I still struggle to convince people (like my dear old sister) that I won't be throwing away my vote in November by checking the box (or actually completing the arrow) for Bob Barr.  So consider this to be another installment in my continuing series of "analogies you won't agree with for voting for a third party candidate".  I've already covered Voters as Battered Women (which as it turns out is not a popular analogy with women - I don't know why this surprised me), and Voting With the Goal of Not Encouraging Bad Behavior.  But can voting be an investment into the future?

The most common argument I hear when I tell people I'll be voting for a third party is very similar to how my sister commented to my last post on the topic:

The reality is that either McCain or Obama will win and if you don't care which one it is--then go ahead and vote for whomever. But....If you have issue with one of these two candidates being President for the next 4 maybe 8 years--then you are throwing away your vote. It's up to how you want to live for the forseeable future, and if you can live with the repercussions.

Sometimes it's just about the least of two evils, we gain more experience in this the older we get.

The problem as I see it is that most people don't like where either of the two major parties stand, but they see no choice in this election.  But, if I vote for a third party, and enough other people do, even if there is no likelyhood of success, then that has the possibility of changing elections in the future.  As John correctly points out:

The vote won't be wasted. If nothing else, my vote will help the Greens/Libertarians/Constitutional party retain ballot status here in Wisconsin. In these trouble times we need more options on the ballot not less. You're not against choice and open debate are are?

Your ability to automatically have a place on the ballot is tied to the number of votes you got in the last election.  Moreover, the larger percentage that can be won by a third party, the more likely that the two other major parties will have to change their views to fit that of an electorate which is becoming very quickly dissatisfied with their performance.

The two major parties simply don't fear us any more.  If you're always willing to vote for whatever douche bag or turd sandwich they happen to put up for a vote, they never will either.  I vote this November for a third party candidate, hoping that in the future more third parties will become viable, allowing my voting investement to grow.  It's a risky investment that might not pay off, but I'm willing to do it even though I know neither of the two parties will bail me out if it loses.  So its not about who gets elected this year, but who will potentially be available for election in the next term.