American uberfolk, I'd like to hear your thoughts. (704 hits)
Category: PoliticsRating: 0.67 on 13 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Chris WTF!1 <AltamontUnion.at.yahoo.com> (View user info) at 2004-08-30 23:31:43 EDT
After reading quite a bit of material regarding the pretty awful things the Democratic Party did/does to demolish Ralph Nader/the Green Party (and of course keeping in mind his legacy of consumer advocacy, which in my opinion is commendable), I definitely supported Ralph Nader. This was corroborated by Nader's book, "Crashing the Party" - interesting read, I recommend checking it out - and Nader's runningmate this year being Peter Camejo, who was the prominent Green candidate in the California recall (actually pulled in some decent votes, too). I liked Camejo and what Camejo brought to the table, and I was excited about a Nader/Camejo ticket.
Unfortunately, I don't have much support for Nader this time around. His acceptance of Republican contributions, his embarrassing bouts with the Anti-Defamation League, his gentle stance on Castro (for the record, boo Castro) - I don't back these moves. Unfortunately, this leaves me without a candidate for November. I have no intent on voting Republican or Democrat (email me if you want to discuss this, I'd love to hear your take), so I was wondering how some like-minded folks out there planned on voting.
Thank you for checking this out. I would love to hear your thoughts.
User Reviews
Submitted by Lobsterkins (user info) at 2004-09-01 03:12:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Shay, did you even read my article? I said I DIDN'T plan on voting Nader.
And last time I checked, a vote for Nader was a vote for Nader, clown.
Submitted by Shay (user info) at 2004-08-31 08:40:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: -2
A vote for Nader is a vote for Bush. Not voting at all is also a vote for Bush.
Submitted by icarus1987 (user info) at 2004-08-31 01:13:10 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
Interesting, but we need to take a realistic position. Bush is infuriating terrorists, lying, stealing, and pimping national forests left and right. In two months, we have a way out. One way out. It might not be perfect, it might not be right, but it's an alternative. If your home is burning down, are you going to run for the nearest hose, any hose, or sit around waiting for someone to bring you bottled water? I'm all for the Green Party, and I'm all for independent thinking, but if the Democrats lose in this convention, and we have to suffer through four more years of that blithering yokel, it's going to be because the (remaining) conservatives excel at goosestepping mindless conformity while the liberals (bless their foolish souls) sit in their divided camps splitting intellectual hairs. You can vote for a third party. Intellectually, you're doing the right thing. In the real world, you're doing exactly what the conservative reformists want you to do.
Submitted by Lobsterkins (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:50:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Kellio -
While I agree that a Kerry/Nader ticket would seemingly be very logical for both, I have to disagree with a few of your claims.
I don't think that voting for a third party is "throwing your vote away" - I think it's the exact opposite. To think that the entire range of political issues can be boiled down to Us vs. Them is in my opinion naïve, and potentially even dangerous. Representative democracy should be about representative democracy, not bipartisan bullying. I understand the arguments that it would be unhealthy to elect somebody to office with a non-majority vote, but I also feel that the current two-party system is detrimental to authentic democracy. What happens when you honestly don't like or disagree with both major candidates?
You also suggested that "more votes for Nader means less votes for Kerry, and I'm sure that's the last thing that Nader supporters want," and while I agree to an extent, most Green voters want to vote Green because they have big problems with the Democratic Party, including questionable corporate ties and even more questionable Democratic policies/representatives, among other things.
All in all, thank you guys for your thoughts. I was afraid this thread would be dominated by unnecessary irreverent responses, but you've proven me wrong.
Submitted by U-232 (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:45:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
I hate every candidate, so im in the same boat as you.
Submitted by Kellio (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:39:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
It'd be great to see a party other then Republican or Democrat win, but it just ain't gonna happen. If you vote other then Democrat or Republican you are throwing your vote away. The worst thing is that if you vote for Nader, you are essentially voting for Bush, because people who vote for Nader usually come from the same supporter base as Kerry. So more votes for Nader means less votes for Kerry, and I'm sure that's the last thing that Nader supporters want.
A good idea would be if Kerry had Nader as his VP instead of Edwards. This way you would have Kerry and Nader supporters voting together instead of unintentionally sabotaging each other.
Submitted by Lobsterkins (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:28:46 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Gent - elaborate.
Submitted by kerry is the devil <nope.at.no.com> at 2004-08-31 00:28:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Kerry is "overly intellectual"? Actually, no. He is an opportunist. He changes his views based on perceived public opinion. He married two ultra-wealthy women and has lived a very "above average" life. How many "average people" are married to multi-millionaires?
Why does Bush seem more down to earth than Kerry does?
Kerry is an opportunist, and it requires intelligence to do that. But overly intellectual? I don't think so.
Submitted by GodLovesALittleLovin (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:18:52 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Didn't Nader write some driver's ed book called "Unsafe At Any Speed"?
I'm gonna lay it straight for you....
Nader has no clue where he is. Have you seen his hands? They're purple for god's sake. Nader is only running because all of his friends decided that he's a douchebag and so they quit returning his calls. He got so desperate for human interaction he decided that running for president again would get him some well deserved respect. Well I cannot respect someone who writes books about driving. I just won't do it.
Anyways voting is just a cover for the governments secret plan to get everyone to register so that they can implant cameras in us. Simple as that.
Submitted by Gent (user info) at 2004-08-31 00:10:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
One thing Kerry is not is moronic. In fact if anything, he can probably be criticized for being overly intellectual.
Submitted by cigar (user info) at 2004-08-30 23:55:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nader has great ideas (plus 2 for that), Perot's ideas were great as well (I voted for him)
But, don't you think it's time he realizes that he will never win?
I'm all for him pulling some of the "anti bush" votes. I simply couldn't vote for someone that doesn't have a clue about the office of president. kerry is simply moronic.
Submitted by RideJohnnyRide (user info) at 2004-08-30 23:42:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT!
Submitted by The_Original_Mac_Daddy_Surge (user info) at 2004-08-30 23:40:51 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
sex in the sink