Can you waste your vote?

For the longest time I have thought on the idea of a wasted vote? I have always been of the belief that when you vote for a third party candidate you have in essence wasted your vote because they cannot win.  Admittedly, I have questioned my certainty if you vote for someone not purely on the will of your conscience but for the ability to win, you have thrown your values out for the sake of victory. I would like to address something from Glen Beck’s latest book Common Sense in which he said, “When we support or vote for candidates outside the two major political parties we are immediately lectured about wasting our vote or making it easier for the less desirable of the two major candidates to claim victory.” I have two major problems with this sentiment first and foremost Americans, I dare say the majority, subscribe to parties and perception by this I mean some only vote solely on party platform and rarely care about the issues others vote solely on perception by this I mean if one party is in charge and things are going well they vote them back in, if not the opposite effect happens. You might say, “Well the American people will get fed up against the two party system.” This will not happen. The American people have enjoyed for to long the protection the constitution has provided them against the maggots on capitol hill, we as voters have gotten lazy. The American people have become so accustom to not looking at candidates, not looking at issues, they vote on party and perception. The other problem I have, is Mr. Beck  nonchalantly describes the differences in someone like a McCain and an Obama, when their deference’s are insurmountable, it’s not just the “less desirable,” it is a difference of liberty and tyranny.

I have become fed up with my local Republican leaders because they are supporting someone who is less Conservative than other candidates because they believe he has a better chance in the general election. I believe this is absolute ignorance, if you don’t support the person with whom you agree, they won’t have a chance at victory. If I believe these Republican leaders are wasting their votes for the ability to win, If I believe they’re tossing their values for victory, then I too am wasting my vote for the chance to win, I too am tossing values for victory, am I not?

This is where the question is diluted with two competing arguments. Do you support the person who has no chance of winning but you most agree with or do you support someone who you agree with 60-70% of the time and has a chance at victory? I would say the difference lies in the stage of the election, are we speaking about a primary or a general election? The stakes aren’t as great in the primary, if you support someone with your conscience in the primary that person might win, but if they loose all you end up with is a lesser conservative. Whereas in a general election if you support the third party candidate, who by all measures cannot win, you give the ability to someone who would enslave us in tyranny a greater chance at the Presidency. This is my proposition, support and vote for the most moral conservative person with the best record in the primary. If you sadly end up loosing and your choice is between a McCain, an Obama, or some no named third party candidate. I think it is morally reprehensible to choose the third party candidate and let someone as vile as a Carter, Gore, Clinton, or Obama into the white-house because you did not want to choose the lesser of two evils. I as of now, believe it is morally superior to do your utmost to block those who would seek to destroy life, eliminate freedom, and enslave future generations. This is what I think, but I still struggle with the idea and would like to hear your thoughts.