You know who REALLY pisses me off?

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

"Undecided" voters. Yeah. They seriously piss me off right about now. I mean, I haven't said word one to any of them in real life (I can't seem to find many in real life), but they still piss me off.

Why? Well, I could understand being undecided in 1988. I could understand even being a BIT undecided in 1992. 96? Eh, benefit of the doubt, Dole didn't seem too terribly evil. And in 2000, well, *I* thought the decision was easy just because I had chucklenuts as a governor and so I shuddered at the idea of him being president, but I was sure Gore would win handily, so I wasn't too worried about it.

But NOW???? Are you KIDDING ME with that? Do you live under a ROCK?

Here's my theory: most "undecided" voters are not actually undecided at all, but simply holding their cards close to their chest. One on another site actually told me I should be nicer to her, because you never know, she MIGHT vote for Kerry. This was after I KNEW, from other things I read that she wrote, that she is most likely voting for bush. What, I'm supposed to kiss your ass because there is a miniscule chance you'll vote for Kerry? I don't think so m'dear.

What gets my goat WORSE than people who are undecided or just claim to be are those who say they can't tell any real difference between Kerry and bush. That's enough to make me feel like I'm going to have a stroke, seriously.

[Shopaholic]

1. What was it that Bill Maher said?

Being undecided at this point is like being bisexual at 40--hurry up and pick a side!

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

2. ROFL

only Bill Maher would say something like that!

Hey bisexuals don't piss me off one bit. Their decision doesn't affect me, this does!

[Fleshdancer]

3. I'm with you...undecided voters make no sense to me right now

then again, I didn't like the undecided Democrats during the Primary either.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. Don't surrender control of your emotions to others

Moonbeam_Starlight wrote: "One on another site actually told me I should be nicer to her, because you never know, she MIGHT vote for Kerry. This was after I KNEW, from other things I read that she wrote, that she is most likely voting for bush. What, I'm supposed to kiss your ass"

Nobody said you had to, but I hope that you didn't kick her ass and that you were polite and respectful. You might be interacting with one person, but you are observed by many lurkers. Maintain your cool and you will convert more lurkers than the screaming OReilly wannabe Bushistas ever will.

[Vickers]

7. I'm sorry to disagree...if manners are determining votes, we are all

fucked.

I just can't imagine somebody boneheaded enough to vote for Georgie because somebody hurt their feeling on a goddam internet forum.

Simply put, they are toying with emotions.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

8. Well

you'll be happy to know it's a site you are pretty much expected to behave on, and I have a good reputation there, so I simply explained to her (in nice terms) why that comment rubbed me the wrong way. We actually ended up having a long conversation.

It pissed me off, all the same. And I do call it when I see it (manipulation). I knew darn well (and so does everyone there) she has no intention of voting for anyone but bush, but she CALLS herself an undecided voter.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

15. Oh, I can empathize with the emotions

Oh, I can empathize with the emotions. Sorry, I didn't get into that in my first reply. Just need to let go of them and wash them out. They don't help.

Let the opposition wind themselves up, with a little help from us. Then the contrast becomes starker and easier to see for even the most conflicted undecided voter.

Sounds like you handled it well.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

16. True I totally agree with what you said here

it does make the difference more apparent!!!

[Swamp Rat]

5. Geaux Kerry!!!

:kick:

[Skittles]

6. THEY PISS ME OFF TOO MOONBEAM

LET'S KICK THEIR ASSES

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

9. LOL

no, we need them.

I think THAT pisses me off more than anything. We can't kick their asses. They need to vote for Kerry. I guess I just can't understand, with these two guys being SO different, how you could possibly be undecided at this point.

[Skittles]

12. how about the ones who decide based on who visits their state?

I could not give a sh** if Kerry ever showed up in Texas.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

13. Don't look for him to, either

I know. Fortunately here in Tx the people voting for Kerry, for the most part, understand that he needs to spend his time and money in those swing states.

I say you go right ahead John! Focus on those states! We'll work hard here and get out the vote.

[Skittles]

20. ya, I understand that

it sure gets lonely being a Texas Dem sometimes. :)

[Bernardo de La Paz]

17. Turn down the hormones and choose your target

Skittles rants: "THEY PISS ME OFF TOO MOONBEAM, LET'S KICK THEIR ASSES"

Duh. If you were undecided and somebody kicked your ass, would you vote for them? If you were undecided and lurking and saw somebody kick your friend's ass, would you vote for them? I think not.

Kick the dirty trickster's asses, not the undecideds.

[sandnsea]

26. head thunkin' tour

I'm in! We'll just go around the country and waltz up to complete strangers and thunk them on the head and say "HEY! HEY!!! 1 million jobs created in four years is NOT good news! (thunk on head) Afghanistan is RUN BY WARLORDS!! (thunk thunk thunk) Chalabi, Bush's WMD intel guy, was an IRANIAN SPY! (thunk some more) What the hell do you mean YOU DON'T KNOW!!!

Yeah, let's do it!! :bounce:

[HFishbine]

10. Has it occured to any of the pollsters

That if these people are still undecided at this point, they may not be likely voters at all? If people are so torn at this point, are they going to vote for one candidate or another because of some hair-splitting, last-minute bit of minutae? Maybe undecideds are really unmotivated.

[Moonbeam_Starlight]

11. I agree

and people tend to forget a HELL of a lot of Americans don't vote at all. Many aren't registered to vote, some are and just don't bother, etc.

I think the number of truly undecided voters who ARE going to vote are very very very small.

Most people who are planning on voting already know exactly who they are voting for.

[Skittles]

14. I wasn't a voter until years ago when I read a letter from a WWII vet

in the newspaper, chastising those who didn't vote. He made me feel pretty bad and I have voted ever since.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

18. They may be small in number but the election may turn on small numbers

Perhaps you've heard of the 2000 election? Let me recap. The 2000 election turned on small numbers. Either 12,000 votes or 500 votes or 5-to-4 votes, depending on which electors you are counting.

[maxsolomon]

19. they're like OJ jurors

how out of it did you have to be to qualify to sit on that jury? ENTIRELY out of it.

[CaTeacher]

21. I have an aunt (who lives in

Ohio!!!) who is one of those swing voters. She always votes without fail--but she has been all over the board with her votes--republican, democratic, green, Perot.

For about 30 years, her ex-husband (a complete moron) used to be her main influence--he made all the decisions--now he has left her--and she has trouble making decisions for herself.

Unfortunately, whoever talks to her last--or whatever ad she has seen the most recently determines which way she is leaning at any particular moment. This year it is DRIVING ME CRAZY. I will do my best to make sure she does the right thing on election day though.

[sleepyhead]

22. OK, so call her

first thing in the morning on election day, so that your cheerful Democratic voice is the last thing she hears before voting. And subliminally remind her that she NEEDS to vote for Kerry.

[skygazer]

24. Give her a ride to the polls

[CaTeacher]

30. Unfortunately, I can't drive her to the polls-

California is a little far from Cleveland!

However--I normally call her weekly--and I plan to step it up before the election--calling as frequently as needed to make sure no other influences get into her head. That is the best I can do...

[Carni]

23. They piss me off too

We are at their fucking mercy (as a country) yet these are the morons that don't even pay enough attention to know what, or who, they are voting for until the last minute ...in short I agree they piss me off!

[TheRovingGourmet]

29. The Undecideds that I know have paid TOO much attention.

[ItsMyParty]

25. Politically moron neighbor has spoken more truth than everyone here

and in the politically informed world put together. She for months has said: "Stop bitching about Bush. Nothing he does or doesn't do is going to change one of his voters from voting for him. Nothing his voters bitch about Kerry is going to change the Kerry voters. And for the rest of the people...well, most don't give a shit and won't vote and the others come down to just a one day sale: if they feel good and hopeful the day before the election, they will vote Bush; if they feel on that day that their life is falling apart, they are hopeless, the country sucks, they will vote Kerry. I don't know why these windbags don't just spend all the goddamn money and tv ads on the "day before" and leave us all alone"!! Amen and Amen

[ContinentalOp]

27. Is there any demographic information on undecided voters?

I seriously don't understand who these people are. Are they simply uneducated? Apolitical? They think government runs like a high-school popularity contest? Where do they live and how old are they? And what finally closes the deal for them? A single soundbyte or who the pundits say is winning?

Or is the "undecided" vote more an issue of "I can't decide if I should vote Republican or Libertarian Ñ Green or Dem Ñ vote Natural Law or stay home and watch Survivor." rather than a Dem/Rep issue?

[TheRovingGourmet]

28. The most consistent thing I have seen here regarding the

Undecideds is that they deeply hate both candidates. I don't think even they know how they are going to vote until they get in the voting booth.

[Capn Sunshine]

31. Good news re undecideds

In our little Countywide straw poll, we have been speaking with over 40 ( ok, 43) "undecided" voters. Actual "swing" voters who voted for * last time.

Now granted this is California,, and we got fucked HARD by the boy king, but 40 of these folks are NOT voting for * this time around.

That's pretty interesting if you ask me.:toast:

[DemWitch]

32. Moonbeam... don't hold back... let us know how you really feel...

<nodding in agreement>

Wake the hell up 'Murica...