What does the question mean?
Is it a decision between Romney and Obama for me? No.
Is it a decision between Obama and someone else, more than likely Green Party candidate Jill Stein? Yes.
Why is this decision so difficult?
In my head, and sometimes out loud, I go back and forth between voting for Obama or voting for another, more Liberal candidate. The more Liberal candidate would be Jill Stein of the Green Party.
Why not Obama? Because I am to the left of Obama and I disagree with many things he has done, and not done.
Why Obama? Because I wonder if I am giving a vote, or half a vote, to Romney if I vote for someone else. Because I dislike Romney, and Ryan, a whole lot.
I live in MN, which should go for Obama. So does my vote for Obama "matter"? Do I vote for Stein, because I agree with more of her positions, even though she will not get elected?
I listen to Sam Seder on The Majority Report (majority.fm) everyday. I think, everyday he gives good reasons to not vote for Obama, but he also gives reasons why LiberalsProgressive should vote for Obama. I will not take the time to go over everything that Sam has gone over on The Majority Report. To summarize, one reason is that we don't want Romney-Ryan in the White House, as a general reason. Of course I agree with this. Two, there might need to be Supreme Court picks and Obama would be much better than Romney. I agree with this. Also, we should try to change the Democratic Party by electing Democrats and pushing them to be more Liberal, or elect more Liberal Democrats, not trying to elect 3rd parties that will not get elected, take away votes from Democrats, and result in Conservatives winning. I may not have his views expressed accurately, but I think I am close enough for a short summary.
Interestingly, listening to him has gotten me to think more about voting 3rd party, not less.
Also, reading this interview, link below, between John Cusack and Jonathan Turley put into perspectives a lot of the issues I have with Obama. Before reading this interview, I was more or less aware of a lot of the issues, putting it mildly, with Obama's foreign policy, and abuse of the Constitution, and how bad they are, but I think this is one piece that underscores the issues
http://www.voicesonthesquare.com/...
The problem with Conservatives, that I see, is that they vote for someone, and for the most part, try to defend all of that elected officials positions. Whether it is idiological or that they do not want to seem like they made a bad decision. They seem to think that the person they vote for is infalliable, and they will defend that person all the way. I don't feel this way about any elected official, so I have no problem not defending all positions of someone I vote for, or not agreeing with all thier positions, in fact, I have no problem disliking, or critizing, some of thier positions. I think Conservatives have a problem with this sometimes. They don't understand shades of gray. I think that is why Liberals and Progressives get labeled as "weak" when we are actually thoughtful and take a nuanced view of the world.
So, I am a pragmatist and vote for Obama and work, and hope, that the Democratic Party moves more Left?
Or, do I vote with heart, and head, for Jill Stein, even though that vote probably will not "matter" in the end?