# Once again I'll be voting Republican **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [September 11, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008 "2004-09-11T04:20:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/1 "2004-09-11T04:20:14Z")
I’m not even sure why I’m registered Republican anymore. Issues-wise, I’m on the other side, almost down the list. Anti-guns, pro-education, pro-gay, pro-abortion. I’m even starting to lean towards national healthcare. I don’t fall into any of the Republican stronghold groups and don’t support their entitlements, including farmers, seniors, christians, etc. I’m strongly against big government, but anymore neither of the parties stand for that. About the only things I have in common with the Republicans anymore are my pro-business, anti-green and hawk tendencies. So why can’t the Democrats come up with a candidate I can support? I thought Gore was bad, but man this Kerry is completely un-backable. It’s like they don’t even want the white house. ---
**Author:** ![Blalron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/35a633/32.png) [@Blalron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blalron)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/2 "2004-09-11T04:31:56Z")
Kerry is a cool dude. What’s so fricking objectionable about him? ---
**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/3 "2004-09-11T04:35:45Z")
Because if they did nominate some one you could support - somebody who is > [@](#): > > Anti-guns, pro-education, pro-gay, pro-abortion [leaning towards] national healthcare, [doesn’t] support their entitlements, including farmers, seniors, christians, etc. hundreds of thoudands of moderate voters would run screaming into the arms of Karl Rove. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/4 "2004-09-11T04:35:52Z")
> [@Blalron](#): > > Kerry is a cool dude. What’s so fricking objectionable about him? Looks too French. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/5 "2004-09-11T04:37:10Z")
I would rather vote for a diseased chimp than Kerry. But Kerry is still better than Bush. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/6 "2004-09-11T04:37:32Z")
Everything his nay-sayers say about him is true. He **is** wishy-washy. He **did** sell out his fellow veterans. Though he did see a hell of a lot more war action than Bush, he **did** grossly inflate his heroics and awards there. He clearly is **not** the best man to deal with all these extremist suicidal nut-cases that keep coming out of the international woodwork. Other than that, I guess he’s ok. I mean I’d have dinner with him if I wasn’t busy. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/7 "2004-09-11T04:49:22Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Everything his nay-sayers say about him is true. He **is** wishy-washy. He **did** sell out his fellow veterans. Though he did see a hell of a lot more war action than Bush, he **did** grossly inflate his heroics and awards there. He clearly is **not** the best man to deal with all these extremist suicidal nut-cases that keep coming out of the international woodwork. Dude, only extremist suicidal nutcase believe he “inflated his heroics,” let alone grossly. You’re voting based on the Swifties? After everything they’ve said has been debunked? And please tell me how speaking out on the horrors of war, and being a whistle blower after witnessing criminal actions is “selling out his fellow veterans”? He reported individual criminals; he didn’t “sell out his fellow veterans.” All your objections–actually, you only offer two–are in line with the Swifties, proven liars. Please explain. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/8 "2004-09-11T04:49:48Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Everything his nay-sayers say about him is true. He **is** wishy-washy. He **did** sell out his fellow veterans. Though he did see a hell of a lot more war action than Bush, he **did** grossly inflate his heroics and awards there. He clearly is **not** the best man to deal with all these extremist suicidal nut-cases that keep coming out of the international woodwork. > > Other than that, I guess he’s ok. I mean I’d have dinner with him if I wasn’t busy. Thank you for once again pointing out the effectiveness of the Republican message machine. “You have learned well. Just keep repeating what you hear me say and everything will be OK.” …one little suggestion TURN OFF THE DAMN AM RADIO! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/9 "2004-09-11T05:01:51Z")
**Icarus** wrote > [@](#): > > Thank you for once again pointing out the effectiveness of the Republican message machine. > > “You have learned well. Just keep repeating what you hear me say and everything will be OK.” Oh please. That’s your idea of an argument? “Other people are saying what you’re saying, so it must be wrong”? Believe me, there are plenty of idiots on your side of the field as well. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/10 "2004-09-11T05:08:59Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Dude, only extremist suicidal nutcase believe he “inflated his heroics,” let alone grossly. You’re voting based on the Swifties? After everything they’ve said has been debunked? > > And please tell me how speaking out on the horrors of war, and being a whistle blower after witnessing criminal actions is “selling out his fellow veterans”? He reported individual criminals; he didn’t “sell out his fellow veterans.” > > All your objections–actually, you only offer two–are in line with the Swifties, proven liars. Please explain. Seriously; I’d like a response. ---
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/11 "2004-09-11T05:32:06Z")
Go vote republican then. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![mrunlucky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7993a0/32.png) [@mrunlucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrunlucky)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/12 "2004-09-11T05:47:36Z")
Honestly, I don’t understand what the point of starting this post was. Is it trolling for validation? Because I for one really appreciate someone voting again for this current administration, and hope that almost instantly, as soon as Bush might take office again, my chances to ever marry another man will be dissolved just because I’m gay, or if a girl friend ever needs an abortion again she won’t be able to get one, because of Bush and his creepy religious fundamentalism. Because someone with no balls voted for him just because Kerry isn’t as charismatic or happy or jokey enough for them, or whatever it is you need in a candidate’s personality or whatever that certain je ne sais quois is that you feel Kerry doesn’t have. So… GO BUSH! GO CHENEY! Woo-hoo! I wasn’t using my civil liberties anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/13 "2004-09-11T05:55:00Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Once again I’ll be voting Republican Why, so Bush can make an even bigger mess of things than he already has? ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/14 "2004-09-11T06:05:53Z")
Hope that all works out for you. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/15 "2004-09-11T06:10:25Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > **Icarus** wrote > > Oh please. That’s your idea of an argument? “Other people are saying what you’re saying, so it must be wrong”? Believe me, there are plenty of idiots on your side of the field as well. I’m saying that these people are masters at crafting the message, at creating the story line. It’s advertising at it’s most basic. Repeat something often enough and eventually a lot of people will buy it, no matter how disingenuous it is. By your own comments you give evidence of being a victim of these tactics. Fire up those old synapses, pal, and put on your critical thinking cap. Join the skeptics, you won’t be sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Avenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9de0a6/32.png) [@Avenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avenger)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/16 "2004-09-11T06:40:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Honestly, I don’t understand what the point of starting this post was Pitting himself for being an idiot? **Bill H** , the only explanation of your vote you have given is that you won’t for Kerry because he is ‘wishy-washy’. Whatever that means. You say he exagerated his war record (don’t know where your proof is for that), but admit that Bush did more so, so that’s clearly not a relevant factor. So, the alleged ‘wishy-washiness’ wins out over the fact that Kerry agrees with you on all the issues you seem to consider important? ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a5b964/32.png) [@Bill\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_H)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/17 "2004-09-11T06:40:51Z")
**Icarus** wrote > [@](#): > > I’m saying that these people are masters at crafting the message, at creating the story line. It’s advertising at it’s most basic. Repeat something often enough and eventually a lot of people will buy it, no matter how disingenuous it is. By your own comments you give evidence of being a victim of these tactics. > > Fire up those old synapses, pal, and put on your critical thinking cap. Join the skeptics, you won’t be sorry. Guess you didn’t hear the first time, pal. You’ve offered zero to this topic other than saying there are some people that agree with me. (People that I don’t listen to, or even know the names of for that matter). If your point is that my viewpoint is popular, well, thanks, I guess. But what you really seem to be saying is that you don’t have much to say yourself. ---
**Author:** ![choie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/choie/32/7829_2.png) [@choie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/choie)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/18 "2004-09-11T06:53:40Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Everything his nay-sayers say about him is true. He **is** wishy-washy. Not particularly, if you actually read what he _says_ instead of the snippets of speeches that are first chopped to bits, spit upon, and served up by the Republican politicians/pundits, cheerfully swallowed by the shallow, lazy media, who then finally regurgitate it back to you. For example, if you’re talking about the fact that he voted for the IWR (Iraq War Resolution) but now is against the war, you should a) read the actual IWR text, and b) read his speech on the Senate floor at the time of the vote. The IWR makes it _absolutely clear_ under what conditions the Congress was authorizing military action. In his speech at the time, Kerry strongly emphasized these conditions, saying that Bush must exhaust _every diplomatic means possible_ to let the weapons inspectors do their job in Iraq, prior to military action. Kerry (and the other IWR yes-voters) made the mistake of thinking we had a trustworthy CIC willing to avoid armed conflict and bloodshed. In any event, Kerry is certainly no more wishy-washy than most politicians, at least who actually consider positions and sometimes change their mind when situations develop or new information is offered. When he’s wrong, he’ll change course. That makes him flexible – much better than being a stubborn jackass like Bush and Cheney. > [@](#): > > He **did** sell out his fellow veterans. How? By doing his duty, then returning stateside and trying to stop the war, in hopes that he’d save others like him from having to face the horrors of what he’d seen? That’s not selling out. That’s honoring their lives and the principles that these men were _supposed_ to be fighting for. That’s being a true patriot. > [@](#): > > Though he did see a hell of a lot more war action than Bush, … not hard to do, since Bush saw _NO_ war action … > [@](#): > > he **did** grossly inflate his heroics and awards there. According to whom? Surely you’re not talking about the Swiftboat vets who lied about serving with him, lied about Kerry’s wounds, lied about the situations under which he earned his medals, lied about having had negative opinions of him during the war, and lied about having no links to the Bush campaign? You do realize that their charges have been disproven by official navy records, right? The people who talk the most about his being a hero are primarily his _crew_ and his _superiors_ – why would they exaggerate? His official records are filled with overwhelming praise of his bravery and high standards as a soldier. Kerry didn’t give himself those medals, you know. > [@](#): > > He clearly is **not** the best man to deal with all these extremist suicidal nut-cases that keep coming out of the international woodwork. Why “clearly”? So far, the suicidal nut-cases that came out of the woodwork and committed their attack on the U.S. did so under BUSH’s watch, not Kerry’s. In addition: - Kerry isn’t the one who dropped the ball in Afghanistan while the job was half-done and then turned his attention to Iraq, leaving Osama bin Laden in place. Bush is. - Kerry isn’t the one who attacked a sovereign country with little justification, killing thousands of civillians and thereby angering millions of people in the middle east (and beyond), fanning the flames of hatred towards the U.S. Bush is. - Kerry isn’t the one appointing freaks in charge of the military who approved of brutal torture of civilians, including women and children. Bush is. - Kerry isn’t the one who underfunds homeland security; he’s also not the one who, for more than a year, blocked creation of an independent 9/11 commission to study what went wrong (and then, when finally caving in to pressure, wanted to put Henry fucking Kissinger in charge!). Bush is. - Kerry isn’t the one who then balked at following the 9/11 commission’s recommendations for improving our ability to prevent future attacks, then finally gave in – again, only after pressure. Bush is. - Kerry isn’t the one who ignored the Presidential Daily Briefing from August 6, 2001, that warned of Osama bin Laden’s imminent plans to attack within the U.S. Bush is. (To be fair to Bush, this warning _was_ hidden in a report with a pretty vague title: _Osama bin Laden Determined to Attack within the United States._ One can understand how he might have missed the nuance.) Okay, these are things you can be sure as hell that he _won’t_ be doing. So what WILL Kerry do? For starters, he’ll strive to repair our credibility and standing in the international community, which will improve our ability to fight terrorism. He’ll avoid unjustified empire-building wars. He’ll move funds into homeland security and intelligence, rather than aforementioned empire-building. And when necessary, he will strike militarily – with solid targets unearthed thanks to the improved intelligence and repaired relationships with allies. **Bill** , the Bush campaign, their Republican colleagues, and lazy members of the media have invented a fake opponent for Bush to run against. I strongly urge you not to fall into their trap, and take the time to learn about the _actual_ candidate. Because John Kerry will be a very, very good president. > [@](#): > > Other than that, I guess he’s ok. I mean I’d have dinner with him if I wasn’t busy. Well, you’d better book that dinner before January 2005, because I hope and suspect he’ll be too busy himself. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/19 "2004-09-11T06:54:32Z")
Originally Posted by lissener Dude, only extremist suicidal nutcase believe he “inflated his heroics,” let alone grossly. You’re voting based on the Swifties? After everything they’ve said has been debunked? And please tell me how speaking out on the horrors of war, and being a whistle blower after witnessing criminal actions is “selling out his fellow veterans”? He reported individual criminals; he didn’t “sell out his fellow veterans.” All your objections–actually, you only offer two–are in line with the Swifties, proven liars. Please explain. > [@lissener](#): > > Seriously; I’d like a response. No, really, seriously, he would like a response. ---
**Author:** ![Sevastopol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Sevastopol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sevastopol)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2004, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008/20 "2004-09-11T07:05:43Z")
> [@Bill H.](#): > > Everything his nay-sayers say about him is true. He **is** wishy-washy. He **did** sell out his fellow veterans. These are questions of fact: Was he untruthful? Did he profit? On the other hand if you are arguing in speaking out, however truthfully, he may have breached an informal code of loyalty they you may be right. It is up to you which is more important. Truthfulness or loyalty. > [@](#): > > Though he did see a hell of a lot more war action than Bush, he **did** grossly inflate his heroics and awards there. This is a question of fact. He was awarded 5 decorations. Has he ever claimed any more than 5? 6 perhaps. Heroics is a question of opinion. How _grossly_ inflated? > [@](#): > > He clearly is **not** the best man to deal with all these extremist suicidal nut-cases that keep coming out of the international woodwork. Clearly? Clearly? In comparison to 4 years of incompetence, deceit and cronyism you believe Kerry would take advice that is clearly inferior to that the incumbent receives. I’m not particularly pro-Kerry. However I find it astounding that someone would argue he lacks basic competence and suitability for office. Someone disinterested that is. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/once-again-ill-be-voting-republican/264008.md?page=2)