Why not vote for a minor party?

[RubySlippers]

Why don't any of you support voting ones conscience it seems to me one could vote for a Third Party, Libertarian Party or Green Party or hell one of the others and make a statement?

To me my vote is not for sale, I will not settle, sully my honor and my dignity as a voter by giving my vote to anyone I do not like. I will inform myself on all the candidates and parties out there with candidates and vote for whome I think will do the best job along with my values. For me that is the Libertarian Party save if Ron Paul the only Republican with a pair of big balls to stick to his guns gets nominated that is unlikely with the kind of voters we have. Sheep a bunch of sheep with no drive to choose who they think will do the best job from ALL the options that is all the parties.

Look at this from another side if 40% of the US people that can do not vote if they voted for Congress for another party or lets say two the Libertarian and Green Parties then the Congress would not have a two-party deadlock on anything. The Republicans and Democrats would have to share power with others to get anything done in a coalition fashion. Worst they would have a threat for President since the people that used to not care voted a revolution at the ballot box will one again kick these complacent "sows and the power teat" in their fat and prestigious asses.

I would like the American people to realized special interest lobbies and money cannot overcome the greater need of these people- the votes. Money if its in the system shouldn't buy votes rather the poor shoeless woman with the ballot in her hand casting the vote can destroy government and reshape it as they wish. I want the government leaders to once again learn they work for us, they need us and they should fear us for we can and will vote for someone else. You want to crush the special interest get the entire voting population that can to vote for someone, even if its a minor party, for every vote is a weapon against the system.

I know its a dream, a hope that is only a glimmer but its there, but seeing all the government is doing is scaring us and using fear to drive policy to stay in power, and that people in this country overall are sheep right now, its sad to say I'm an exception. But those that founded this nation and those that bled for it and those that stood in the past for Liberty demand of me I use my vote wisely and for who I choose to give it to. Even if that party cannot win its a vote not supporting those I don't like that is a statement in itself.

[Celestial Goblin]

I think the current two-party system is bad for USA.
That I admit.

I have no opinion on your original question, though. It's a hard decision.

In my country, I can vote for one of few parties(typically 5-6 viable parties each election) and my vote will have an impact, unless I'd vote for a fringe party that will get less than 5% votes.

[Humble Scribe]

No electoral system is perfect. Proportional representation has its fans, but the difficulty is that it tends to produce unstable coalition governments, disproportionately dominated by the last couple of minor parties you need to get onside to form a working majority. I must admit that the whole Electoral College thing seems pretty bizarre, likewise these endless Caucuses and Primaries that drag out your presidential election for over a year, but then I'm sure there are aspects of British democracy that look odd from outside. A two-party system (or three in our case - well, two and a half) is better than a one-party system at least.