Magic Thinking and Politics

Assuming some one like is someone just like you because you like them is a little silly. In the discussion of this editorial cartoon on Ted Rall's site there is this observation by Thomas Daulton.

Geez, this is sooo sooo true, (plus a Trek reference to boot! Thanks ! !)

However, it wasn't just 1992 when that happened. Even as late as 2000, when I posted stuff on my website about how Al Gore was proposing a larger military budget and more Star Wars than George Bush, people would write me and say (and I quote) "He'll drop all those things once he gets into office, he's only saying that to fool the hicks in the South, you have to read between the lines."

Sorry, Aggie Dude, I think it might actually be more intelligent to vote for [or against] a candidate because "you know where he stands" rather than voting for him because you fantasize that he agrees with you. At least it's realistic. I think, I hope, I pray, that the last eight years of unresponsiveness on the part of the Democrats has really taught people a lesson: when a candidate expresses support for something, {like, say, telecom immunity or bombing Iran}, -- even conditional support -- then what it means is that they support it. So if you do not support that idea, and the idea is important enough to you, then you might consider voting for someone else, or else the policy you disfavor is likely to pass with the help of your vote.

Corollary: if you think your favorite candidate is lying or exaggerating or otherwise misleading voters with his statements, and that you know his "true" stance, well the odds are better than even that you are the one being deceived, not the other voters.