# Why I dont vote Republican **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [April 16, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387 "2010-04-16T20:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_fun_ball/32/17664_2.png) [@Happy\_Fun\_Ball](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Fun_Ball)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/61 "2010-04-18T22:46:55Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > That was the beginning of the end of the Republican Party as far as I’m concerned. With a smart but slimy Slick Willy in the White House, we needed an adroit politician to go toe-to-toe with him and instead we get Newt Gingrich as SOTH. I actually shook my head at that and almost 20 years after the fact Clinton gets credit for the economic turnaround which led to a surplus (which he also gets credit for) and we remember how he was unfairly impeached for a blowjob (forget about perjury) and 20 years later we STILL can’t figure out what Clinton knew all along - perception is reality. > > But let’s talk about today - A.D. 2010. Do any Democrats favor reduced spending? What are you trying to say here? In 1993, the democratic majorities in the house and senate passed a “pay as you go” requirement in the [Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omnibus_Budget_Reconciliation_Act_of_1993) on a party line vote. It was this act that was primarily responsible for the surpluses. Not a single Republican voted for this act, just as they let the paygo rules expire in 2002 and fought their reinstatement in 2006 and last year in 2009. You can whine all you want about the irresponsible “tax and spend” Democrats, but no “borrow and spend” Republican has lowered the debt since Nixon ([look at this graph](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Federal_Debt_as_Percent_of_GDP_by_President.jpg)). Yet everybody believes that Republicans are the party of Fiscal Responsibility. I just don’t get it. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/62 "2010-04-19T01:10:29Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > By “Third Way,” do you mean the same thing as the [“Radical Center”](http://www.amazon.com/Radical-Center-Future-American-Politics/dp/0385720297) of the [New America Foundation,](http://www.newamerica.net/) or something else? > > Third Way: (Wikipedia) I meant third-way in the sense being in the centre between Democratic Liberalism and Tea-Party Extremnism. > [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](#): > > Comparing Bush to Hitler is closer to the truth. No it isn’t. They’re equally inaccurate. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/63 "2010-04-19T01:47:18Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Pop quiz: Who did I vote for in 2004? Tell me which ideology I’m blinded by. > > The right wing apologists to their excessively retarded behavior now always say “well.. your side does it too! Hypocrite!”.. It’s their only defense. It’s applied to such ridiculous extremes that it’s a joke. “Oh, an major elected official from the Republican party said that Obama is a communist that wasn’t born in American? Well, some liberal blogger with 204 page views said something bad about Bush in 2003! You’re just as bad!” > > Bush was maligned over the last 8 years FOR SHIT HE ACTUALLY DID. He killed hundreds of thousands of people and forever tarnished the image of the US to enrich his buddies, for fucks sake. People act as though somehow ACTUAL LEGITIMATE CRITICISM OF THINGS THAT BUSH DID is somehow equivelant to all of the tea bagger OBAMA IS A SECRET MUSLIM THAT WANTS TO FORCE YOU TO GAY MARRY YOUR DOG! bullshit. You have openly acknowledged that truth doesn’t matter to you here - the fact that Bush using his family ties to avoid Vietnam actually being true, and the idea that Kerry did not legitimately receive his purple hearts is actually false, has no meaning to you. As long as there’s someone bashing someone on the right and someone bashing someone on the left - regardless of where it comes from, or if there’s actual truth to it - doesn’t matter! Both sides are equally guilty, therefore you can’t hold the Republicans responsible for anything they’ve done! > > You, of all people, trying to play the “oh you’re just a non-objective partisan!” card is a complete joke. I’m not a democrat nor do I particularly like most democrats. I am, however, quite intolerant of bullshit. You voted for Bush in '04?!? After the '03 invasion of Iraq and subsequent WMD developments? Well then, you are part of the problem. Regardless, you are still saying nothing…just with a bit more venom dripping from your fangs. I’ve already discussed the allegations against Bush and Kerry. As I said, I responded to the OPs selective memory. I don’t give two shits whether Bush’s family pulled strings to keep him out of Vietnam or if Kerry’s flesh wound should be considered injury enough for a Purple Heart. Also, you’ve completely glazed over all the true shit that was mentioned about Kerry’s postwar days during the campaign. You need to take off the blinders. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/64 "2010-04-19T04:02:34Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > And I’d say nationalizing multiple industries while trying to eliminate others… Once again, I’ll repeat my question from post #42: Out of (morbid) curiosity, exactly what qualifies (for you) as “nationalized”? And exactly what industries were nationalized? I’d like to know what the wingnut dingbats are positing and what “evidence” they’re claiming in support… ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/65 "2010-04-19T04:02:51Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > I meant third-way in the sense being in the centre between Democratic Liberalism and Tea-Party Extremnism. That would cover a **lot** of the spectrum. Could you be more specific? ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/66 "2010-04-19T04:18:21Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > You voted for Bush in '04?!? After the '03 invasion of Iraq and subsequent WMD developments? Well then, you are part of the problem. Ron Paul, actually. Write-in, of course. Yeah, I know, I’m a wingnut. I’m as close to a neutral party as you’ll find on this board - I don’t like either the Republicans or Democrats generally, although I can evaluate individuals on their own merits. But because I’m willing to call out the absolute BS the Republicans have been spewing for at least a few years, there’s a knee-jerk OH DRINK YOUR LIBERAL KOOL-AID response to me. > [@](#): > > Regardless, you are still saying nothing…just with a bit more venom dripping from your fangs. I’ve already discussed the allegations against Bush and Kerry. As I said, I responded to the OPs selective memory. I don’t give two shits whether Bush’s family pulled strings to keep him out of Vietnam or if Kerry’s flesh wound should be considered injury enough for a Purple Heart. Also, you’ve completely glazed over all the true shit that was mentioned about Kerry’s postwar days during the campaign. You need to take off the blinders. You just said that it doesn’t matter to you what the truth of either allegation is, and then you tell me you need to take off the blinders. I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to enlighten you. ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/67 "2010-04-19T04:25:39Z")
> [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > Once again, I’ll repeat my question from post #42: Out of (morbid) curiosity, exactly what qualifies (for you) as “nationalized”? And exactly what industries were nationalized? > > I’d like to know what the wingnut dingbats are positing and what “evidence” they’re claiming in support… Partial nationalization of GM (okay not the whole industry) and nationalization of the student loan industry. The wingnut dingbats who called the GM takeover a partial nationalization is none other than the washington post. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/27/AR2009042700872.html](http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/04/27/AR2009042700872.html) ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/68 "2010-04-19T08:48:12Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Do you have anything of substance to say? BOTH stories were allegations based loosely on the facts. We’ll never know what the real truth is. The undeniable truth is that Bush did not go to Vietnam. He dodged it in the rich guy’s son’s wing of the National Guard. Whether he put in a full shift there or not is irrelevant. Chickenhawk war dodger. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/69 "2010-04-19T09:19:44Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Partial nationalization of GM (okay not the whole industry) and nationalization of the student loan industry. Since you responded, it’s clear that you can read…but your comprehension and attention to detail needs a bit of work. I’ll ask _again_: what’s **your** definition of “nationalized”? It matters in the case of GM. Specifically, does “nationalization” require governmental exertion of control? Also, let’s dispense with the stupidity that is “nationalizing student loans”. The loans were already coming from the government. The banks were taking on no risk, as the government guaranteed the loans, repayment or not. If the student loans are now “nationalized”, they also were before. The big difference is that banks were getting paid for…not much. Perhaps you _approve of_ government giving money away to banks? That would be surprising, coming from someone complaining about the government backing GM…I didn’t have you figured as a “Run Up The Deficit Republican” acolyte. Although I suppose I really _shouldn’t_ be surprised, given the (weak) Republican talking points you’re using, and considering the Republican track record from Reagan onward shows that running up the deficit is simply what modern-day Republicans do. And since The Washington Post seems to have your approval, [here’s a WaPo (higher education) reporter’s blog post](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/college-costs/it-doesnt-make-sense-on.html) that makes the same point about student loans as I did (more succinctly): > [@](#): > > The debate got silly; some opponents argued that taking this step would “nationalize” the student loan program, conveniently forgetting that the government already pays for it so, by definition, it already IS a government program. The crap you’re spewing just reinforces the thread’s premise… ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/70 "2010-04-19T15:05:44Z")
> [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > Since you responded, it’s clear that you can read…but your comprehension and attention to detail needs a bit of work. I’ll ask _again_: what’s **your** definition of “nationalized”? It matters in the case of GM. Specifically, does “nationalization” require governmental exertion of control? To put under state control or ownership. The US auto companies have been under state control for some time, and now the state has a majority stake in GM. Obama had the GM CEO resign and is intimately involved with the restructuring of the company. The government screwed the bondholders and gave the UAW a stake in GM. The auto task force also ordered the closing of dealerships (then reversed that desision somewhat) and is dictating what brands GM will sell. Temporary or not, if that is not nationalization I don’t know what is. Are you claiming that there is no government control of the company? > [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > Also, let’s dispense with the stupidity that is “nationalizing student loans”. The loans were already coming from the government. The banks were taking on no risk, as the government guaranteed the loans, repayment or not. If the student loans are now “nationalized”, they also were before. The big difference is that banks were getting paid for…not much. The government changed from being the guarantor of the loans to actually providing the loans to individuals. Is this a huge change? No, which means the student loan industry was functionally nationalized to start with. So, at least we agree on a definition. Now I wonder if all the changes imposed on health insurance companies can be funtionally called nationalization. [quote=“Digital\_Stimulus, post:69, topic:536387”] Perhaps you _approve of_ government giving money away to banks? That would be surprising, coming from someone complaining about the government backing GM…I didn’t have you figured as a “Run Up The Deficit Republican” acolyte. Although I suppose I really _shouldn’t_ be surprised, given the (weak) Republican talking points you’re using, and considering the Republican track record from Reagan onward shows that running up the deficit is simply what modern-day Republicans do. [/QUOTE I don’t approve of the government giving money to banks period. I don’t believe the government should be involved in student loans period. I don’t think the government should have bailed out GM or the banks. Do you see the trend here? Since you are in the business of assuming whatever you like about me, then I will assume that you are in favor of industries being nationalized. > [@Digital\_Stimulus](#): > > And since The Washington Post seems to have your approval, [here’s a WaPo (higher education) reporter’s blog post](http://voices.washingtonpost.com/answer-sheet/college-costs/it-doesnt-make-sense-on.html) that makes the same point about student loans as I did (more succinctly): > > The crap you’re spewing just reinforces the thread’s premise… No, the Washington Post should have YOUR approval. They are left of center which is why I chose that cite, and to point out to YOU that it is not wingnut dingbats that belive this is nationalization. ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/71 "2010-04-21T00:46:33Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > That would cover a **lot** of the spectrum. Could you be more specific? Something like that of the “old” John McCain (not the one currently posturing trying to survive JD Hayworth). ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/72 "2010-04-21T01:02:35Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > No, the Washington Post should have YOUR approval. They are left of center which is why I chose that cite, and to point out to YOU that it is not wingnut dingbats that belive this is nationalization. What is your idea of a prominent newspaper that is, in your opinion, “center”? ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/73 "2010-04-21T15:06:59Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What is your idea of a prominent newspaper that is, in your opinion, “center”? None, judging by the editorial pages and endorsements for politicians in local and national elections. Most are slanted either left or right. The Washington Post has been slanted left editorially since I’ve started reading it. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/74 "2010-04-21T16:08:55Z")
The Left regularly used the phrase “Take Back America” during the Bush years. Why are you only getting upset about such phrases NOW? [http://www.amazon.com/We-People-Call-Take-America/dp/1882109384](http://www.amazon.com/We-People-Call-Take-America/dp/1882109384) [http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0324-12.htm](http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0324-12.htm) > **[Dana Milbank - Washington Sketch: Liberals Are Taken Aback by Obama's...](https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/03/AR2009060303173.html)** > > President Obama is just killing the progressive movement. I wasn’t particularly outraged then, and can’t imagine why any liberal should feel offeneded when the Right uses it now. It’s standard political jargon. Do I sit around grumbling that a liberal organization calling itself “People for the American Way” is implying that I’m anti-American? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/75 "2010-04-21T16:38:04Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > The Left regularly used the phrase “Take Back America” during the Bush years. Why are you only getting upset about such phrases NOW? Because they don’t mean, “Take back America for the GOP.” They mean, “Take back America for the white man.” **And you fucking know it.** ---
**Author:** ![yorick73](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/b5a626/32.png) [@yorick73](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yorick73)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/76 "2010-04-21T17:20:14Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Because they don’t mean, “Take back America for the GOP.” They mean, “Take back America for the white man.” **And you fucking know it.** Aw c’mon…you can’t really be serious. Why is any opposition to Obama labeled raaacism? ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/77 "2010-04-21T18:43:27Z")
> [@yorick73](#): > > Aw c’mon…you can’t really be serious. Why is any opposition to Obama labeled raaacism? The same way that Maureen Dowd “knew” that the Congressman “really” meant “you lie, boy”. If you make an accusation of racism often and loudly enough, some people will believe it without evidence. Indeed, without even thinking. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/78 "2010-04-21T19:25:39Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > Because they don’t mean, “Take back America for the GOP.” They mean, “Take back America for the white man.” **And you fucking know it.** No, but YOU obviously f–ing “know” it, just as you “know” all kinds of things that aren’t true. It’s so typical. A conservative says “Yadda yadda.” Liberals scream that “Yadda yadda” is a vile, evil, offensive thing to say. We demonstrat that liberals have said “Yadda yadda” ten trillion times, but does any liberal acknowledge “Okay, well, maybe we shouldn’t have said that”? NO! They double down, and insist THEIR use of “Yadda yadda” was completely different. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/79 "2010-04-21T21:47:28Z")
The Modern Whig Party. > **[Modern Whig Institute](https://www.modernwhig.org/)** > > The MWI is a 501(c)(3) civic research and education foundation dedicated to constitutionalism, capitalism, ordered liberty and the pursuit of the common good. Not for me, but as a courtesy to my fellows here at the SDMB. We need a 2 party America. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2010, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387/80 "2010-04-22T00:20:18Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > The Modern Whig Party. > > [http://www.modernwhig.org/](http://www.modernwhig.org/) Sounds interesting, but then I dug a little deeper. Under their detailed vision for fiscal responsibility is this: > [@](#): > > The Modern Whig philosophy is to empower the states with the resources to handle their unique affairs. The logic is that people in Alabama should not always have to flip the bill for earmarks that occur in New York and vice versa. For example, a senator from Oklahoma is currently using his committee powers to stifle an important transportation project in Virginia. The reality is that the more local one gets, the more in tune with the unique and specific needs of that area. This is why we propose that federal tax dollars be provided to each state in a lump sum every fiscal year based on population. Nothing there about changing how federal taxes are calculated. So people who live in places with high salaries and a high cost of living (like large cities) will still have higher tax bills, but the government will dole out money to the states based solely on population. “Alabama should not always flip the bill for earmarks that occur in New York”? In 2005, Alabama received $1.66 in federal spending for every dollar that it paid. [Cite](http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22685.html). Nice scam for the rural areas if they can pull it off. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-i-dont-vote-republican/536387.md?page=5)