So how do you vote?

[Strivax]

I don't mean, which political party. Anyone can vote for the regime they were brought up with, without any significant thought process at all.

I mean, which concerns most sway your thinking?

Is it 'What is good for me?'
Is it 'What is good for me and my family?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family and my friends?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends and people like us?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, and my nation?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, my nation, and the world entire?'

Or is it some combination of the above, or some different set of issues?

Interested to wonder if you have considered your vote from this expanding concentric circle of care point of view.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I don't think too deeply about it, I just vote Republican and let it go at that.

 

[Strivax]

I don't think too deeply about it, I just vote Republican and let it go at that.

Interesting. If voting republican was bad for your own prospects, would you still vote republican?

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Interesting. If voting republican was bad for your own prospects, would you still vote republican?

Best wishes, Strivax.

Who is in power has little effect on my prospects, but by voting conservative I'm being true to my nature. That said I have little expectation that either party will seriously address the nation's problems.

 

[Strivax]

Thanks for that reply. I have no right to interrogate you, but can't help but ask: if your nature, and the interests of your nation, contrasted in their demands between the two main political options, which would you choose?

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[rturner76]

The issues that affect me and mine are education and health care first and foremost. I don't want to prioritize military, however I grew up always having the top tier military in the world so it would naive not to prioritize it although not so much as now. I also prioritize a fair criminal justice system if that's even possible including no death penalty. Plus social safety net. Yup pretty much straight down the line Liberal (Paul Wellstone Liberal RIP), sorry That's secular me

Because I'm Catholic, my religion states I must be pro-life, anti euthanasia, anti human cloning, anti embryo stem cell research, and anti gay marriage
I personally believe in almost none of that but if I don't vote that way I am anathema and risk excommunication. Regardless of politics, I need my soul in heaven Though I wonder if I could vote the way I wanted then go to confession and ask forgiveness? Maybe it doesn't work for a premeditated sin.

 

[Strivax]

Well, rturner76, I can't help but sympathise with your political leanings. As for what is right, versus what is Catholic, well, you must solve that issue according to your conscience. If I have any observation, it is that courage is a virtue, and I have read no scriptures that insist God punishes virtue.

But the theme of the thread, really, is this expanding concentric circle of care. If my family is relatively secure, why should my comfortable friends take political priority over the homeless in my country? And why should I vote that way? If people like us get good salaries, why should they take priority over the 2 billion or so in the world who eke out meagre lives on less than $2.00 per day? And why should I vote that way? Is there a moral justification for that kind of politics? Does the fact that some are closer to me in terms of social circle than others, justify my intention to vote with respect to their favour and betterment, when others are more needy?

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[SnowyMacie]

I would say the closest of your choices would be "What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, my nation, and the world entire?". I think we often forget in the world today that our government's actions have a ripple effect across the world.

 

[Strivax]

... I think we often forget in the world today that our government's actions have a ripple effect across the world.

I think you are entirely right.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

Thanks for that reply. I have no right to interrogate you, but can't help but ask: if your nature, and the interests of your nation, contrasted in their demands between the two main political options, which would you choose?

Best wishes, Strivax.

Not quite sure I understand your question. Could you rephrase it?

 

[Strivax]

Not quite sure I understand your question. Could you rephrase it?

OK. So, suppose some issue important to you came up. I don't like to propose what this issue might be, they are entirely private. But such issues have happened in the past; like in, say, Idi Amin's 1972 Uganda. He determined to deport all Asians. By doing so, he determined to destroy an economically necessary middle class. Such an issue, if you were a native African Ugandan, might well cause such a conflict between what is good for you (opportunities to run a suddenly defunct chain of newsagents, say) and your nature (let's presume you see racism as a justifiable means toward your economic ambitions) and what is good for the nation (an inclusive, stable, confident, expanding economy).

So there are situations where my private well-being and natural instincts might contest with my nation's well-being. Which would you vote for, if you were asked, and why? If the two main political parties differed in their approach, and that difference was essentially between your individual self-interest and personal political comfort, and the strength of the nation, would you take that into consideration, as you voted? Or would you just continue to vote your usual, congenial, customary way, whatever?

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

OK. So, suppose some issue important to you came up. I don't like to propose what this issue might be, they are entirely private. But such issues have happened in the past; like in, say, Idi Amin's 1972 Uganda. He determined to deport all Asians. By doing so, he determined to destroy an economically necessary middle class. Such an issue, if you were a native African Ugandan, might well cause such a conflict between what is good for you (opportunities to run a suddenly defunct chain of newsagents, say) and your nature (let's presume you see racism as a justifiable means toward your economic ambitions) and what is good for the nation (an inclusive, stable, confident, expanding economy).

So there are situations where my private well-being and natural instincts might contest with my nation's well-being. Which would you vote for, if you were asked, and why? If the two main political parties differed in their approach, and that difference was essentially between your individual self-interest and personal political comfort, and the strength of the nation, would you take that into consideration, as you voted? Or would you just continue to vote your usual, congenial, customary way, whatever?

Best wishes, Strivax.

I would remain true to my nature, knowing that my individual actions have a greater social and economic impact than my vote. Most of the time my vote is meaningless anyway as the other party usually wins.

 

[jayem]

This year I voted like everyone did--for the candidate who disgusts me the least.

 

[TagliatelliMonster]

I don't mean, which political party. Anyone can vote for the regime they were brought up with, without any significant thought process at all.

I mean, which concerns most sway your thinking?

Is it 'What is good for me?'
Is it 'What is good for me and my family?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family and my friends?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends and people like us?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, and my nation?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, my nation, and the world entire?'

Or is it some combination of the above, or some different set of issues?

Interested to wonder if you have considered your vote from this expanding concentric circle of care point of view.

Best wishes, Strivax.

For the most part, I can usually find *some* points in most politician's programs with which I agree, and some with which I don't agree.

Some politicians, i'll agree with more then others.
I never encountered one with which I agreed on everything.
It also happens that I actually vote for someone which is not the one with whose positions I agree most.

An important aspect of my voting decision is actually based on the intellectual capability of the candidate and his/her ethical standards. I always try to look for a healthy balance of ideas that are in line with my personal worldview on the one hand, and capability / intellect of the candidate on the other.

It's one thing to have great ideas... but if you don't have the capacities or qualifications to properly implement those good ideas... what good are the ideas?

 

[Ringo84]

I vote my values. Yes, contrary to what some on this forum would suggest, it is possible for people who aren't conservative to have deeply held convictions that mean a lot to them. I believe in using the power of the government in a positive way to help the less fortunate help themselves do better. By doing that, we fulfill the exhortations given to us in the Bible.

I also try to be consistent with my beliefs. If I condemned Republicans for doing something, I will try to condemn the Democrats if they exhibit the same behavior. Sometimes, admittedly, I'm better at doing that than other times. But if I say, for example, that I believe that all life is precious, then it doesn't just mean the realm of abortion. It also means that I oppose capital punishment, because if all life is sacred, then even the death row prisoners with the blackest of hearts deserve that same consideration.
Ringo

 

[Dave RP]

I don't mean, which political party. Anyone can vote for the regime they were brought up with, without any significant thought process at all.

I mean, which concerns most sway your thinking?

Is it 'What is good for me?'
Is it 'What is good for me and my family?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family and my friends?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends and people like us?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, and my nation?'
Is it 'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, my nation, and the world entire?'

Or is it some combination of the above, or some different set of issues?

Interested to wonder if you have considered your vote from this expanding concentric circle of care point of view.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[Dave RP]

I'm from the UK and I vote for the party who's manifesto matches as closely as possible my thoughts and priorities, generally based around what's best for the UK as a whole, which I believe will then be best for me and my family. As I am getting on a bit I've been voting in elections since 1974, and in that time i have voted Socialist (Labour), Liberal and Conservative. In 1998 I voted Labour, since then I've voted Conservative in national Elections and Liberal in local Elections. I think that the political classes, by and large have lost contact with the people they represent hence our vote to leave the EU and the rise of Mr. Trump. Too many politicians are now career politicians and have never held down a real jop in the real world, that's why they are disconnected from the electorate.

 

[Strivax]

Of course, politics is a real job, demanding real expertise. If you doubt this, let's all watch Trump crash and burn.

Best wishes, Strivax.

 

[Paradoxum]

For me I vote on what is principled. Or:
'What is good for me, my family, my friends, people like us, my nation, and the world entire?'

What is liberty, equality and fairness.

 

[OldWiseGuy]

I vote conservative, hoping those conservatives will get the message.