# If The Presidential Election Were Held Today, Who Would You Vote For? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 5, 2002, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461 "2002-07-05T06:48:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![plnnr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@plnnr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/plnnr)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/61 "2002-07-08T13:07:27Z")
John Kerrey, D-Mass ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/62 "2002-07-08T13:42:07Z")
There was talk that Al Sharpton would run Democratic in 04. Would you vote for him? ---
**Author:** ![gex\_gex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@gex\_gex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gex_gex)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/63 "2002-07-08T15:22:38Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by SPOOFE_ > You mean - gasp! - Aussies don’t whine and complain when the guy they don’t like wins _according to the rules_?!? Perish the thought!! I think anyone is entitled to ‘whine’ if the democratic prosess is undermined. Australians, in fact, did ‘whine’ when John Howard tried to claim he had a mandate to implement certain policies when he did not win the popular vote. However, he did win more seats in that particular election (1998). Thus, since he was _elected_, he was entitled to use those seats to pass through his legislation. Unfortunately. If he had been _appointed_, there would have been considerably more ‘whining’, and so there should be. People should be ‘whining’ if the proper democratic process is prevented from occuring by the courts. Use the population of another country to push your pro-Bush agenda in future. ---
**Author:** ![CaptMurdock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/captmurdock/32/11736_2.png) [@CaptMurdock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CaptMurdock)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/64 "2002-07-08T19:55:48Z")
\*Originally posted by Mythos45 \* > [@](#): > > The RNC says: Wherever it is environmentally responsible to do so, we will promote market-based programs that are voluntary, flexible, comprehensive, and **cost-effective.** Note my emphasis on the last word. “Save the spotted owl? Sorry, simply not cost-effective. Besides, it’s only one species!” > [@](#): > > “Our nation must reform Medicare — and in doing so, ensure that prescription drugs are affordable and available for every senior who needs them. Seniors deserve a wider scope of coverage, and they deserve to have more choices among health plans… When I am president, I will lead Republicans and Democrats to reform and strengthen Medicare and set it on firm financial ground.” — George W. Bush And has he done _anything_ to help this come about? > [@](#): > > Both parties support prayer in schools. Neither party supports _forced_ prayer in schools. Considering GWB’s recent statements regarding religious litmus tests for judges and other government officials, in direct violation of Article VI of the Constitution, you’ll forgive me if I take this one with a :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/65 "2002-07-08T20:37:39Z")
If we’re assuming the same candidates as 2000, I’d vote my conscience and go with Nader again. Bush I can’t even stand to look at or listen to, and Gore isn’t much better. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by pldennison \* > \*\*Tell me, what would Ralph Nader have done on 9/12? Held hearings on why Boeing couldn’t make a safer aircraft? \*\* Well, I doubt he would have declared “ **war on terrorism** ,” at least. :rolleyes: If Nader wasn’t running, I might go with McCain or Powell, if they were up. I don’t know who the Democrats might offer up next… nobody I can think of that I’d vote for. _shrug_ ---
**Author:** ![Mythos45](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/848f3c/32.png) [@Mythos45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mythos45)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/66 "2002-07-08T20:43:49Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by CaptMurdock_ > And has he done anything to help this [Medicare reform] come about? I would say that the House Republicans passing their White-House backed Medicare reform bill counts as helping to bring about reform, wouldn’t you? See: [http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/28/politics/main513688.shtml](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/06/28/politics/main513688.shtml) > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by CaptMurdock_ > Considering GWB’s recent statements regarding religious litmus tests for judges and other government officials, in direct violation of Article VI of the Constitution, you’ll forgive me if I take this one with a :rolleyes: President Bush’s unsettling comments != the Republican party line. Above, **Galen** was condemning the entire party as functional theocrats. This is absurd. ---
**Author:** ![Avalonian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@Avalonian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avalonian)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/67 "2002-07-08T20:59:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by galen \* > **I am among the few (except for the single issue folks) who understand that when you vote, you vote not for a person, but a program. One Republican is pretty much the same as another. Same with the Democrats. So it is fairly easy to decide to vote for. It comes down to how you feel about important issues.** While I agree in part with this assessment, I find that it is oversimplified. One Democrat is **not** the same as another, nor are all Republicans basically the same. When voting for President, you’re voting as much for the person as for the program, even if it’s only in the sense of a figurehead position. When I vote for President, I think “Who will be a better leader? Who will most accurately and skillfully represent our country?” This is one of my main objections to both Bush and Gore; neither man strikes me as a good leader or a fair representative of any ideals save their own. Was Bill Clinton as good a leader as JFK? Was George Bush (the first one) as inspiring as FDR? Obviously, I find that there are men who are well-suited to the Presidency, who fulfill their Office skillfully and completely… and then there are those who just sort of take up space. I try to vote for the ones who will do more with their responsibility. I agree that, when voting for the President, you are voting _in part_ for the programs he or she is sponsoring. With the person comes the package… I buy that. However, you are also voting for the _person_ who comes with that. Especially now, that person will be in the news almost every day for the next several years, and they will be our main point of public contact (as a nation) with the world. For me, I’m voting for the package _and_ the person. You can’t have one without the other. ---
**Author:** ![imthjckaz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/imthjckaz/32/3223_2.png) [@imthjckaz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/imthjckaz)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/68 "2002-07-08T21:35:42Z")
To all the people in the _anybody but Bush_ camp, you might want to add the name [Ventura](http://members.aol.com/SpztcColn/bodywatch/) to that statement. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2002, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/69 "2002-07-08T23:52:12Z")
Tally to date, for those counting: Anybody But Bush - 13 Bush - 10 N/A - 7 Other suggestions in no particular order: Gore, Lieberbam, Cecil, Stocksdale, McCain, Clinton, Rudy, Mom, Nader, Drew Carey, Myself, Kerry, Sharpten, Powell ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2002, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461/70 "2002-07-09T00:04:15Z")
I had written in Dick Gregory in 84, 88, 92 and 96. He is and will be the candidate I believe is the best for the job. Unfortunately, he’s not that electable. It seems he wants to support Sharpton for Democratic ticket in 04. If so, I won’t take his advice! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-the-presidential-election-were-held-today-who-would-you-vote-for/117461.md?page=3)