As South Carolina clears things up some, I have to admit I know less about the Republican candidates than Democratic. I trust the points of view in this MB. Who is your vote going towards and why should I vote for him ?
“Love seeketh not itself to please, nor for itself hath any care, but for another gives its ease, and builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair.” - William Blake
Unfortunately, my vote will probably be going to Gore because I see him as the lesser of two evils (Bush being the greater). One of the most important things a president does is appointing of Supreme Court justices. I suspect at least one, if not several, will be dropping off the Court in the next four years. I would much rather have Gore than Bush appointing replacements. I value the First Amendment and Bush does not. I value pro-choice and Bush does not. Gore certainly isn’t perfect and will probably appoint a justice with whom I have other disagreements, but the two I have listed are amongst the most important to me, so I have little choice but to vote for Gore instead of Bush.
Good idea, Gabriel, very good idea. I, too, have no idea who I should vote for, and, if this thread survives, will be reading this for the next nine months.
I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.
When the California primaries roll around on March 7th, I’ll be voting for John McCain. Not because I intend to vote for McCain in the general election if he wins – I do not intend to do so – but because I don’t want G.W. Bush to have a shot at the White House.
It was either that or vote for Bill Bradley (I don’t want Gore to be the next president either).
David B. has summed up my position nicely. As much as I hate “lesser evil” politics, my vote will not be for Al Gore as much as it will be against Dubya.
If I were really voting for the best candidate, I would probably pick Ralph Nader (assuming he runs on the Green ticket again). However, I and many others hope he doesn’t run, since the best he can do is take votes away from Gore in what could be a close race.
Dr. J
I used to vote Democrat in presidential elections, basing my decision, like David B., in large part on the appointment of Supreme Court justices. No longer. The whole appointment process is so politicized now, I doubt that anyone too far from the center would ever get on the bench. I just don’t think that Gore’s and Bush’s appointments would really be that different.
Besides, look at how the recent appointments have behaved on the bench. Bush Sr., a man so devoted to the First Amendment he once claimed that atheists weren’t patriots and insisted public schools should have the right to force students to say the Pledge of Allegiance, appointed David Souter, one of the First Amendment’s best friends on the current Court. And both Clinton appointees voted to uphold that random drug testing policy we’re discussing in a couple other threads.
It’s not that I don’t see any value in basing a vote on Supreme Court appointments; I’m sure Gore would never nominate a Clarence Thomas, for example. I just don’t see much value in it.
I’m still undecided for November. If it looks like a close race, I’ll probably hold my nose and vote for Gore. If not, I’ll go third party. Just haven’t decided which one yet.
My current feeling is that if McCain is the Republican nominee, I’ll vote for him. Otherwise, I probably won’t vote. Bush is too much of a weasel. I also dislike how he’s cozying up to the Religious Right. He seems to think that he deserves to be president, which I find insulting and disrespectful to the voters, and he is basically saying that anyone who doesn’t worship at the altar of “big tax cuts now” is not a good person. I disagree with McCain on a lot of social issues like abortion, but he at least is talking the most sensibly (in my opinion) about tax cuts and paying down the debt, and he also seems (to me) to be the most trustworthy and honorable person in the race. He also has said quite clearly (in stark contrast to GWB) that he will use the veto power of the president to stop wasteful pork-filled spending bills.
Ruadh said:
You really think that if Bush wins and the GOP maintains control of Congress, he won’t appoint a pro-voucher, anti-church/state separation, anti-abortion justice? The reason the past ones have had to be more towards the center is because we have had opposing parties in control of Congress and the White House. If the GOP holds all the cards, watch out for your rights, 'cus they’re going out the window. (Incidentally, if the Dems controlled all the cards, other rights would go out the window instead.)
I do. And in the areas that most concern me, I’d have to side with Gore against Bush.
Incidentally, I do agree with your last statement about voting third-party (probably Libertarian) if Gore somehow has it all locked up. But I don’t think that will happen.
I expect he’ll appoint a justice who leans right. I don’t expect he’ll appoint an ideologue. Clinton had a Democratic majority in the Senate when he made his appointments and they’re hardly flaming lefties.
If the GOP appears to be heading for a huge Senate majority (which, at this point, they don’t) I’ll reconsider, but as long as there’s enough of a Democratic opposition to give Bush a hassle about his nominees I don’t see any real extremists getting on the bench.
I think Gore will be the next president. I think he will beat Bush like a drum in the debates, even worse than Clinton beat Dole.
Not that I’m particularly excited about it. I mean, the First Amendment’s cool, I guess, but having the right to scream, “Stop!” while you’re being raped is of little consequence.
Ruadh said:
And Clinton isn’t exactly a flaming lefty, either. While Bush isn’t as far right as some of the GOP would like, he does have the former director of the Christian Coalition working on his staff (Ralph Reed)!
And it doesn’t really matter if the Repubs have 51% or 60% of the Senate – they still can pass whoever Bush appoints, whether or not the Dems try to raise an issue about it.
Hmmm, I was about to make the same argument, but reversing the candidates and susbstituting “Second” for “First”.
gEEk
Yeah, that’s basically the dilemma I faced with the last California Governor election, too. “If the Democrat guy wins, I lose my gun rights, but if the Republican guy wins, I lose my abortion rights.” So, I just voted for the Libertarian guy. Which is probably what I’ll do in the Presidential General Election this fall.
I know I’m gonna get yelled at for this, but, given the opportunity, I’d have to vote for Clinton again. Talk about desperate! Failing that, I’ll probably have to settle for Gore.
Peace,
mangeorge
I only know two things;
I know what I need to know
And
I know what I want to know
Mangeorge, 2000
Here’s a nice little site a hallmate showed me.
basically, you state your opinion on a number of issues and it tells you how you rank the candidates.
For instance, my hallmate, after entering his views, agreed with 92% of Alan Keyes platform. I’m 70% in favor of Bill Bradley, then David McEntyre, then Al Gore. My God, I’m a leftist.
I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.
Of course, it’s not David McEntyre, it’s David McReynolds, the Socialist.
I sold my soul to Satan for a dollar. I got it in the mail.
Surg. The link. She’s broke.
Here ya go, Lib:
http://www.selectsmart.com/PRESIDENT/index.html
“The true founder of civil society was the first man who fenced in a piece
of land, thought of saying ‘This is mine,’ and came across people simple
enough to believe him.”
–“Discourse on the Origin of Inequality” Jean-Jacques Rousseau
good evening friends,
love the political discussion!
i am still an undecided voter. i would like to see a choice between mr. mccain and mr. bradley, but i fear that we will have the choice of mr. bush or mr. gore.
with the current control of the house and senate in the hands of teh republicans, i will most likely vote democrat. i stated in another thread that i am uncomfortable with the idea of either party controlling the house, senate and the white house.
Trust the dreams, for in them is hidden the gate to eternity -Kahlil Gibran
The next President should be Bill Bradley, I think. However, if he doesn’t get the nomination, I’d still pick Al Gore over any of the Republicans.
Vlad