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I am curious what everyone thinks of the current crop of presidential hopefuls. Currently I like Ron Paul, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, and Mike Gravel. I like each of them for different reasons but most of all because they are willing at least in part to stand up to the bullshit talking points and speak about the issues that they think are really important. I especially respect Ron Paul standing up at the last republican debate and showing the rest of the candidates up there how a true leader tells it like it is.
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We'll fuck standing and we'll fuck then lying, if they had wings we'll fuck them flying, when they are dead and long forgotten we'll dig them up and fuck them rotten.
Originally posted by auto-de-fe -
On the Democrat side, I am 100% for Barack Obama. I have some specific questions about policy that I'd like answered, but I think he's a fresh approach and is a fantastic speaker. His charisma and his philosophies are really in agreement with the way I'd like our country to be viewed. I think Hillary would be a good president, though I fear she is more polarizing than unifying at this point. And I'd love it if Al Gore threw his hat into the match as well.
On the Republican side, Ron Paul would be a fantastic option. It's a pity that he has to make it through the primaries, which are over saturated with incredibly religious voters. My only concern with Paul is part of his philosophy. I think public programs like Welfare, food stamps, etc. are fantastic services that we should be proud of, and that it is the government's duty to serve the public interest and support shared responsibility in our society. Similarly, though, it would be great to have a president that would end the useless drug war and legalize marijuana to help out minority populations in a huge way. That being said, I feel like the GOP has TOO vast of a selection.. no one is going to want Romney because he's a Mormon (except for Mormons and Christians who don't care). Similarly, while he did a fantastic job in control of New York after 9/11, Guiliani clearly has no idea what he's talking about when it comes to... well, almost everything. I used to really respect McCain for his values and his confidence in the face of adversity in the ranks of his own party, but he's clearly cut his more centrist corners to cater to the Bush base which is a pity. Plus the fact that he'll be so old at the time of inauguration (72) isn't so great either.Originally posted by GnomadOriginally posted by auto-de-fe -
McCain has sold his sole in the hopes of getting bush's fund raising capabilities. Gulliani's post 9/11 heroics is a media created myth, the only thing he did was look good in front of the camera. Obama doesn't take a real stand on much, he waits to see how the political wind blows before he comes out with his side, the same with Hillary. I agree Obama is a gifted speaker and he might be just doing what he feels he needs to to get elected but I want someone that oozes leadership quality, not someone who might be a good leader but will not show it because he/she wants to appeal to as many people as possible.sigpic
We'll fuck standing and we'll fuck then lying, if they had wings we'll fuck them flying, when they are dead and long forgotten we'll dig them up and fuck them rotten.
Originally posted by auto-de-feComment
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Read his book, study his history. Obama has a proven record in Illinois for making positive changes and effectively helping out the population. He doesn't try to appeal to as many people as possible, but he DOES phrase his arguments so that people on the opposing side with recognize that he doesn't use hateful words or useless bickering to get his point across (pretty much the opposite of the current administration). As far as him not taking a real stand.. what issue are you concerned about that he hasn't taken a stand on? Just the other day he rolled out the details of his universal health care plan, and he's never gone back on his word on any policy.Originally posted by BuddyGoodness
Part of the reason Obama doesn't jump to any conclusion - and why other politicians seem to have such clear-cut agendas while his doesn't seem so clear - is because of his philisophical approach to politics. He knows what he values and stands for - freedom, equality, personal responsbility coupled with shared social responsibility, etc. But he manages to listen to both sides of an argument before agreeing on any solution. Other politicians know who pays their bills - that is, the industries or lobbies that support them - and thus are already bias against certain ideas, such as Bush being against the Kyoto protocols no matter what even though now he's going off on his little "global summit on climate change" deal.
Really, I would recommend reading a lot more on him. The image of Obama as a public figure with a lot of vocabulary and not much experience or values is a false image. The man taught law at Harvard for years, essentially transformed the inner city of Chicago, and has as much experience going into this campaign as Lincoln did. Not too bad of a historical precedent, if you ask me.Originally posted by GnomadOriginally posted by auto-de-feComment
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I still support Ralph Nader and hope that the Green Party backs him in this election, instead of backing away under pressure from the Democrats.Comment
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Well in that sense I hope that anyone who wants to run does. Nader DOES deserve a fair shot, regardless of how much idiots want to complain about him.Originally posted by GnomadOriginally posted by auto-de-feComment
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What ends up happening, and it's the reason we will need major reform in order to break from the two party system, is that even people that support a 3rd party for president, many will not vote for them because they view it as throwing away a vote. If Nader has 10% of the population that supports him, all 10% knows that he is not going to win, so half of them (or more) don't vote and the support looks a lot worse than it actually is. People seem to think that their vote only counts if who they voted for wins... but if we can get a few other parties to get 5% of the popular vote, they get federal money to support their next presidential election.Comment
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i've been really slacking on getting info on candidates . . . but ars, i definitely agree with you on reforming the two party system . . . it's been said a million times, and it will be said a million more, but we are handed two exremely similar options seperated by a handful of "key" issues and it doesn't really do anything to advance our nation.Originally posted by kata rokkarComment
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I'm going to vote for me. I think I know exactly what I want to happen in the next few years, and I think I've got what it takes to usher this country into a new era. I really respect myself and not only that, but I think I'm quite an attractive man. If I were gay, I would sleep with myself. I'm smart, I'm funny, I'm sexy and I care. That's what I want in a President, and I've got it.Comment
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I think this election is going to provide the best opportunity for a "third" party any election has ever seen. The Democrats really only have two people worth voting for, Obama and Hillary. Obama is going to win out on the Democrat side. And the Republicans really don't have a strong front runner. McCain's a turd, Guliani has too many "Leftist" views to be a strong Republican front runner.
There really isn't any way a "third" party person is going to win, it just isn't going to happen. But whom ever the strong "third" party guy is, is going to determine the results of the election. He's going to end up taking a good portion of one of the candidates votes.Originally posted by Ars SycroComment
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But, God, you're not 35.Originally posted by GnomadComment
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i'm definitely voting for you.Originally posted by Gnomad
he can do whatever the fuck he wants, including fudging his age for the presidency . . . more critical information than that has been "overlooked" before . . .Originally posted by Ars Sycro
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let's hope soOriginally posted by One Second ClubberOriginally posted by kata rokkarComment
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Alright, I'll read up some more on Obama before I make any more uneducated statements about him. I would vote for Nader if he ran but he will never get elected and if he did Congress would neuter him because if he had free reign this country would be reshaped overnight. The only way a third party is going to have a chance is if it is a very charismatic/influential person with hundreds of millions of dollars to burn entered the race because only when you are already famous (so the media will pay attention to you) and have enough money to not need any from anyone else which allows one to politically speak his/her mind. Teddy Roosevelt and Ross Perot were people like this, they were the only ones in the past century whop ever came close to bucking the two party duopoly.sigpic
We'll fuck standing and we'll fuck then lying, if they had wings we'll fuck them flying, when they are dead and long forgotten we'll dig them up and fuck them rotten.
Originally posted by auto-de-feComment
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Here is one hell of an article about Guliani if this stuff is true and I have no doubt it is, we do not want him as a president.
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We'll fuck standing and we'll fuck then lying, if they had wings we'll fuck them flying, when they are dead and long forgotten we'll dig them up and fuck them rotten.
Originally posted by auto-de-feComment
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Yeah, but that was written by Rolling Stone Magazine. They are one of the most "liberal" magazines around. So for them to bash on one of the front running Republican candidates really isn't suprising...
And actually, Giuliani is a fairly liberal republican. He's a mixed bag that somehow leans to the right.Originally posted by Ars SycroComment
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