OK, I'm going to say it and I'm not pulling any punches, rational intelligent people vote based on issues that are important to them, sycophantic jerks blindly vote for their party's candidate!  If the previous statement seems rather harsh, it's because of some of the nonsense emanating from many of the more fanatical Obama supporters on the social media over the past few days.  They have been jumping on any progressive who states that he or she is voting for a third party candidate in 2012 with the accusation that said progressive is dividing the vote for Obama. 

Back in 2008, every progressive that voted for Obama, myself included, did so based on his bold campaign promises and soaring speeches.  In other words, we voted for the ideals that he stated in his promises and speeches.  Obviously, he didn't deliver on most of his promises, he compromised with the Republicans, even in the first few months of his Presidency when the Democrats had a clear majority and he had the momentum of winning the election.  To make matters worse, he continued many of the Bush policies that most of us strongly oppose.

 My philosophy is, if an elected isn't going to do anything for me, he or she had damn well better not do anything to me.  In my humble opinion Obama's support of "free" trade agreements makes him almost as unacceptable a candidate for President as the clowns that the Republicans are fielding.  My choice is none of the above because in the spirit of 2008, I will be voting for issues, not parties and will be looking for a candidate who truly represents those issues!