# Have you made up your mind yet ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 2, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527 "2012-10-02T23:32:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/21 "2012-10-03T15:21:49Z")
I grew up in a very political family - both my father, and later my older brother, were in politics and heavy duty Republicans. While I will say that my late father was somewhat willing to at least listen to the other side, my older brother followed/still follows every word of the Republican Party platforms. Having lived through this, and having heard the truly horrible things their friends and cronies said behind closed doors, it became clear they were a party of hate, bigotry and self entitlement. Almost by default, I became the screaming liberal Democrat I am today, at a very early age. I have voted in every election since I was able to vote, and I have voted for every Democrat running for President, as well as all other Democrats running for the Senate or Congress. There is a world of difference between Republicans and Democrats - just the social issues alone are about as black and white as you can get. At this stage of the game, to say that you are still “undecided” is an indication you are somewhat clueless, have no empathy for minorities and must be living in a news-free vacuum environment. These undecided voters are the equivalent of the student who only starts studying for an exam as the final test is being distributed in the classroom; idiot, apathetic slackers who deserve the piss-poor grade (dumbass elected official) they wind up getting. I have yet to meet an undecided voter - granted, a few cynics who don’t intend to vote for one reason or another, but undecided? Nope. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/22 "2012-10-03T15:37:20Z")
Of course all the networks will have their focus groups of “undecided” voters watching the debates and weighing in on who “won”. I call bullshit. When they round up people for the group, of course people are going to say they’re undecided- that’s the only way to get picked and get all the attention. If you truly haven’t decided yet, there’s a good chance you won’t vote and an even better chance that you’ll vote the same party that you usually do. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/23 "2012-10-03T16:03:00Z")
Made up my mind quite a while ago, and I’d guess that most 'dopers have already done so, one way or the other, as well. But I think that there are a lot of folks still on the fence who are looking to the debates to really jump one way or the other. I know my co-workers were talking about them earlier and several of them seemed to be saying that they would decide depending on how the debates went. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/24 "2012-10-03T16:35:48Z")
[These people haven’t](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/23/undecided-voters-saturday-night-live-video_n_1907145.html) ---
**Author:** ![Sitnam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Sitnam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sitnam)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/25 "2012-10-03T17:14:21Z")
At lower levels I go out of my way to vote for people I think are more capable regardless of party because a County Treasurer’s opinion on abortion is irrelevant. But taken as a whole, there is no compromise with a party that chooses to act and believe in moral absolutes because of a god I do not worship, until that changes I haven’t been able to support the GOP since the late 90’s. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/26 "2012-10-03T17:33:40Z")
Bill Maher comments on “undecideds”… > **[WATCH: Bill Maher Slams 'Dipsh\*t' Undecided Voters](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bill-maher-undecided-swing-state-voters_n_1905886)** > > WATCH: Bill Maher Slams 'Dipsh\*t' Undecided Voters ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/27 "2012-10-03T17:38:08Z")
I decided to vote for President Obama when the GOP primary featured the biggest collection of lunatics, crooks and dipsticks in fifty years. ---
**Author:** ![PandaBear77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@PandaBear77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PandaBear77)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/28 "2012-10-03T17:48:44Z")
My mind’s been made up on _this_ election since ummmm January 2009. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/29 "2012-10-03T17:56:05Z")
Maybe it’s crazy, but a small part of me is still hoping republicans turn out to be less hateful and stupid than they currently appear to be. If Romney actually stated some concrete plans for economic recovery that made sense I could see myself choosing to vote for something other than 4 more years of not much from Obama. So in that sense I could be considered undecided. I’m a little tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/30 "2012-10-03T18:00:46Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Bill Maher comments on “undecideds”… > > [Bill Maher Slams Undecided Swing State Voters And The Media For Celebrating Them (VIDEO) | HuffPost Entertainment](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/22/bill-maher-undecided-swing-state-voters_n_1905886.html) Yeah, I saw that. I think it’s a little early to bash undecided voters (if that’s ever actually appropriate). Personally, I do lean one way but I could possibly be swayed in the other direction. I try to keep an open mind watching the debates. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/31 "2012-10-03T18:28:24Z")
> [@Jas09](#): > > 2002ish. Me too. I was fairly open minded about elections until about the same time. ---
**Author:** ![gamerunknown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6bbea6/32.png) [@gamerunknown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gamerunknown)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/32 "2012-10-04T11:46:39Z")
> [@moejoe](#): > > Maybe it’s crazy, but a small part of me is still hoping republicans turn out to be less hateful and stupid than they currently appear to be. If Romney actually stated some concrete plans for economic recovery that made sense I could see myself choosing to vote for something other than 4 more years of not much from Obama. So in that sense I could be considered undecided. I’m a little tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. and you’d want to vote for the greater? ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/33 "2012-10-04T11:57:13Z")
[Reluctantly](http://strandedalien.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/romney-billboard.jpg), I’m going to vote “anyone but Obama”. ---
**Author:** ![moejoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de053/32.png) [@moejoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moejoe)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2012, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/34 "2012-10-04T16:24:00Z")
> [@gamerunknown](#): > > and you’d want to vote for the greater? No, I’d like the opportunity to vote for someone I actually believe in. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/35 "2012-10-05T01:12:35Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > I have voted in every election since I was able to vote, and I have voted for every Democrat running for President, as well as all other Democrats running for the Senate or Congress. > > There is a world of difference between Republicans and Democrats - just the social issues alone are about as black and white as you can get. At this stage of the game, to say that you are still “undecided” is an indication you are somewhat clueless, have no empathy for minorities and must be living in a news-free vacuum environment. First, I find it ironic that the person who votes for the same party, year in and year out, no matter what, thinks he has standing to call other people clueless or news-free. Second, yes, the Democrats and Republicans are black and white. So who should a gray person like me vote for then, hmm? The guy that’s lying to me now or the guy that’s been lying to me for the past four years? The guy with policies that won’t work or the guy with policies that haven’t worked? The guy who’s done a terrible job over the past four years or the guy that won’t actually implement the plan he says he will? You tell me which one I’m supposed to vote for when I don’t like either of them. You tell me what I’m supposed to do when I only agree with half of their platforms. I’d love to hear it. ---
**Author:** ![Reyemile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@Reyemile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reyemile)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/36 "2012-10-05T01:31:32Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > First, I find it ironic that the person who votes for the same party, year in and year out, no matter what, thinks he has standing to call other people clueless or news-free. > > Second, yes, the Democrats and Republicans are black and white. So who should a gray person like me vote for then, hmm? The guy that’s lying to me now or the guy that’s been lying to me for the past four years? The guy with policies that won’t work or the guy with policies that haven’t worked? The guy who’s done a terrible job over the past four years or the guy that won’t actually implement the plan he says he will? > > You tell me which one I’m supposed to vote for when I don’t like either of them. You tell me what I’m supposed to do when I only agree with half of their platforms. I’d love to hear it. You vote against the tea-party–against the folks who deny not only that global warming is man-made but that it even exists, against the folks who think it’s acceptable political discourse to agree to a budget but then filibuster only when it’s time to actually pay, against folks who won’t accept 1 part revenue to 10 parts spending cuts, and against the folks who are conspiring to disenfranchise tens of thousands of voters for the other party. As an extreme liberal lefty, I can’t imagine ever voting R–frankly, it pisses me off to no end that I’m stuck voting D, who are too far to the right on too many issues for me already. But looking at the world from a distance, I can’t imagine that anyone who describes themselves as “moderate” or “grey” could vote Republican in this political climate. Because regardless of why you voted Romney–whether it’s because Obama sucks (and he does) or because you like some of his policies or you just think he’s a good guy–your vote is a _de facto_ endorsement of the toxic, batshit elements that have hijacked the GOP, turning from the noble opposition to a party that threatens the stability of our country. …sorry, that was probably more at home in the Pit than here. But I nonetheless think it’s clear that any vote for Romney is a vote _against_ moderation. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/37 "2012-10-05T01:47:20Z")
> [@Ludovic](#): > > Only in the past 4 years have I made up my mind _politically_: before that, there was a chance that a pretty far left-of-center dem would lose in a _hypothetical_ election against a moderate GOP candidate. But now, not only are there very few of each category left, the caucusing stakes are too high to allow the GOP to enact their literally crazy agenda, which moderate GOPers will go along with because of party loyalty. So until there is more party independence or a saner party, I am voting straight party ticket from now on. I have voted for three non-Democrats for president (John Anderson, Bob Dole, and Ralph Nader) as well as a fair number of Republicans down ticket, but, like Ludovic, the sheer insanity of the teahadists has driven me into the arms of the Democratic party. I’ve become a Democratic Committeeman and have been canvassing for Democratic down ticket candidates. I’ve actually made campaign contributions in the last year, something I never had done in the 40+ years I’ve been a voter. Under the current circumstances, I doubt I’ll ever vote for a non-Democratic candidate. Today in Madison: [http://imageshack.us/a/img703/1/20121004t214025z2053696.jpg](http://imageshack.us/a/img703/1/20121004t214025z2053696.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/38 "2012-10-05T02:06:48Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > My basic voting principle for as long as I can remember has been “vote against the Republicans”. Unless the Republicans - the whole party, not just some individual - changes drastically, then there’s no circumstances whatsoever where I’d vote for one. The party is both evil and incompetent. I’ve mostly felt this way since early 2004. That said, I think both major parties put evil imperialists in Washington, and I’m trying to talk myself into voting for Jill Stein. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/39 "2012-10-05T02:07:07Z")
> [@Chessic\_Sense](#): > > Second, yes, the Democrats and Republicans are black and white. So who should a gray person like me vote for then, hmm? If you are wealthy, vote Republican. They will help you keep your money. If you aren’t, vote Democratic. They will let the Middle Class and poor keep theirs. ---
**Author:** ![tim-n-va](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim-n-va/32/3001_2.png) [@tim-n-va](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tim-n-va)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-made-up-your-mind-yet/636527/40 "2012-10-05T02:11:19Z")
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