OK, I'm in MI - leaning toward uncommitted. Should I vote for Romney instead?

[fujiyama]

OK, I viscerally just hate Romney. Something about him just disgusts me completely. I think it was the way he got elected as governor and just started bashing the state. Then there was the dog story. Oh and he just comes off as a sleazy con man.

But I get the feeling others also see the plastic manufactured corporate dummy I see. He's not nearly as likable as Huckabee or McCain.

So, would it make sense to vote for him, holding my nose and everything?

I have no interest in voting for Hillary, and I have no guarantee a vote for "uncommitted" will even count.

What would you do? Either way, I'm very angry about the way this has turned out. I think many Dems are pissed at being screwed like this.

[Barack_America]

1. It depends.

If you're supporting either Obama or Edwards, voting non-committed really does mean something for them, believe it or not.

It's really up to you. I understand the Romney hate thing, but I personally feel a little weird about tinkering in another party's election.

[Renew Deal]

37. Michigan Democrats for Romney ad (must see!!!)

Check this out...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=385&topic_id=83991&mesg_id=83991

[Radical Activist]

2. I'd vote Kucinich.

I'm an Obama supporter but if you're going to make a worthless protest vote anyway, why not tell the party you want it to be more liberal?

[babylonsister]

3. I don't know, but here's a take on voting for Romney:

http://alternet.org/blogs/peek/73526/#more

[The_Casual_Observer]

4. You made your point, do you really expect an answer?

"I have no interest in voting for Hillary"

[babylonsister]

5. Yes, it's a valid question, since no one the OP wants to vote for

is on the ticket. Michigan has been shut out.

[Barack_America]

6. Sometimes a vote against means as much as a vote for.

That's the point I was trying to make.

Basically, I'd vote uncommitted because Conyers and Levin are telling me to and my respect for them is so profound.

[fujiyama]

9. Ther reason I mentioned her

and not Kucinich or Gravel, is because she's likely going to win the majority anyways. At the same time, my vote is worth next to nothing.

So, I can do my part to help the weaker GOP candidate win, causing more turmoil in an already fragmented and chaotic primary process...

Or I can vote uncommitted, which may or may not have delegates go to the candidate of my choice.

So yes, I was expecting a serious suggestion as to how my vote would be more effective.

[Breeze54]

7. Uncommitted doesn't get counted. Vote Kucinich

You're not voting for a candidate. Your voting for delegates.

--------------

http://www.vote-smart.org/election_president_how_primary_works.php

Awarding the Delegates
(Back to Top)

The Democratic Party always uses a proportional method for awarding delegates. The percentage of delegates each candidate is awarded (or the number of undecided delegates) is representative of the mood of the caucus-goers or the number of primary votes for the candidate.

For example imagine a state with ten delegates and three candidates. If 60% of the people supported candidate X, 20% supported candidate Y, and 20% supported candidate Z, candidate X would receive six delegates and candidates Y and Z would each receive two delegates.

The Republican Party, unlike the Democratic Party, allows each state to decide whether to use the winner-take-all method or the proportional method. In the winner-take-all method the candidate whom the majority of caucus participants or voters support receives all the delegates for the state.

It is essential to remember that this is a general guide and that the primary system differs significantly from state to state. The best way to find information about your state is to contact your state Board of Elections (mystate_government_resources.php) http://www.vote-smart.org/mystate_government_resources.php

[Barack_America]

10. That's not entirely true. There is talk that if there are...

enough uncommitted votes that they might be sent to the convention as super-delegates.

[Breeze54]

13. Uncommitted means the delegates can vote for whomever THEY choose.

You will have no say.

[Anouka]

16. Ouch.

I'd vote for Kucinich in that case.... ABC.
Who else is still on there -- Gravel? Even Gravel.
Is Dodd still in? Even Dodd.

ABC.

[Breeze54]

19. Dodd has dropped out of the race- Vote Kucinich in Michigan!

Here's an excellent article from Detroit re: Dennis in Michigan!!

QUOTE:

"There are four candidates on the Democratic ballot in Michigan: Clinton, Kucinich, Christopher Dodd and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel. Gravel lacks the record to merit support and Dodd has dropped out. And write-in votes won't be counted.

So that leaves Dennis and Hillary. Or you can mark your ballot "uncommitted."

The way News Hits sees it, this is a perfect opportunity for progressives in Michigan to make
a statement without taking any risk. And the way to do that is to vote for Kucinich.

He — not Clinton — is the one who opposed our disastrous invasion of Iraq from the outset. Clinton can claim she was conned by the Bush administration's deceptions, but Kucinich was exposed to the same smoke and saw through it.

Kucinich — not Clinton — is the one calling for immediate troop withdrawal. And he's the one seeking the impeachment of George Bush and Dick Cheney, demanding that they be held accountable for the damage they've done to this country and its Constitution.

Kucinich — not Clinton — is the one proposing a single-payer, government-run health care system similar to those in place in every other industrialized nation.

Clinton, falling in her husband's footsteps, is a triangulator, looking to stake out territory in between the left and the right to get elected. And you get the sense she doesn't make a decision until after she's held her finger up to see which way the political winds are blowing.

Kucinich is a populist to his core, and is uncompromising in those beliefs. And he's proved he's willing to pay the price of adhering to those beliefs. (You can find an excellent profile of Kucinich by writer Scott Raab in the November issue of Esquire magazine.)

There's a reason he was voted the chair of the House of Representative's Progressive Caucus. Over the years, he has been unwavering in his commitment to peace, human rights, workers rights, economic justice and the environment.

So here's your chance to make a statement. If you are a liberal, and want to make a statement about the type of positions we want to see November's candidate take, your vote Tuesday won't be wasted.
And the best part is, there's nothing to lose.

read article: http://www.metrotimes.com/editorial/story.asp?id=12305

[sandnsea]

8. Read MadFloridian's journal

If you support Howard Dean, vote uncommitted. If you support manipulations of the election, vote some other way.

[Kucinich4America]

15. Howard Dean isn't running.

If he was, I'd be voting for him.

Dennis Kucinich is on the ballot, and he needs to win Michigan to keep the DLC and the Whore Media from forcing this into a two-person, corporate controlled race. Dennis wins Michigan, and a real primary contest continues, even though the Michigan delegate issue might not be resolved until Denver (i.e. the DLC would fight tooth and nail FOR Hillary delegates but just as hard AGAINST Kucinich delegates, being the hypocrites that they are.)

Dean can't come out and say he doesn't want a Hillary coronation, but let's look at it logically...... You think he wants all his hard work in rebuilding this party flushed down the toilet by the likes of Terry McUseless or Harold Ford (likely Hillary puppets for DNC chair, if she were elected). So a Kucinich win in Michigan IS a win for Howard Dean and the 50 state strategy.

[sandnsea]

18. Voting uncommitted supports Howard Dean

Barack Obama is not a corporate controlled candidate. If Dennis Kucinich were winning, HE would have millions of dollars of donations. Stop listening to campaign hype and go look at his record in Illinois. He has stood by the people at least as much as Dennis has, if not more.

[Kucinich4America]

21. You don't find it at all troubling that Al From & Harold Ford like him so much?

I tried to like Obama. I truly did. I have friends who love the guy. But for all his talk about "unity" he only seems to be reaching out in one direction - to the extreme right. And they're reaching back. Of the recent endorsements Obama racked up, Kerry is the only one who wasn't a DINO, at least from the ones I saw.

John Edwards seems to be running the other direction from the DLC, as Al Gore did. Maybe you have to be the victim of the DLC taking a dive in the election before you can see them for who they are?

If that's the case, Barack might be a better candidate in 2016 after they throw this one (or coronate Hillary. as if there were a difference) But do you really want to live through another 8 years of neocon fascism to find out? I don't.

[sandnsea]

27. I think it's a political strategy

Hillary's supporters have been saying she and Obama are exactly the same for months now. It's been effective.

The differences are in the details. He passed ethics reform and doesn't take money from pacs and lobbyists. It has been reported that she was yelling at Russ Feingold over McCain-Feingold legislation, telling him to grow up.

His economic stimulus includes every person in the country, hers focuses on the mortgage industry.

Her health care plan relies on end of the year tax credits, his relies on current subsidies.

He provides a refundable $4,000 tax credit, applied for by checking a box on your tax form - she offers another vague tax credit like the Hope credit that hasn't helped at all.

It's the details that matter. He does things differently, he passes real packages that help real working people. Hillary just doesn't know we exist. In her world, there's Gates rich, welfare poor, and the professional middle class. She doesn't know what helps the professional middle class doesn't do beans for working people. Obama knows the difference. Like Michelle says, they aren't that far from normal.

[sandnsea]

28. Oh, and Ned Lamont ain't exactly a DINO either n/t

[UrbScotty]

11. I voted Uncommitted (absentee)

I saw a poll that said 33% of Michigan Dems were planning to vote Uncommitted.

So long as Uncommitted gets 15% of the vote, it will count toward sending delegates to Denver (IF delegates are seated in the end - which they expect will happen).

[fujiyama]

12. Ah OK

Well in that case "uncommitted" it is.

[mojowork_n]

14. Romney's an android, but he still talks better than The Chimp.

If he actually got elected (after the Dem candidate gets the Howard Dean treatment in the mainstream media?), you'd really feel awful.

[Occam Bandage]

17. Vote Romney. McCain can beat us; Mitt can't.

[Byronic]

20. God no!

'Tactical' voting can often come back and bite you.

Plus, the one time I voted tactically, it made me feel dirty, and kinda empty inside. I don't think Universal Suffrage was really designed for such things.

Plus, think of Mitt Romney's poor dog strapped to the roof rack.

Nah! Mutts against Mitt!

Vote Kucinich, or uncommitted.

[Didereaux]

22. it's underhanded politics....but you make a strong case and I think I would do the same. Why not!

[Byronic]

23. Because......

in years to come, you will wake in the dead of night in a cold sweat. Eyes bulging, haunted by night terrors. It will be a black spot that can never be erased. Small children will run away from you in the street. People will cross the road to avoid you. Old peasant women (possibly carrying turnips) will make the sign of the cross and clutch their crucifixes to their chest if you cross their path.

Why?

Because of the dark secret. A secret worse than Dorian Gray's painting in the attic. A dark stain on, perhaps, an otherwise impeccable voting record.

As you pass in the street, one man whispers to the other,...."He voted for Romney".

And somewhere a dog howls.......

[Didereaux]

25. chuckle

[livvy]

26. ...and somewhere a dog howls..... Very funny, Byronic.

Love the turnip part, too.

:rofl:

[musicblind]

24. romney

I know it sounds awful, and dirty... but I'd kinda encourage you to vote for Romney. I think he would be much easier for us to beat. I fear we may lose to McCain :(

It could be close between the two, depending on which poll you look at.

But don't let me or anyone hear decide your vote. if you want to vote uncommitted then do so. :)

[Adelante]

29. I would vote Kucinich nt

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

30. Michigan here too, I'm voting Kucinich. nt

[Diamonique]

31. Michigan here. I'm voting uncommitted

If you don't want to vote uncommitted, why not go for Kucinich?

Me.. I just can't bring myself to ask for a Republican ballot. Lightning might strike me down. LOL!

[rox63]

32. Whatever you do, please don't vote for Romney

I lived under a Romney regime for 4 years here in MA. He is scarier than he looks, and that's already pretty darn scary. :scared: He lied well enough to win in what's arguably the bluest state in the country. We know what sort of evil scum he is. It is possible he could fool enough people in other parts of the country to win. And I don't want to give him even the slightest chance of making it to the WH. Even the MA Republican party despises him now. He left their party in flaming ruins when he left office here.

[Byronic]

38. And there speaketh

the voice of reason.

[skipos]

33. I am voting UNCOMMITTED. Edwards, Obama, Richardson, Biden supporters should do the same.

I'd feel pretty bad if I voted for Romney and he won in November.
Rep Conyers (D) is voting uncommitted, and pledges to work with the Dem party to make sure the uncommitted delegates got to the convention truly uncommitted.

[Vinca]

34. Should you vote for Romney?????? Is this a "gotcha" or are

you on the wrong site or what???? When ole Mitt gets up there with his pasted on smile and talks about his success in business, he fails to mention his fortune was made by buying companies in order to eliminate all the jobs and sell them off in pieces. When he brags about his healthcare program, he fails to mention the people who moved into southern New Hampshire because the premiums doubled before it went into effect. If you look "phoney" up in the dictionary, you'll find a picture of Willard next to it.

[AP]

35. Write in Edwards.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

39. The MI forum folks say that will not work,

The vote will not register. If he was on it, I'd be damn hard pressed to decide between him and Kucinich.

[MichiganVote]

41. Write in's are not allowed unless a candidate signed on for it. Edwards did not.

[Renew Deal]

36. There's two lines of thought in this.

Vote Uncommitted if you want michigan to get delegates at the convention.

Vote for Romney if you want to fuck the republicans. http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/1/10/2713/87225/55/434206

If you really hate Romney, vote uncommitted.

[MichiganVote]

42. Uncommitted delegates do not mean that they will be seated at the DNC convention.

Nor does it mean that they will be counted. The DNC went above and beyond their "rules" in this situation.

[DesertRat]

40. Vote for Kucinich!