# I was a FL Nader voter **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 8, 2000, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336 "2000-11-08T17:22:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/21 "2000-11-09T04:58:50Z")
Those aren’t flames Krispy. Those are gratuitous insults. And they’re rather weak ones at that. And they don’t belong in the Pit or anywhere else on the SDMB. You should know better, regardless of how long your little sabbatical was. Well actually “soccer still sucks” isn’t really a gartuitous insult. It’s just that one trick pony you’ve ridden to death all over this board, if I may mix my metaphors. Don’t do it again. ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/22 "2000-11-09T05:32:47Z")
Your mispelling and inaccurate quotes aside, you really should see an eye doctor about that Gene… …frat-boy retard?..not gratuitous? ---
**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/23 "2000-11-09T07:39:56Z")
…no. …it isn’t. An insult that is part of a rant about poltics and public figures is quite different from an insulting _non sequitur_ directed towards a specific poster. I’m sorry you can’t see the difference, Krispy. I consider what you said to be publicly perpetuating a grudge against a specific poster. We don’t tolerate that behavior at the SDMB. Or did you miss that announcement while you were away? Hell, maybe you were just trying to be cute. I really don’t care. If you have a specific unresolved issue with RTA you’d like to discuss then open a new thread. If you feel the need to criticize my moderating and my typos then open a new thread. If you want to hijack a thread just to insult a poster then I’d recommend doing it on a message board where they actually give a damn about who’s on your shitlist. Become relevant or move on. ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/24 "2000-11-09T08:19:53Z")
OK Gene, how’s this? I think that voters who waste their vote by voting on a candidate that has absolutely no chance in hell of being elected are stupid. What’s the point? Sending a message? Wooooo! I bet the Dems and Repubs really learned their lesson huh? Perhaps these voters can claim that they voted their “conscience” and then boast about it on a public forum as if they were somehow above the Gore/Bush choice…perhaps more enlightened. Yeah right. Anyone that voted for that nutcase Nader or any of the other fringe candidates might as well have stayed home and not voted at all. It would have had exactly the same effect. I’m not a bit impressed by the OP. Oh, and the remark about the eye doctor…that was humor…get it? ---
**Author:** ![SPOOFE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@SPOOFE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SPOOFE)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/25 "2000-11-09T09:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > I bet the Dems and Repubs really learned their lesson huh? You bet your Krispy ass they did. The GOP learned that lesson back in '92 and '96, when Perot took votes. They got lucky this time around because nobody wanted to vote for Buchanen. And now the Dems are upset because Nader supposedly took votes away from Gore (although I don’t personally agree with this line of reasoning). They learned that they should have tried to appeal to a more liberal crowd instead of going Moderate. Losing the Presidency would be a very powerful lesson, wouldn’t it? ---
**Author:** ![Krispy\_Original](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ec9cab/32.png) [@Krispy\_Original](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Krispy_Original)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/26 "2000-11-09T10:54:45Z")
Spoofe, You don’t know diddly. You can’t assume that all Nader votes would have went to Gore…they might just as likely been split equally between Gore and Bush. The Nader voters can fantasize that they influenced the election, but that doesn’t make it so. It’s more likely that the fruitcakes that wasted their vote on Nader would have wasted it on another fringe candidate if Nader had not been in the picture. No way the American people as a whole are stupid enough to actually put the likes of a Perot or Nader in charge of the country. ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/27 "2000-11-09T11:34:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Krispy Original \* > \*\*Thirdly, soccer sucks. \*\* Welcome back, Krispy. Thanks for saving me the trouble of pointing out you’re still an ass. Just in case a newbie wandered in and asked himself what you were like. Where the hell have you been, anyway? Some people were actually [worried about you](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=30285), believe it or not. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/28 "2000-11-09T11:35:31Z")
> [@](#): > > You don’t know diddly. You can’t assume that all Nader votes would have went to Gore…they might just as likely been split equally between Gore and Bush Actually, several different polls a day or two before the election asked which candidate (if any) would Nader voters choose if they could not vote Green. The results were consistent, roughly: 20% Wouldn’t Vote 20% Bush 60% Gore Even if you threw in a 20 point margin-of-error (it was definitely not that large), you would still have over 1/3 of the Nader voters choose Gore, more than enough to put Gore over the top in FL. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/29 "2000-11-09T13:24:42Z")
Sorry, that should have been **10** point moe and **1/2** going for Gore (an estimate almost any observer would consider lower than what was likely–in FL or anywhere else) ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/30 "2000-11-09T13:29:53Z")
**SuaSponte** , I understand your arguments (and I’m glad you share disappointment over the current system), but I still disagree with you. The fact that only two people out of the 8 or so on my ballot have a reasonable chance of winning does not confer upon me or any voter an obligation to vote for one of them. It is a perfectly legitimate choice to vote for neither of them and only vote on state and local issues, the net effect of which is absolutely no different from voting for Nader, Browne or anyone else. Had there not been a ballot choice that I felt I wanted to be President, I would have simply left that portion of my ballot blank. I also perceive a fault in your lawyer/astronaut analogy. Your analogy concerns a choice between two things you want. The Presidential race, for many, presents a choice between two things they **don’t** want, which is nothing more than Hobson’s choice. Given that, it’s perfectly legitimate and moral to say, “Neither, thank you.” ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/31 "2000-11-09T14:09:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by adam yax \* > \*\*Flyasster, maybe you can start the constitutional initiative that would require you, and you alone, to approve all future presidential candidates. Or perhaps you can have everybody in the country run their choice by you. > > > [@](#): > > > > Phil, if you think that out of 72000 nader voters, there wouldn’t have been 2000 more Gore voters than Bush voters, then I suggest you take your head out of your ass and enter a little world I like to call “Reality.” > > Maybe these 72000 Nader voters would have just stayed home if Nader was not on the ballot. \*\* Every exit poll conducted on that very question indicated that about 1/4 to 1/3 of Nader voters would not have voted, with the remainder splitting off about 5-1 for Gore. Had Nader not run, Gore absolutely would be the President-elect. Whether Nader voters are to “blame” for Bush probably winning is beyond question; no Nader, no President Dubya. But then, you could argue that all the people who stayed home are to “blame,” too. You have to also note that the 50,000,000 people who voted for Bush have something to do with it as well. Gore’s confused, pointless campaign probably cost him a few thousand votes, as well as the fact that he’s an stiff, unlikable jerk. In a three-or-more party situation you can always come up with an alternative scenario. ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/32 "2000-11-09T14:27:10Z")
For the record, had I not voted for Nader, I would have written in Dick Gregory like I have been doing the past few times I voted. If Al can’t capture more than 50% of the people’s vote, with a good economy, incumbent, no sex scandals, never been arrested, somethings wrong with someone, and it isn’t Ralph. ---
**Author:** ![MadHatter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@MadHatter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MadHatter)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/33 "2000-11-09T14:44:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ArchiveGuy \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > You don’t know diddly. You can’t assume that all Nader votes would have went to Gore…they might just as likely been split equally between Gore and Bush > > Actually, several different polls a day or two before the election asked which candidate (if any) would Nader voters choose if they could not vote Green. The results were consistent, roughly: > > 20% Wouldn’t Vote > 20% Bush > 60% Gore > > Even if you threw in a 20 point margin-of-error (it was definitely not that large), you would still have over 1/3 of the Nader voters choose Gore, more than enough to put Gore over the top in FL. \*\* And several different polls a day or two before the election indicated that Bush was going to win the popularity vote. But Krispy is right either way, voting for Nader is like flushing your vote straight down the toilet. If Nader voters REALLY wanted Gore to win over Bush, they wouldn’t have been so blatantly stupid as to waste their vote on Nader, when they KNEW the election was going to be close. ---
**Author:** ![Some\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Some\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Some_Guy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/34 "2000-11-09T14:48:46Z")
Bah. You shouldn’t vote for Dick Gregory. You should vote for[Frank Zappa.](http://www.catalog.com/mrm/zappa/html/playboy93.html) I realize that he is, technically, dead, but that just means he couldn’t screw it up :p. ---
**Author:** ![pezpunk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@pezpunk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pezpunk)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/35 "2000-11-09T14:55:22Z")
The point here is that there are multiple candidates on the ballot for one reason…to be voted for. My views do not match up with Bush or Gore’s, it’s great that I have an alternative. That’s what makes America great (forgive my cliche sap-i-ness). If you think I’m an idiot for voting for Nader, that’s your opinion and my opinion is that you are a close minded idiot. How about if instead of voting some higher power just GAVE you a leader regardless of if you liked them or not? Would you like that better? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/36 "2000-11-09T15:39:23Z")
“Because people make decisions based on fear, AL Gore takes votes away from us. Look around the world. The U.S. is lagging behind in its democracy. ALmost every other so-called developed country has a multi-party system. Most other countries that have had monarchies have struggled to enfranchise their people. People in this country died for the right to vote, and you should honor that”. -Winona LaDuke(vice president of Ralph Nader) ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/37 "2000-11-09T16:24:13Z")
Oh, yeah, Nader is “integrity”…sure…this is a guy who treats his workers like shit, wont’ let them form a union, is an out and out hypocrite… Yeah, sure… ---
**Author:** ![BillyBoy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/34f0e0/32.png) [@BillyBoy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BillyBoy)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/38 "2000-11-09T17:05:12Z")
> [@](#): > > _from “So Long and Thanks for all the Fish” by Douglas Adams_ > > “It comes from a very ancient democracy, you see …” > > “You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?” > > “No,” said Ford, who by this time was a little more rational and coherent than he had been, having finally had the coffee forced down him, “nothing so simple. Nothing anything like so straightforward. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people.” > > “Odd,” said Arthur, “I thought you said it was a democracy.” > > “I did,” said Ford. “It is.” > > “So,” said Arthur, hoping he wasn’t sounding ridiculously obtuse, “why don’t people get rid of the lizards?” > > “It honestly doesn’t occur to them,” said Ford. “They’ve all got the vote, so they all pretty much assume that the government they’ve voted in more or less approximates to the government they want.” > > “You mean they actually vote for the lizards?” > > “Oh yes,” said Ford with a shrug, “of course.” > > “But,” said Arthur, going for the big one again, “why?” > > “Because if they didn’t vote for a lizard,” said Ford, “the wrong lizard might get in. Got any gin?” ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/39 "2000-11-09T18:19:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RTA \* > \*\*And sure, like the more sensible of you, I am a bit out of sorts that it looks like the frat boy retard might win. > > \\*\* You know, I don’t necessarily agree with you. But that’s not what I wanted to respond to. You’re entitled to your opinion, no matter how wrong and/or misguided it might be. But how _ **DARE** _ you use a PeeWee Herman quote in your sig and not give him proper credit?! ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336/40 "2000-11-09T18:27:26Z")
In a highly scientific poll conducted in my hallway, I have determined that if Al Gore and Ralph Nader had not been on the ballot, 91% of the voters would have voted for George Bush over Pat Buchanan. No wonder the Republicans are mad at the Gore supporters! Damn, he may have even cost them the election! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-was-a-fl-nader-voter/40336.md?page=3)