and she said that she had no idea who that was.
2 - 3 Coworkers (Female, White, 1 Undergrad, 2 No Degree, all 20-30, Differing Rel Backgrounds) Issues questions each. One knew her stuff and dead on Clinton, 1 Romney, 1 borderline Paul. All three said they were voting for Clinton because they wanted a female President.
3 - Coworker (Female, Black, No Degree, 29 , Not Religious) Issues questions pointed to Giuliani (I thought this odd knowing her) and she said she was 100% voting for Obama because we need a Black in office. I asked her if it would bother her if I said that I favored a candidate because he was white and she said no because she figured most white people did anyway.
4 - Coworker (Male, White, Masters, 39, Southern Baptist) Did not get to issue questions because he was busy but when I inquired he said he was voting Thompson. I asked if he was solid on that and not Romney or Giuliani. He replied that Romney was a Mormon and that he really liked Thompson from watching him on tv. He said that you could tell that he had a lot of character. Wow...his tv character had a lot of character..think on that one.
5 - Friend's Wife (Female, White, No Degree, 31, General Christian) Issue questions and background put her closer to Edwards than anyone else. She said she was firmly voting for Romney because that is who her husband said was the best candidate.
6 - Mother-in-Law (Female, White, No Degree, 150 (72), Presbyterian) She asked me who I was voting for, so as always I drifted the question back because I dont want to try to influence who I am talking to before I get their answer. She said she thought Clinton would be a good choice because she has ben in office for so long and she seems to care about the poor. I tried going through the issues questions but she honestly had no idea what the issues were about and I like the old bird so I didn't wish to press her.
Those were just a few examples of the many that get shaking my head. For the most part I really like most of the people in the examples and think well of them but I am sad they get to vote. I always avoid getting argumentative by just asking the questions in a neutral manner (as neutral as I can) and just listening. I am a Thompson man, but I don't think we have a horse in the race. I am not a devout Repub. and party/race/sex really dose not matter to me, at least not that I am aware of. My voting record varies by office and my vote has been cast for a wide range of candidates based on their stance on issues/background.
Am I the only one who just feels there has to be a better system?