Undecideds?

Off Topic Politics and World Issues
1

As difficult for it is to believe, there are still those who call themselves “undecided.”

I am curious to find out how one can be undecided at this late stage of the game. Also, the two candidates could not be further apart in the political spectrum. John Kerry is the most liberal democrat to run for President since George McGovern in 1972. President Bush on the other hand is the most conservative republican to hold the office since Ronald Reagen!

Why is it with such stark contrasts that there are still people undecided? Here’s my theory: If you are undecided at this point with two such sharply differing candidates, you are probably not going to vote.

Those who think that a large amount of voters who call themselves “undecided” will suddenly and spectacularly make up their mind on election eve, and rush off to vote for their candidate are going to be disapointed.

I tend to devalue those who call themselves “undecided” after three debates lasting a total of four and one half hours. In fact, I think that there should be only two debates next time around. Was it me, or did we hear pretty much the same issues popping up during these debates, with pretty much the same stock answers: :Kerry: “Bush gives tax cuts to the rich. He rushed us into war” Bush: “Kerry is a flip-flopping big spending liberal.” Okay…even someone who enjoys politics as much as I do grew a little sick of the redundancy. And there are still those who can’t make up their mind? PULEASE!

I would much rather call this group “the clueless.” And the clueless, I think will be staying home, for the most part,on election day.

Any other thoughts on this?

2

I think some folks are just relishing all the attention they get for being undecided – all of a sudden everyone cares about them.

The thing about those who are truly undecided is that they are also the least likely to vote. This is especially true of those who are undecided mostly because they are uninformed, rather than because they are indecisive.

3

[quote]BostonBarrister wrote:
I think some folks are just relishing all the attention they get for being undecided – all of a sudden everyone cares about them.
[/quote]

Exactly.

Of course, listening to Kerry’s rhetoric, one might be led to think that he is an undecided himself.

You can be undecided on what kind of car to buy, or exactly when your going to buy it. But to be undecided on something as polarized as a presidential election - it’s just an attention grab.

4

Agreed.

The more I read about ‘undecideds’ reacting the final debate, I just have to wonder why they are so flimsy-minded.

I have nothing against the independent voter. But at this stage of the race, anyone - left, right, or center - who hasn’t made up their minds on their vote is someone who is uninformed and not worth of an interview.

This election has so many important considerations - war and peace, the looming Baby Boom pension crisis, the possible appointment of a Supreme Court justice or two - I can’t possibly see how someone can honestly be so non-commital with roughly three weeks left.

5

ZEB I think you are right. I bet the undecideds are not deciding between Kerry and Bush but between Bush and not voting or Kerry and not voting.