>>>>>>>>>>Devil's advocate is your way of living ;-) I remember you saying you didn't vote for Obama and took it to mean you voted for McCain. Maybe you threw your vote away.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>C'mon Mike, everyone's vote is their own...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>I wasn't suggesting otherwise. It's just that voting for someone other than the two serious candidates is, in fact, throwing your vote away.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>Not if a majority does it, it isn't.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Good point. And when was the last time that happened?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I have my utopian moments but a change in our two party system isn't one of them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Why not?
>>>>>
>>>>>I didn't mean I dislike the idea. I just don't consider it at all likely. The two party system is deeply entrenched here.
>>>>
>>>>And I suppose it's likely to stay that way unless you change from a 'first past the post' voting system......
>>>
>>>First past the post?
>>
>>Where the guy with the most votes wins. Period. I think that tends to lead to a two-party system even when it didn't start out that way - based on the logic you mentioned earlier that voting for a middle-ground candidate is seen as a wasted vote.
>
>But that's the thing, Viv. Third party candidates are not even perceived as middle ground. They are perceived as fringe candidates.

Not true. That perception is only held by the media and those folks firmly entrenched in their own political party. :o)