I think one of them certainly has a corner on screwing the Little Guy, though. 
On the national level, okay, there appears to be a record.
On the local level things get a little strange. The OP asks how do we choose to cast a vote for someone. Here is the wildest way I once picked a candidate:
I was reading the paper one afternoon and saw that my district actually had a runoff election going on. Since I make it a point to vote in everything possible I ran to the polling place to see…one single poster on the chain link fence and nobody outside with signs. Went inside to discover that it was 3:30 in the afternoon and I was voter #8.
There were two choices for trustee at the community college. That was it!
And I didn’t know either of them. After thinking about it a couple of seconds I voted for the name on that one sign outside on the fence.
The reason?
Well, that person cared enough to print a sign and hang it up.
So, did your guy win?
Shame on me. I forgot his name as I drove away from the polling place.
I never thought the “best man” concept made sense. The Dems are more likely to help the small people. The Repubs work for the rich. The Dems are less likely to start wars and bury tons of money on “Defense”. The small people are hurting after 8 years of the Repubs. The wealthy are rolling in dough. Obama had less than 2 years to fix the Bush mess. It will take longer than that, and now , if the Repubs gain, the average man will suffer for a long time.
The Dems have been watered down by campaign financing. They are kissing the same butts the Repubs are to get money. The campaign financing mess must be fixed if the people will have any chance to get their government back.
There is no party that deals what is wrong in America. we fight over symptoms and never deal with the illness.
I sit down with my pre-ballot that I get in the mail, and go over every race carefully, making a list of what I know about each candidate in each race, both pro and con. Then I go online and fact check myself, to be sure I actually know what’s what. Then I vote for whichever candidate wins the Google Fight.
I ask myself: “who would my brother-in-law vote for?” Then do the opposite.
Amen, Brother!
Can you give me an example?
Thanks!
I’m more interested in learning who to vote for in local non-partisan races, of which we always have lots. This time, for example, we are voting for city councilors, a county supervisor, a member of the water board, and some others as well. School board officials too, I think. All are non-partisan. I have very little idea how to vote; these races are barely covered in the media.
Democrats Rake In Record Donations From Corporations - ABC News Corporations hedge their bets. They contribute to both parties , so whoever wins, they will have their hooks into them.
The election system has to be remade. This election will have 4 billion dollars spent on campaign ads. That is corrosive.
For our local races, I read the handouts looking for the subtext, or perhaps a reason to vote for or against a candidate that was unintended by the candidate.
For example, a local candidate for judge carpet-bombed our area with pamphlets extolling his “family values”, and showing a picture of him with his TEN children. Sorry, pal, one of MY favorite values is self-restraint. I’m not voting for any Duggar wannabes.
If I got handouts or pamphlets for the local races, I’d probably look for subtext in them, too. But I don’t think I ever have.
Around here the “subtext” is usually “I’m white, I got white kids, I go do [specific name of church], and I love hunting.” And if you can explain how that makes for better comptroller I’d love to hear it.
-Joe
I have attended some “meet the candidates” forums and town hall style meetings, too. I watched the televised debate between our gubenatorial candindates.
In every county I’ve lived in the Laegue of Women Voters produces a fairly comprehensive Voters’ Guide. They ask all the candidates for each office a list of questions, publish that list and each candidate’s answers.
They also summarize the ballot questions which I find helpful because sometimes the language of the questions is convoluted. The guide gives the whole question “Shall the budget for the county library not be increased by $59,000 to a total of $512,000?” Without the guide I might read the question too quickly and think “library? I like the library!” and vote yes, when a yes vote actually means no money for the library. they spell it out very clearly. “A yes vote means the library budget increase is defeated.”
The nature and tone of mailings and ads can affect my final choices. Out of a slate of 8 candidates we are to choose 3 state legislators. I had already firmly decided to vote for 2 incumbents and was weighing my decision regarding the third. I had the choice narrowed down to two. Over the weekend we got a mailing that was absolutely hateful and, I suspect not entirely true, about one of my potential choices. “She eats broiled kittens and hosts ice cream socials for pedophiles!” (Paid for by the committee to elect Another Guy) Another Guy didn’t, as near as we can tell, send any literature with reasons to vote FOR him. If your mailing includes attacks on your opponent you are going to have to work hard to show me your good qualities.
If someone’s running for re-election I look at as much of his or her voting record as I can find out. There are a few legislative issues about which I feel strongly enough to have written to my representatives. How they’ve responded influences my decision whether to vote to keep them in office or not, too.
Generally, right now? I vote for the Democrat. If the Republican Party ever regains its sanity, I’ll start looking at actual positions of actual candidates. But as long as they’re on the kick they’ve been on since the early 90s, they’re not even an option to me.
Northern part of Arkansas–in the Ozarks. We call ourselves hicks or hillbillies.
I don’t want to get more specific than that. It’s small town country, so it doesn’t take a lot to figure out where someone lives knowing their approximate location.
Yeah, this year, the Dems would have to put forth a literal drooling vegetable for me to consider even leaving that spot blank.
Case in point, Alvin Greene.
Most ,but not all the Repub crazies lost. That is hopeful. O’Donnell, Angle, Paladino and a couple other baggers lost. They were even too far out for the Repubs.
I wonder how well they can control Paul?
The Dems did not support Greene. They don’t waste time and money on loons.
He’ll sell out to the mainstream Republicans within 10 seconds of taking office. He probably already has. The Libertarian Party has already disowned him.