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Politics

Why Voting Independent Isn't A Wasted Vote

There seems to be only two choices in this elections, but I'm here to tell you that there are other options

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Why Voting Independent Isn't A Wasted Vote
The Sentinal

On November 8th, the United States will be electing a new president. As of right now, it looks as though the next president will either be Donald Trump or Hilary Clinton…neither of which seem very appealing. On one hand, the Republican Party has nominated Donald J. Trump who is known for his uniquely entertaining twitter feed, recent comments regarding David Duke, and his distinctive political platform which revolves around his mostly self-funded campaign. On the other hand, the Democratic Party has nominated Hillary Clinton who was recently indicted for her use of a “Private email server.” However, after an FBI investigation, her case was later dismissed without much explanation. Although seemingly qualified, Clinton and her husband have had many scandalous moments over the years.

Although it seems likely that one of these two awful individuals will be the next leader of the free world, there are a few other options available. My personal favorite is a man by the name of Gary Johnson. This former governor of New Mexico has done some incredible things in his lifetime. Johnson started his own business while in college to earn money, after landing a large contract his revenue increased to over $30 million. Johnson has climbed all seven of the seven tallest summits including Mount Everest and Mount Kilimanjaro. He has competed in several marathons, triathlons and other feats of physical strength. While all of this may seem like a plea to get you to cast your vote for Gary Johnson, it’s not. All I’m suggesting is that there are other options to consider. However, most people in the U.S. haven’t even heard of the other possibilities out there. Gary Johnson, along with Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party and Darrell Castle of the Constitution Party are all viable choices. Just because they may not be as well known, doesn’t mean that if you vote for them that you’ll be “Wasting your vote.” Time and time again after people hear that I’m voting for an independent nominee, I’m told that I might as well not vote because my vote is a waste. That’s bologna…

Don’t let me influence you, though. Do your research and get involved in our nation’s politics. There are more reasons not to vote for Trump and Hillary than there are reasons to vote for them. There’s too much information available today to let the media tell you who to vote for. If you take the time to research these other candidates, who knows? You might just fall in love with the idea of them becoming president. I know I did. After countless hours of youtube clips and news clippings, I found a candidate who I agree almost completely with. The likelihood is that you’ll never find someone who you 100% agree with on all the issues, but I bet you’ll be able to find someone you like a whole lot more than Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump. It’s at least worth a shot, isn’t it?

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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