What would it take for you to vote for the other guy?

I'm planning on voting for Gary Johnson on the Libertarian ticket. I don't live in a swing state. IL will go to Obama. My vote here is irrelevant. In order for me to vote for Obama the polls would have to show a serious risk of losing IL to Romney. In order for me to vote for Romney, hell has already frozen over.

Interesting.

A commitment to the following issues:

- The environment
- Alternative energy sources/ reducing dependence on oil
- Abortion rights
- Improving the prestige + pay + training for teachers (more support, more reasons for skilled people to become teachers)
- Improving educational opportunities for all kids
- Increasing taxes on the wealthiest (over $250,000)
- Gay rights
- Increasing governmental oversight (banks, etc.)
- Increasing governmental efficiency
- Reducing the deficit
- Health care

An avoidance of:

- Saber-rattling (especially re: Iran)
- Pandering to the loonies, whether they're on the left or right

I'm sure there's more, but that's my quick version.

I could vote for someone other than Obama, but not for Romney. Like McCain, I could have voted for the old Romney before he moved right. The guy who pushed healthcare and was a moderate might have been someone who could forge a centrist consensus. The guy who is calling for tax cuts, no healthcare, no immigration policy, no gay marriage, etc has nothing for me. At least he isn't telling me God told him he's right.

To vote for Romney I'd need a committment for a living wage for all Americans.

Rap

An error in the voting booth - that's about it.

Cycloptichorn

As I have no plan on critiquing replies or trying to convince anyone anything, let me say thanks for the honesty.

To vote for Obama, I would need the following (I think)...
-fix Obamacare so as not be an undo burden on business interests
-fire every lobbyist on his staff and remain true to his promise of not hiring political cronies
-Promise to fix the TSA
-Stop the OSHA madness of finding fineable problems with 100% of inspections. Instead make OSHA what it was intended for, to help keep businesses safe.
-Get rid of all the "Czars"
-Legalize marijuana and stop the spread of federal laws over reaching state laws on such matters.
-Vow to continue making government leaner
-Stop with the class warfare. Instead in villianizing the rich, help the poor. They need the help through more then handouts
-Propose a balanced budget every year for the remaining 4 years.
-Allow states to handle some of the immigration issues that each state faces.

I am sure there is some other stuff, but that is the list I came up with so far.

And if you're wondering why I can support a Gary Johnson (or McCain in the 2000 primaries) but not Romney in 2012 it's because I know what Johnson stands for. It's too late for Romney to convince me that he's anything but an empty suit.

The funny thing McG is that you don't hold your candidate to those same standards.

Mittens would have to support creating a US health care system similar to what they have in France or Germany. I would also insist he donate a tenth of his wealth to animal groups like the SPCA to make up for what he did to his dog.

You expect Romney to propose a balanced budget in year one? Really????

I agree with a number of your other points. Expecting a candidate to propose a balanced budget before they get your vote would mean you plan on staying home.

Romney would have to do the following to start with:

Agree to a mix of tax increases and budget cuts in order to balance the budget.
Come out in support of Gay marriage
come out in support of closing Guantanamo (including getting his party behind the idea)
Stop claiming that the rich paying taxes is "class warfare." It isn't. It's sound fiscal policy and has been as long as taxes have existed.
Agree to make cuts to the military


And....
Agree to release the last 10 years of his tax returns.

I had four years of Romney as my governor. After four years of being stuck with the duplicitous SOB I can't think of anything that would convince me to vote for him. And I think that goes for most of my state as well.

If Mit Romney agreed to kill the Bush era tax cuts to the rich; if he stated that he would stop the endless wars; if he embraced universal health care; if he denounced Palin and Limbaugh; if he in short embraced a liberal agenda - maybe.

re edgar: given his proven history of saying he believed in something and would do something, and shortly thereafter repudiating everything he'd said previously, I wouldn't believe a thing he promises. Maybe if he puts every penny, EVERY PENNY, he owns, and all his family owns, and all his future earnings in unbreakable escrow, to be used to reduce the national debt if he renegs, and someone plugs every conceivable loophoe he or his crew of lawyers could come up with to weasel out, THEN I might believe him. But even then I doubt it. Too much bad history already.

It would require proof to make me even consider believing him.

Unfortunately, the Republican party only seems to consist of rich people wanting lower taxes and social conservatives.

Romney seems to be pandering to both groups.

For him to win my vote he would have to break with those groups, and then I would have to trust that he was telling the truth.

I doubt either of those things will happen.

I'm with all these:

I copied them from Parados.

Romney would have to do the following to start with:

Agree to a mix of tax increases and budget cuts in order to balance the budget.
Come out in support of Gay marriage
come out in support of closing Guantanamo (including getting his party behind the idea)
Stop claiming that the rich paying taxes is "class warfare." It isn't. It's sound fiscal policy and has been as long as taxes have existed.
Agree to make cuts to the military


And....
Agree to release the last 10 years of his tax returns.

Then, I'd have to be hogtied, dragged up the stairs to the polling place, a gun placed in both of my ears and a knife held to the neck of an innocent child yanked from the passing crowd.

Joe(Where do I sign?)Nation

What would it take for me to vote for Romney? Million dollars in cash.

a lobotomy (that would probably hurt, so I'll forego it)