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Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

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  • Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

    One of the most sacred traditions in this fair land is the secret ballot, but I know a lot of us aren't shy about our opinions. Do you remember who received your votes for President in every election you participated in? Care to share?

    I've been a big election-night junkie since the 1976 election, when I was seven years old and we "voted" in school for our Presidential choices. I liked what I'd read about Amy Carter in our Weekly Readers, so I was tempted to vote for Jimmy Carter, but Gerald Ford was the only President I was ever aware of at that point, so I voted for Ford. Then I stayed up to see the results, disappointed in both my parents for voting for Carter, but happy to see Ford win the kid-vote in Hawaii, at least.

    Sadly for me, it would twelve more years before I'd get to cast a real vote, but when that day came, I was ready.

    1988: George Bush
    When I was young, I considered myself mostly a Republican because I considered the two biggest issues to be the economy and the national defense. Ronald Reagan got us out of lean economic times and effectively ended the Cold War; I considered a vote for Bush an easy choice. Hawaii voted for Dukakis.

    1992: George Bush
    I wasn't very thrilled with Bush by the time I was twenty-three, but we were still in the early post-Cold-War years, and I liked Bush internationally better than a Bill Clinton I didn't really know anything about. I didn't even consider Ross Perot an option. Hawaii voted for Clinton.


    1996: Bill Clinton
    I was feeling pretty good about things in 1996; I was finally teaching high-schoolers after eight long years of undergraduate school and feeling better about myself than ever in my life. I'd always admired Bob Dole (I still do) but I didn't think there was too much wrong with our country other than the stuff that's always been wrong with our country, and I didn't see Dole making those things better. I was twenty-seven, and had begun in the previous four years to feel myself turning into what I didn't know at the time was called a libertarian (small L). Same-sex marriage issues locally had me really thinking about what the purpose of laws was, and four years on the anarchy of USENET had me considering the power societal expectation had on regulating personal behavior (as opposed to the power of governmental regulation, which didn't seem to be working). There seemed, for the first time in my memory, the possibility of a very strong female candidate's running, and I would gladly have voted for Christine Todd Whitman, but she didn't run, so Clinton would be that last major-party candidate who'd get my vote. Again, Perot wasn't even a consideration. Hawaii voted for Clinton.

    2000: Harry Browne
    By the time I was 31, I'd discovered that my political philosophy actually had a name, and that there was a party of like-thinking citizens called the Libertarian Party. While I disagreed (and still disagree) with some of the party's tenets, I felt strongly enough about some of them to cast my first Libertarian vote in a national election. I did not care much for either George W. Bush or Al Gore, so it was actually quite an easy decision. Hawaii voted for Al Gore. Browne died from Lou Gehrig's disease in 2006.

    2004: Michael Badnarik
    You know, with so much at stake in this first post-World-Trade-Center election, I almost considered a vote against the incumbent administration. I was vehemently anti-war, and had been since before we marched into Iraq, and the US PATRIOT act had pissed me off more than just about anything our government had ever done. While my ideals had swung as far into Libertarianism as I thought possible for a social liberal, I wondered if the best vote might be for a Democrat I didn't much care for (early in the campaigns, I'd hoped for the chance to vote for Carol Moseley Braun, but that didn't happen). But the night before I planned to cast my ballot at Honolulu Hale (I was working at the polls and therefore needed to vote absentee ahead of time), I was watching C-SPAN, which was broadcasting campaign speeches by the candidates. Surprised to find Badnarik in the schedule, I stayed up late to hear what he had to say.

    He basically said something to the effect of, "I know you're tempted to cast what you think might be a more meaningful vote tomorrow, but I would like to remind you of why you're a Libertarian." He rattled off a list of positions that only a few years ago were considered "out there" by everyone except Libertarians, including legalizing medical marijuana. He acknowledged that he didn't have a chance in that year's election, but stressed that a vote for him was a vote for the continued discussion of those OTHER issues that hadn't yet made it into mainstream discourse. "This year's crazy Libertarian planks," I heard him say ('though those aren't his words), "are the future's mainstream topics." That did it for me: I voted Libertarian. Hawaii voted for Kerry, as I knew it would.

    So. What does your Presidential voting history look like?
    But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
    GrouchyTeacher.com

  • #2
    Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

    Mondale Dukakis Clinton Clinton Gore Kerry.

    What, you were surprised?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

      Geez Scriv, up to 1996 you were batting a thousand. Now you're 0 for 3.

      Like you I voted republican (still do) right past Clinton. Honestly I think Ronald Reagan was our greatest president having ended the cold war by outspending the USSR in military might.

      Right now I'm not sure which way to go. Apparently the Surge is working so as Bush says, we must stay the course, until the job is finished. If we have a democratic president, I'm not sure if we will stay the course.

      When my boy goes to Afghanistan this spring/summer I'd hate to think it'll be a skeleton force out there. You don't win by downsizing, you win with overwhelming force and get the job done. I want my boy with enough support to finish the job, not having to do double duty because our forces were cut. Have you ever depended on a co-worker only to find out they called in sick for the day? Imagine you on the front lines all tired and weary then find out your relief won't be coming in at all? You're gonna start making mistakes out there with the fatigue setting in and pretty soon you'll have a bullet thru your head because you weren't alert enough to sense danger when it comes upon you. We need troops in overwhelming numbers to keep the advantage on our side.

      And for that I'm thinking to keep voting republican. When I was in the military, I voted for Jimmy Carter. Little did I know he was going to cut military spending a whopping 30% across the board. We ended up leaving Afghanistan (pissing them off royally and now look what happened to us) AND Mr. Carter cut our paychecks. Our paychecks were delayed two weeks until Congress funded it. Imagine that our beloved Democratic president cut military spending to the point where we couldn't finish the job in the Middle East AND pay for those defending the United States of America.

      If the war on terrorism was over, I'd happily vote for Obama. But if Hillary is the Democratic nominee for the General, I'll stay a republican. Obama is key to getting republican cross-over votes. But with the war effort being focused on Afghanistan, unless Obama lays out his foreign policy to help our boys get out safely without leaving a country ravaged to the point of future retaliation, I'll have to stick to the party that knows how to fight a war because my boy will be neck deep in it.

      So right now my vote is for McCain unless Obama comes up with another winning strategy on our war on terrorism then I'll vote for him (Obama). Hillary has been too decisive on her position regarding the war effort, and her opinion is opposite from my opinion.

      But that's just me, I'm just a born again Republican. I thought I was a Democrat until I realized my values were Republican.

      And to think in 1984 I wanted to be Walter Mondale in our PolySci mock debate at UH/Manoa but was told I had to be Ronald Reagan. Boy that decision changed my life.
      Life is what you make of it...so please read the instructions carefully.

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

        Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, and Barack Obama (primary, the first one I cared to participate in).
        Last edited by Vanguard; February 9, 2008, 07:10 AM.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

          Craig,

          Great post. You make a strong argument for not doing the "cut-n-run" approach. I agree with you.
          website - http://www.brianhancock.com
          blog - http://blog.brianhancock.com

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

            Originally posted by Glen Miyashiro View Post
            Mondale Dukakis Clinton Clinton Gore Kerry.

            What, you were surprised?
            take out the first Clinton and put in Perot, and that's my track record.

            and for Gov:
            Waihe'e (2x), Cayetano (2x), Lingle.

            pax

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

              Originally posted by Pua'i Mana'o View Post
              take out the first Clinton and put in Perot, and that's my track record.
              You did not vote for Mondale.
              But I'm disturbed! I'm depressed! I'm inadequate! I GOT IT ALL! (George Costanza)
              GrouchyTeacher.com

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                1988 - Dukakis

                1992 - Clinton (reluctantly. Was going to vote for Perot until it was clear that the man was a paranoid nutcase.)

                1996 - Nader

                2000 - Nader

                2004 - Kerry (reluctantly. Just wanted to vote for a viable candidate who had a real chance at unseating Dubya.)

                2008 - As of now, Obama is my man.

                I've never voted a Republican for president. Maybe I would feel differently about the GOP if I owned an oil company, utility, or any other corporate entity that was receiving buku tax subsidies.
                This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                  Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                  You did not vote for Mondale.
                  whoeryou, the details police?

                  you are right--tho I thought the Mondale/Ferraro ticket *rocked* when I was a sophomore. My first pressie vote was for Dukakis. I remember being intrigued by Gary Hart as nominee, but there was that 'monkey business' with Donna Rice.

                  pax

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                    hi this is sansei and when i was able to vote,first person i voted for was ford and then regan and then elder bush and then clinton my mistake and then bush Jr and if i could,would be my favorite Jmccain and im hoping he win's and become's our next president since he has the same qualification's as current bush and i like him. the mistake was clinton since he had Ag janet reno kidnap elian gonzale's and return him to his father in Cuba and his deceased mom wanted him to live in America so that was my mistake to vote for clinton. never again and not another clinton.

                    well thank's for your time

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                      ::::::::thud

                      that's the sound of my jaw hitting the floor after reading sansei's post. Ford, huh? Sansei, you are the best internet troll I have *ever* come across. Rock on.

                      pax

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                        Originally posted by scrivener View Post
                        One of the most sacred traditions in this fair land is the secret ballot
                        Apparently not as sacred to you as it is to me.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                          i was 18 and idealistic with nixon leaving a bad taste for GOP ...carter
                          after seeing demo ineptness for four years.....reagan reagan. then to carry on the momentum.....bush sr.
                          whoever ran against clinton for his two terms..... thats who i voted for.
                          then bush bush.......i say would have preferred giuliani or romney but mc caine has my support......obama and clinton are too socialistic for me.
                          the bigger the government the smaller the citizen.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                            You know, I can't remember all of them. I tend to vote Republican, but not always. (No, I don't own any big companies, I just think Democrats tend to overdo the big government thing.)

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Who'd You Vote For — Ever?

                              Originally posted by GeckoGeek View Post
                              You know, I can't remember all of them. I tend to vote Republican, but not always. (No, I don't own any big companies, I just think Democrats tend to overdo the big government thing.)
                              And I think Republicans tend to overdo the budget deficit thing. It was on Reagan's watch that the national debt nearly TRIPLED from 1981 to the time he left office. And it is thanks to Dubya that the federal govt. is soaking in red ink again after the surplus years of the Clinton administration.
                              This post may contain an opinion that may conflict with your opinion. Do not take it personal. Polite discussion of difference of opinion is welcome.

                              Comment

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