Have you ever voted against your own self-interest?

[Surrealistik]

Voting for any liberal/social democrat is typically against my self-interest tax wise, so yes, I do so routinely.

On the otherhand, from a longer term perspective (climate change, social stability, civil rights and freedoms, democratic integrity, etc), I suppose it can be argued that in balance, I vote in accordance with my interests.

 

[Van Basten]

Some of them are dumb, for sure, but there are many others who want to get through life without relying on the government, and I can respect that.

There's nothing wrong with getting help.

 

[Fiddytree]

Straight against my interests? Not consciously.

I have regularly voted for someone who can get my interests in a modest amount or who had the potential standing to get my interests moved forward in a modest amount rather than candidates who would have the stated position of giving me everything I wanted.

I tend to prefer rewarding good behavior than toss aside potential allies.

 

[AlbqOwl]

Have you ever voted against your own self-interest?

IOW, have you ever voted in such a way that was better for the overall good, but for which you personally might come out on the short end?

Intentionally voted, I mean.

I probably have at some time or another. One way I would vote against my own self interest is I would vote for the guy who would see that a flat tax was implemented. If that happened I would probably be paying something in taxes that I don't now have to pay. That is because a great number of that 50% of Americans who pay little or no federal income tax now would likely have to pay something. But I would vote for that because I think ALL Americans should have a dog in the fight when it comes to tax policy. The 50% of Americans who pay no income taxes should not have the power to vote for people who will decide how much the other half will pay. So since we all should be able to vote, we all should suffer the benefits and consequences resulting from who we vote for.

 

[Surrealistik]

Depending on what metric you use I fall in the top 2% of US income earners, though not quite in the top 1% (give me a couple more years).

And I voted for Bernie Sanders. So, yeah.

Likewise; my man.

 

[Mr Person]

Sure, plenty of times. More recently, C.Baker for governor of MA, even though he's a Republican who leans towards, but thankfully does not embrace, the notion that cutting spending necessarily (in the literal and philosophical sense) means cutting waste.

Interest: I'm paid a fraction of market rate to defend indigent criminal defendants on appeal and in other post-conviction matters. We're already strained to bursting, frayed at the edges....

 

[jet57]

Yep: 1980.

Jimmy Carter and Ted Kennedy had just raped the trucking industry and the Teamster's Union with the National Motor Carrier Act of 1980. So for our part, the Teamsters switched our support to Reagan. Well, of course I never voted for another Republican for executive office again.

 

[TurtleDude]

Depending on what metric you use I fall in the top 2% of US income earners, though not quite in the top 1% (give me a couple more years).

And I voted for Bernie Sanders. So, yeah.

Lots of very rich people think that socialism will make them richer

 

[TurtleDude]

Sure, plenty of times. More recently, C.Baker for governor of MA, even though he's a Republican who leans towards, but thankfully does not embrace, the notion that cutting spending necessarily (in the literal and philosophical sense) means cutting waste.

Interest: I'm paid a fraction of market rate to defend indigent criminal defendants on appeal and in other post-conviction matters. We're already strained to bursting, frayed at the edges....

do you do 2255 petitions in federal court?

 

[Risky Thicket]

Have you ever voted against your own self-interest?

IOW, have you ever voted in such a way that was better for the overall good, but for which you personally might come out on the short end?

Intentionally voted, I mean.

Well, yeah. If you vote you can't avoid it.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

Lots of very rich people think that socialism will make them richer

Perhaps, but I'm not one of them. That said, my reasons are still somewhat selfish. I just happen to think my overall quality of life is better when the people I share this rock with are healthy, housed, and educated. Though I prefer my socialism with a healthy dose of capitalism.

 

[TurtleDude]

Perhaps, but I'm not one of them. That said, my reasons are still somewhat selfish. I just happen to think my overall quality of life is better when the people I share this rock with are healthy, housed, and educated. Though I prefer my socialism with a healthy dose of capitalism.

its amazing how many of the fat cat uber wealthy support the death tax or a high progressive income tax rate. Mainly to prevent others from getting to their level

 

[chromium]

People who aren't overly boring or simplistic have interests that won't align perfectly with any candidate. If i'm looking for someone who represents me perfectly, i'll run for office myself. In addition, not everything has to revolve around my interests. I'm willing to pay a bit more in taxes so that kids aren't homeless, for example

I'm sure i have voted against my interests also in the sense that certain scenarios are very unlikely to occur, and the unforeseen can happen. How can we know based on bland hamster statements at the debates which candidate would most capably manage an unlikely crisis like cuban missiles? You're just making an educated guess really

 

[AGENT J]

Have you ever voted against your own self-interest?

IOW, have you ever voted in such a way that was better for the overall good, but for which you personally might come out on the short end?

Intentionally voted, I mean.

I'm not sure I really understand? I see them as the same. I mean I guess if there was a bill that said AGENT J gets 300K, any debts wiped and he can use any lands he wants I would vote against that LOL and "technically" i would be on the short end but I wouldn't see it that way if that makes sense . . .thats not my interest . . my interest is the group

I guess I have many times if you view it that way but I don't see it that way. Maybe I just can't come up with a scenario that makes me feel that way.

 

[chromium]

Of course. I do so in pretty much every election because nobody running is actually in my best interest.

you mean there's no conservative atheists on the ballot? I am shocked!

 

[chromium]

I just haven't voted yet, period.

well you should get on it! Good practice for fake ids in college

 

[Hawkeye10]

All the time, too often I think. When I lived at the Co-Op at Uni I did, in my marriage I for sure have, maybe some at the ballot box but because as a Zen Socialist when it comes to government I am mostly interested in how the candidate will do for the collective....... rather than how he/she/NonBinary will do for me..... I dont pay a lot of attention to that so I dont want to talk too much about it.

If that is OK.

 

[Surrealistik]

its amazing how many of the fat cat uber wealthy support the death tax or a high progressive income tax rate. Mainly to prevent others from getting to their level

Actually the opposite is true; though not 'uber wealthy' my view is that the more people who get to my level (or beyond) the better; I don't mind paying more tax (that I can handily afford without major compromises to my quality of life unlike the people I'm helping) so the poor and disadvantaged can have more equality of opportunity in terms of having access to better healthcare and education. I have no clue as to how a death tax or high progressive income tax benefits me; even with most of my income coming from capital gains (I also think that capital gains exemptions should go away with the exception of primary market investments that directly finance companies and enable their growth and investment), a high progressive income tax 'hurts' me more than a flat tax or other such alternative ever will.

 

[chromium]

I plan to. I will not vote for Hillary Clinton despite her promise of "free" college education- and I have children who could benefit from such a program.

Clinton's plan, however, is simply to raid the national Treasury and pass out massive quantities of "free" stuff to her supporters. This makes Greece II, the Sequel very likely to play in the USA.

oh god, i'm with you on that, despite being liberal. I did dual enrollment back in high school and saw too many undergrads with no intention of graduating or showing up to class. Throwing $20k/year at them would just be a waste. In fact, yes, college loans are a huge problem, but her 'solution' is crazy. Stop giving out loans, give out large grants to those with a lot of potential, most everyone else just needs to accept they aren't cut out for college

 

[chromium]

However, if Cankles wins I will never do so again.

As if you didn't say the same about obama the last two times. Not fooling anyone

 

[Hawkeye10]

oh god, i'm with you on that, despite being liberal. I did dual enrollment back in high school and saw too many undergrads with no intention of graduating or showing up to class. Throwing $20k/year at them would just be a waste. In fact, yes, college loans are a huge problem, but her 'solution' is crazy. Stop giving out loans, give out large grants to those with a lot of potential, most everyone else just needs to accept they aren't cut out for college

And we also need to get it through our heads that for most of the jobs we have we have (we have we have..come on, that's cute) no need for people to have had the 5-6 year "college experience" before we can reasonably expect that they should be able to do the job well, and if people what to do THE EXPERIENCE anyways then they need to pay for it. All of it.

We should shut down 40%-45% of the slots, and give the ones that survive to be best students, regardless of their genetics, because **** all that noise.

Seriously.

impdaddy:

 

[jet57]

Perhaps, but I'm not one of them. That said, my reasons are still somewhat selfish. I just happen to think my overall quality of life is better when the people I share this rock with are healthy, housed, and educated. Though I prefer my socialism with a healthy dose of capitalism.

How can people think that aid to the poor is socialism? The US has a very old history of government assistance, that was not tied to anything a monarchy would implement that would be considered socialism.

 

[Fishking]

I voted for, and monetarily supported, Ron Paul who would have shrunk our military interventionist ways which may have resulted in some kind of negative impact on me actually keeping a job.

 

[chromium]

And we also need to get it through our heads that for most of the jobs we have we have (we have we have..come on, that's cute) no need for people to have had the 5-6 year "college experience" before we can reasonably expect that they should be able to do the job well, and if people what to do THE EXPERIENCE anyways then they need to pay for it. All of it.

We should shut down 40%-45% of the slots, and give the ones that survive to be best students, regardless of their genetics, because **** all that noise.

Seriously.

impdaddy:

They do pay for it themselves, hence the loans in the $trillions. It needs to be gotten rid of because they don't know what's good for them. They take out a damn house worth of loans just to get away from their parents on basically a gamble it will pay off. The great mass who fail seriously depress the overall economy too because millions in their 20s-30s are spending their entire paycheck on loans to the fed. It is a boon to college administrators only, most of which produce very poor educational outcomes

I do think there is value aside from the job market in exposing the nation's youth to new cultures and ideas, but the price tag is so damn high any more, especially at commuter schools where less than 50% ever graduate.

 

[Hawkeye10]

They do pay for it themselves, hence the loans in the $trillions. It needs to be gotten rid of because they don't know what's good for them. They take out a damn house worth of loans just to get away from their parents on basically a gamble it will pay off. The great mass who fail seriously depress the overall economy too because millions in their 20s-30s are spending their entire paycheck on loans to the fed. It is a boon to college administrators only, most of which produce very poor educational outcomes

I do think there is value aside from the job market in exposing the nation's youth to new cultures and ideas, but the price tag is so damn high any more, especially at commuter schools where less than 50% ever graduate.

Taking a loan is not payment.

And even if they were to pay it back we still financed their getting a super low interest rate, we pay real money to let them do that, year after year after year.

You do know about this...