My good friend b1-66er wrote this post about how he’s decided to vote. Please go read it, then compare your thinking to his, and mine - I started this as an email to him, but I’ve decided to post it here in case any of the other four of you who read this are thinking along the same lines.

Hey sir,

I read your post about why Obama has lost your vote, and I wholeheartedly agree with all of your complaints. However, you do live in a swing state, and your vote does count for something, so I’m asking you to this about this differently.

The question you’re answering with your vote isn’t “does Obama deserve another term?” but “Who would be better to run things for the next four years?,” and Obama and Romney are the only two available choices at this point.

Please set aside your (valid! correct!) feelings about Obama’s sickening and shameful performance on this issue and vote for him anyway, because the alternative is so much worse: I truly believe that Romney would take us further back to darker ages on many issues, including this one, but also women’s rights, gay rights, poverty and the social safety net, strategies for the economy and job creation, taxation, foreign policy, … nearly all the issues I can think of. There’s also the matter of the two Supremes likely to be appointed next term.

Then, after the election, maybe take a stronger role with one of the groups fighting the administration over Obama’s failures: possibly even less meaningful than your specific vote, I know.

But don’t think that voting for the wrong guy (or not voting at all) out of spite would have the effect you want - that seems like a great way to have your vote mean even less.

Yer pal, …stearno