Political ethics question

[J_V]

Is it ethical, in a humanitarian sense, to vote in a completely self-serving manner?

EG:
If you are rich, is that enough reason to vote for the most conservative Republican candidate?

If you are on welfare, is that enough reason to vote democratic?

Are you not obliged to subscribe to something a tad more utilitarian?

I await your (straightforward) answers.

[Wake up CALL]

If not self serving why would you even bother to vote? Only liberals act like they care about helping others when all they really want is to control others. Even their facade of non self serving acts are in fact self serving.

Vote early, vote often, vote selflishly! [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[superleeds]

You should vote for the person/party whom you feel will improve your overall quality of life. And not just as an immediate fix but as a long term propersition. If you don't, you probably cheat at patience and therefore have no ethics [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[benfranklin]

[ QUOTE ]
If you don't, you probably cheat at patience and therefore have no ethics [img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

We don't have patience in the US. [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[adios]

[ QUOTE ]
If you are rich, is that enough reason to vote for the most conservative Republican candidate?

[/ QUOTE ]

Without question almost all the time in the U.S. If you as an individual feel the need to help the plight of the disenfranchised do it through a contribution to the appropriate charity or set up your own foundation. Warren Buffet is leaving all his money to charity when he dies and as I've posted before his children lead ordinary for the most part middle class existence. Bill Gates has set up his own foundation and contributed over $17 billion to it. Why not direct the money to the causes that you feel are worthwhile than giving it away in taxes to the government to do whatever they want to do with it?

[ QUOTE ]
If you are on welfare, is that enough reason to vote democratic?

[/ QUOTE ]

Do you really have much choice? If you're faced with the prospect of someone increasing your government handout and you're dependent on that handout and the choice is between someone who wants to increase your handout and someone who wants to maintain it or decrease it who are you going to vote for?

[ QUOTE ]
Are you not obliged to subscribe to something a tad more utilitarian?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes if there was a clear cut choice between someone wanted to restrict your freedom drastically and someone who only wanted to take money out of your pocket then yes I'd vote for the guy who wanted to take money out of my pocket. Sans that choice I dont' think so. You could say that perhaps foreign policy considerations might apply and national defense considerations might apply but to me they have something to do with your well being.

[J_V]

I like your answer, adios. Somehow, you never let me down.

One question though, if you everyone is voting self-servingly, why do people mask it? Why are people ashamed to say, "I'm voting Republican because I'm loaded"?

Also, you would think issues like stem-cell research or AIDS funding would take a back burner (maybe they do, I hardly follow mainstream politics) to issues more relevant to Americans if everyone voted self-servingly.

Growing up, I always thought people voted to do the greatest good for the greatest many. The older I get, the less I feel that anyone is aiming for any type of fairness or equality. Seems sort've depressing and selfish to vote solely for one's own benefit.

[Kurn, son of Mogh]

The is precisely zero immorality in self-interest as long as you don't initiate force or fraud against others.

[Glenn]

"Seems sort've depressing and selfish to vote solely for one's own benefit."

WUSS!

[Philuva]

This supposes that money is the most important decision factor in voting. Of course everyone votes selfishly. To me, I would like a small gov't and pay less taxes, but social issues are more important to me. Therefore I would never vote for a Republican because of their alliance with the Christian Right. I am voting selfishly, or what is in my best interest, it just happens that money is not my first priority.

As an aside, can we please put to rest the idea that Republicans are for small gov'ts?

[Dominic]

I'm not sure who first espoused this theory, but I'm sure somebody out there will enlighten me:

it goes like this:

If everyone acts in a purely self-serving manner (inlcluding voting), then that IS best for the common good, in the long run.

Problem is, I don't remember WHY that's the case...

[img]/images/graemlins/crazy.gif[/img]