--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'd rather vote for something I want and…" description: "\"I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it.\" — Eugene V. Debs" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/eugene-v-debs-7814_choices_i-d-rather-vote-for-something-i-want-and_1629601.jpg" --- # I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than… ![“I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it.” quote by Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/eugene-v-debs-7814_choices_i-d-rather-vote-for-something-i-want-and_1629601.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/eugene-v-debs-7814_choices_i-d-rather-vote-for-something-i-want-and_1629601.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a11/eugene-v-debs-7814_choices_i-d-rather-vote-for-something-i-want-and_1629601.jpg) > “I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it.” [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a preferred option, even if unattainable, is better than accepting an undesirable outcome. **In simple terms:** Prefer what you want over what you fear. Key Takeaway Prioritize personal values in decisions. Themes politics choice integrity Mood determined reflective Type political ethical When to use this quote - voting - policy support - personal decision making - civic engagement Key Concepts democratic participation personal agency Questions to Reflect On - What values guide your political choices? - How do you balance idealism and practicality? A Different Perspective May lead to frustration if preferences are unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Democracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/democracy/) [Don Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/don-want/) [Election](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/election/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Political](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/political/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trump/) [Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote/) [Vote Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vote-want-470417/) [Voting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voting/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Want Vote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want-vote/) ## Related quotes > [It is better to vote for what you want and not get it than to vote for what you don't want and get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/it-is-better-to-vote-for-what-you-want-and-not-get-it-than-to-vote/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [I want everyone to vote. I want everyone to be a part of electing officials. Because when we are not a part, when we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clay-aiken/i-want-everyone-to-vote-i-want-everyone-to-be-a-part-of-electing/) [Clay Aiken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clay-aiken/) > [I want to step up our voter-registration activities. Not every branch does it, and not all the time. I want them to go back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-bond/i-want-to-step-up-our-voter-registration-activities-not-every-branch/) [Julian Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-bond/) > [I want people to vote, I want them to pay attention. I want them to get up and go and vote and care about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/i-want-people-to-vote-i-want-them-to-pay-attention-i-want-them-to-get/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [If Robert Heinlein is more to your taste than George Lucas: “If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-drum/if-robert-heinlein-is-more-to-your-taste-than-george-lucas-if-you-are/) [Kevin Drum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-drum/) > [Not voting is one of the worst things that could happen in our community. You can vote for whoever you want to, but choosing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otis-moss-iii/not-voting-is-one-of-the-worst-things-that-could-happen-in-our/) [Otis Moss III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otis-moss-iii/) > [ If that's the kind of person you want, vote for Hillary \[Clinton\], vote for \[Donald\] Trump - and you go to hell with both… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louis-farrakhan/if-that-s-the-kind-of-person-you-want-vote-for-hillary-clinton-vote/) [Louis Farrakhan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louis-farrakhan/) > [I have liberal friends. They are misguided, they are wrong. I disagree with them. I don't want them to vote. I want them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hannity/i-have-liberal-friends-they-are-misguided-they-are-wrong-i-disagree/) [Sean Hannity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hannity/) > [So few people vote these days, and I think it's partly because they don't feel like the institution really means anything to them. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-pahlka/so-few-people-vote-these-days-and-i-think-it-s-partly-because-they/) [Jennifer Pahlka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-pahlka/) > [A lot of people don't want to vote because they believe the negatives rather than the positives about the outcome of their decisions about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bushwick-bill/a-lot-of-people-don-t-want-to-vote-because-they-believe-the-negatives/) [Bushwick Bill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bushwick-bill/) > [“Ballot papers don’t determine who leads; they determine who takes which position. As to whether that person occupying the position will lead or will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/ballot-papers-don-t-determine-who-leads-they-determine-who-takes/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Who would vote for an incompetent President?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-magee/who-would-vote-for-an-incompetent-president/) [Steven Magee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-magee/) > [Even without voting, illegal aliens do affect who gets elected president, and that's since the Electoral College elects the president, and the states are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/even-without-voting-illegal-aliens-do-affect-who-gets-elected/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [“Pick a leader who will keep jobs in your country by offering companies incentives to hire only within their borders, not one who allows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/pick-a-leader-who-will-keep-jobs-in-your-country-by-offering/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [We live in America, thank God, and we have our choice to vote for who we want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marky-ramone/we-live-in-america-thank-god-and-we-have-our-choice-to-vote-for-who/) [Marky Ramone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marky-ramone/) ## More by Eugene V. Debs > [Too long have the workers of the world waited for some Moses to lead them out of bondage. I would not lead you out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/too-long-have-the-workers-of-the-world-waited-for-some-moses-to-lead/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [From the crown of my head to the soles of my feet I am Bolshevik, and proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/from-the-crown-of-my-head-to-the-soles-of-my-feet-i-am-bolshevik-and/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [“I left that church with rich and royal hatred of the priest as a person, and a loathing for the church as an institution,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-left-that-church-with-rich-and-royal-hatred-of-the-priest-as-a/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [“I have no country to fight for; my country is the earth; I am a citizen of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-have-no-country-to-fight-for-my-country-is-the-earth-i-am-a-citizen/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The class which has the power to rob upon a large scale has also the power to control the government and legalize their robbery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-class-which-has-the-power-to-rob-upon-a-large-scale-has-also-the/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Wherever capitalism appears, in pursuit of its mission of exploitation, there will Socialism, fertilized by misery, watered by tears, and vitalized by agitation be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/wherever-capitalism-appears-in-pursuit-of-its-mission-of-exploitation/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Intelligent discontent is the mainspring of civilization.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/intelligent-discontent-is-the-mainspring-of-civilization/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The Republican and Democratic parties, or, to be more exact, the Republican-Democratic party, represent the capitalist class in the class struggle. They are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-republican-and-democratic-parties-or-to-be-more-exact-the/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [I would rather a thousand times be a free soul in jail than to be a sycophant and coward in the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/i-would-rather-a-thousand-times-be-a-free-soul-in-jail-than-to-be-a/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The American people can have anything they want; the trouble is, they don't know what they want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-american-people-can-have-anything-they-want-the-trouble-is-they/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Capitalism needs and must have the prison to protect itself from the criminals it has created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/capitalism-needs-and-must-have-the-prison-to-protect-itself-from-the/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [“{Letter from Debbs to Eva Ingersoll, husband of Robert Ingersoll , just after the news of Robert's death} We were inexpressibly shocked to hear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/letter-from-debbs-to-eva-ingersoll-husband-of-robert-ingersoll-just/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism. I am for Socialism because I am for humanity. We have been cursed with the reign of gold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-issue-is-socialism-versus-capitalism-i-am-for-socialism-because-i/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [If you go to the city of Washington, you will find that almost all of those corporation lawyers and cowardly politicians, members of congress,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/if-you-go-to-the-city-of-washington-you-will-find-that-almost-all-of/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [The truth has always been dangerous to the rule of the rogue, the exploiter, the robber. So the truth must be supressed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/the-truth-has-always-been-dangerous-to-the-rule-of-the-rogue-the/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) [Explore all 87 Eugene V. Debs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) ## More Choices quotes > [Of all the people who have affected my life and influenced the choices I've made, none has been more important than my father. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teddy-atlas/of-all-the-people-who-have-affected-my-life-and-influenced-the/) [Teddy Atlas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teddy-atlas/) > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) [Alison James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-james/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [If you have a different mindset, you will have a different outcome: if you make different choices from your peers, your life will then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-ma/if-you-have-a-different-mindset-you-will-have-a-different-outcome-if/) [Jack Ma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-ma/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [Clarissa," he said, "here with the vampire, I see. When things have settled a bit, we really must discuss you choice in pets..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/clarissa-he-said-here-with-the-vampire-i-see-when-things-have-settled/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Change is inevitable but personal growth is a choice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/change-is-inevitable-but-personal-growth-is-a-choice/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [If you choose to draw from the inner well of free will, then you can make choices that are outside your current karmic patterns.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-choose-to-draw-from-the-inner-well-of-free-will-then-you-can/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Act always so as to increase the number of choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinz-von-foerster/act-always-so-as-to-increase-the-number-of-choices/) [Heinz von Foerster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinz-von-foerster/) > [Give me a platter of choice finnan haddie, freshly cooked in its bath of water and milk, add melted butter, a slice or two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-claiborne/give-me-a-platter-of-choice-finnan-haddie-freshly-cooked-in-its-bath/) [Craig Claiborne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-claiborne/) > [I don't know that any woman could ever not think about that at some point - even making the choice not to do it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-watts/i-don-t-know-that-any-woman-could-ever-not-think-about-that-at-some/) [Naomi Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-watts/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) [Browse all 11,466 Choices quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'd rather vote for something I want and not get it than vote for something I don't want, and get it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eugene V. 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