9/4/08
Before we wrap up the GOP’s Hate Week™ and move on to topics less contentious, let’s do two things: respond to conservatives who have made several statements in the comments section… AND, if you don’t mind, the legendary GFWD has made a request that all regular commenters and lurkers answer his little questionnaire at the bottom.
Right. So I’m going to put the various right-wingers’ statements in italics, and mine will be right after.
[re: my politics] “There’s a name for people who feel no guilt about something for which they should… some folks are so certain of their own righteousness and the other side’s inherent evilness, that they lose the ability to think straight… They are political sociopaths.”
I’m sorry, but this was too hilarious not to repeat. For a Bush voter to say this to me was… I dunno, kinda priceless.
“I disagree with this blog on most things political, but I always respected Ian as a decent person. Stooping so low as to attack minor children in order to make cheap political points is despicable.”
I write a personal blog and made it clear from the very outset that I was a big fucking asshole, and I also made it very clear that I have personal issues that lead me to find the Palin family… shall we say, unpalatable. But then again, I’m not running for the President of the United States, unlike your guy, who tells jokes about how ugly Chelsea Clinton was when she was thirteen.
“If Palin gets McCain elected, those who took the bait will have no one to blame but themselves.”
Um, no, we will have no one to blame except people mentally bankrupt enough to vote for John McCain because of Sarah Palin.
“If Palin is so bad- why all the fuss? Shouldn’t Democrats be rejoicing at this obvious and disastrous pick?”
No, because – through idiocy or shenanigans – she might actually win, and it’s each party’s responsibility to give us a worst-case scenario that isn’t completely insane.
“if I were a woman, I would be insulted at the suggestion that serving as VP would somehow take away from her ability to raise her children. This is the kind of glass ceiling bullshit that the left would never stand for if there were a ‘D’ after Palin’s name.”
I agree, actually. That’s true sexism.
“Snowmobiling and moose-hunting = redneck
Green indoor/outdoor carpet in the back of Clinton’s El Camino = perfectly acceptable”
No – green indoor/outdoor carpet in the back of your El Camino is also unsustainably declassé.
“Palin’s state, 47th in population, is too small for her gubernatorial experience to matter . Howard Dean’s state, Vermont, 49th in population, is no problem”
Please. Howard Dean was a Yale and Einstein College Doctor of Medicine graduate who governed Vermont for 12 years (2nd longest in history), and in doing so, lowered income tax twice while balancing the budget eleven times and instituting a universal health care program for children. Palin is not fit to carry Dr. Dean’s lunch.
“Clinton gets a hummer in the Oval Office from an intern = it’s just sex, none of our business…
Palin’s DAUGHTER gets knocked up = Palin is a rotten parent and will be a rotten VP”
No, not a rotten parent. A deeply hypocritical one.
“Clinton proudly works the system to avoid the draft = oh, come on, it’s Vietnam – everyone did it!
Dubya joins the Air National Guard and Dan Rather destroys his career trying to rat GWB out”
Clinton was against the war and made no bones about trying to avoid it. Bush pretends to join, then can’t be found for an entire year – gets his dad to fix the situation, then approves the Swift Boat attack on John Kerry, who actually risked his life for his country.
“HRC fires the entire White House travel office = power comes with the privilege
Palin fires a bureaucrat = scandalous!”
Hillary got in plenty of trouble for the travel office affair, and by the way, she was only First Lady. Sarah Palin is being considered for possibly running the country. Is that lost on you people?
“Dems sell nights in the Lincoln bedroom like it’s Marriott = no problem!
Palin steers some pork to Alaska = dirty rotten scoundrel!”
No, again, she’s just a lying hypocrite. She lied about her support of the Bridge to Nowhere, and then boasted she was leading the fight against earmarks, when there’s written proof in her own handwriting about clamoring for… earmarks.
“Dan Quayle, with only 12 years in Washington, is too inexperienced to be VP in 1988
Barack Obama, with only 1/3 the time in Washington as Quayle, is fully ready to be prez!”
Again, apples and oranges. Dan Quayle was a moron.
“After what Palin’s been through this last week I think she’s earned the right to hit back a little, and the jab at a community organizer was no worse than the way Obama denigrated small town mayors.”
Please show me one instance of Obama denigrating small-town mayors. Did you just make that up?
“where did [Palin] lie or utter a falsehood?”
Oh, where to begin. She lied about Obama’s accomplishments, she lied about his tax plan, she lied about the Ketchikan bridge, she lied about earmarks… her campaign even lied about Bristol’s pregnancy until it got too crazy.
“BHO was ‘community organizing’ with confessed domestic terrorists and felonious Syrian nationals.”
Yep, you got him. That sounds like a flawless description of Barack Obama’s post-graduate work. Man, you Republicans just can’t fathom actually going inside poor neighborhoods and helping people less privileged than yourselves, can you?
“Isn’t it just a teeny-weeny bit possible that Dems harbor a smidgen of fear that Palin could possibly conceivably occasionally perhaps on a good day resonate with some undecided voters?”
No, I think we harbor a hugey-wugey fear that Palin might end up running the country.
[re: the 2000 election] “You notice how Gore’s inability to win his own home state is never mentioned.”
It’s probably mentioned about as many times as the fact that Al Gore beat George Bush by half a million popular votes.
“Ian… your blog is always charged and buzzing, even though you could benefit from a few Sunday Masses and some time spent as a small businessman ;)”
Actually, I’ve always wanted to start a place that served awesome espresso, super-caffeinated tea, free wireless internet and confusingly-expensive muffins.
AND NOW, YOUR REQUEST FROM MY ESTEEMED COLLEAGE, GFWD:
A plea: please detail (anonymously, if you must) an itemization of which specific factors are important to you and why you’re voting for a particular candidate. The only catch is that you should also identify the following:
1. Age
2. Marital status and number of kids
3. Straight or LGBT
4. Who they voted for in the last election
5. State or region
Thanks!
Well, here goes…
“I’m sorry, but this was too hilarious not to repeat. For a Bush voter to say [political sociopath] to me was… I dunno, kinda priceless.”
You’ll notice I didn’t say there wasn’t some on the other side of the isle, too. Just that you were acting like one, and you are. If you’re accusing me of hypocrisy, please cite an example. Yeah, I voted for W (once), I also voted for Clinton (once).
“I write a personal blog and made it clear from the very outset that I was a big fucking asshole…”
Ok, but seeing as how protective you are of your own daughter, I found it surprising that you would behave so indecently toward someone elses. (Your blog was no better toward Bristol and Trig than the mean swipe at Chelsea.) You appear to have rationalized that since her parents have politics you don’t like, their teenage girl doesn’t deserve such decency. I wouldn’t be bragging about it.
“I agree, actually. That’s true sexism.”
There’s a sliver of hope for you yet.
“No, not a rotten parent [for having a pregnant teen]. A deeply hypocritical one.”
Uh, Sarah Palin has been the opposite of a hypocrit. She’s walking the walk and doing exactly what she believes. Rushing her daughter to an abortion clinic would be a hypocrit. And to those who say this proves abstinence-only education doesn’t work… Er, no. Not unless teenagers who go through school-taught sex-ed NEVER become pregnant as a teen. All it means is that it is not 100% effective. Not even that it’s less effective than sex-ed. (And are we assuming her daughter wasn’t taught sex-ed in school or at home? We know this how?)
“…Swift Boat attack on John Kerry…”
Good grief.
“Sarah Palin is being considered for possibly running the country. Is that lost on you people?”
Of course not. Even if it turns out that she did exert pressure to sack the trooper who tasered his 11-year old step son, among other things, most people will be asking why indeed the loser wasn’t sacked. But then maybe we should wait to find out how the 11-year old’s mom voted in the last election before we tsk-tsk the tasering…
“She lied about her support of the Bridge to Nowhere…”
I don’t think that’s the case at all. She said Alaskan’s would pay for it themselves if they wanted it. That’s different. And so she solicited funds for projects while a mayor, the fact remains she has been an extremely effective reformer as Govenor, and you don’t want to ask how many millions of dollars of pork Obama feasted on, believe me!
“Please show me one instance of Obama denigrating small-town mayors. Did you just make that up?”
His campaign put out an official press release immediately after Palin’s selection belittling her career and touting her time as mayor as her premier acheivement. But then maybe this is another time where Obama isn’t responsible for the actions of his own campaign. That does seem to happen quite a lot.
“Oh, where to begin. She lied about…”
Not a single thing you write is convincing. Maybe someone else can tackle this one. If not I’ll be back later in the today.
“you Republicans just can’t fathom actually going inside poor neighborhoods and helping people less privileged than yourselves, can you?”
Whenever I look at the South Side of Chicago, I think, “Wow, Obama did this?!” Lighten up. Teenage girls, fair game. Community organizers? That’s going too far!
Gotta run, but I’ll try to answer GFWD’s questions when I have more time.
DEAN
38yo
M w/ 2 boys
straight
Bush, Bush, Dole, Clinton in that order
NC
Factors: I believe in Republican platform of lower taxes and lower spending. I also agree with Republicans platform of military defense. Sadly, the Repubs and GWB have screwed both up in loast few years. But, this is why I say I support the “platform” and hope Mc/Palin actually adhere to it.
Good responses, and good that they were answered.
What really bothers me is that we have 301 million people in this country, and we end up resorting (and I see this in my town too) to picking people who are young and inexperienced as candidates, because at least they haven’t had enough chance to become corrupt yet, so there’s less to attack them on. Most people who are really experienced in politics have something that holds them back from being electable. Have things gotten this bad?
The answer isn’t for the media to back off and leave us in the dark. People who blame the media are full of crap. The answer also isn’t for veeps to be picked like Sarah Palin. I’ll also say that Obama was too inexperienced too, but Hillary (who HAD experience) was just too darn hated so that’s who we got. The answer is for people in this country who want to gain higher office to stop being so #$%^& stupid and corrupt. I know there are tradeoffs we make to be successful in politics, but is it so hard to be in politics without being corrupt?
1. Age – 37.5
2. Marital status and number of kids (newly married, maybe kids someday if I’m lucky – please refer to above)
3. Straight or Gay – straight
4. Who they voted for in the last election – Gore
5. State or region – beautiful New Jersey
1- thirty
2- married, no kids
3- heterosexually straight
4- Mr Swift Boat himself
5- The valley of humility, the goodliest land, the old north state, et cetera.
Hi GFWD,
1. 36.8
2. Married, no kids
3. neither
4. Kerry
5. South Carolina
I am voting for Obama because he is smart, actually thinks about issues, seems willing to move beyond the crap binaries that have defined American politics for the last howevermany years, opposes getting ourselves into dumb and ill-justified wars we can’t win, supports women’s right to control their own bodies and equal pay for equal work, believes science should be taught in science classrooms, was (is?) a community organizer, is willing to support those who are working on alternatives to oil, thinks global warming is real, won’t appoint such “liberal” justices as Roberts Alito Thomas to the federal bench, will make thoughtful appointments to other important federal positions, and OMG I could go on and on.
oh, and my factors:
emphasising international diplomacy, a just tax code, spending toward making education attainable for able students, getting rid of nclb, pursuit of alternative energies, intelligence, creativity, and flexibility in a candidate, a candidate who’s willing to admit when he’s wrong, sensible compromise, an ideology devoid of nationalism and sloganeering, proper treatment of our veterans, reducing the power of the executive branch and restoring checks and balances…
et cetera.
cathie
1. 41
2. married, no kids (unless you count spoiled dogs)
3. straight (although i hate that term)
4. kerry – while holding my nose. i just couldn’t live with the alternative. although i voted for nader in 2000 (unrepent on that, too)
5. kansas
i am voting for obama because i have not felt excited about politics since bill clinton, and i think he is an inspirational leader along the lines of kennedy and lincoln. i considered voting for mccain if hillary clinton got the nomination, but never would have now the way things have turned out with palin.
Seeing as Canada is having a concurrent (and shorter unless you count 2003 to now) election campaign starting Sunday, I will add my two cents:
1. Age – 45
2. Marital status and number of kids – married, 2 plus foster kids.
3. Straight or Gay – straight but heterogay by times.
4. Who they voted for in the last election – NDP
5. State or region – Ontario
I have no idea who I am voting for. I have voted Green in the past and they are our protest vote that is turning into a player with over 10% support in Canada now. We have true Rovian conservatives afield, however, so I may swallow my pride and actually vote Grit (Liberals to you southerners) but I doubt it. They have a flakey green tax policy that make no sense as the central plank.
This statement alone made my day, Ian:
“I think we harbor a hugey-wugey fear that Palin might end up running the country.” You betcha!
Now, the poll. Here comes the skew to your readership demographics, hee hee.
1. Age: 57 in 2 months
2. Marital status and number of kids: Married 33 years, three kids, two stepkids, one stepgranddaughter (who is right next to me playing a game as I type this)
3. Straight or Gay: I’ve always been rampantly heterosexual
4. Who they voted for in the last election: Kerry (lesser of two weevils)
5. State or region: Rho Disland
I’m surprised we weren’t asked about education. Bachelor’s degree in Am Civ here.
PS: This blog has really brightened my days recently. Bring on the political rants. Even if some comments make me gnash my teeth. (Does anyone say “gnash one’s teeth” anymore?)
Correction: I voted for Kerry in the last election. Gore was the one before. I was so bored by the Kerry election I must have blocked it out.
I am voting for Obama because I have simply HAD ENOUGH.
1. 40 and fabulous, baby!
2. Married for nearly 14 years, one human child, one fur child
3. Straight
4. Bush
5. MD
As a youngish, multi-degreed, urban, coffee drinker I like that Obama. As a business owner I’m quite nervous about his redistributionist theories.
Age: 38.5
Married, 2 kids
Straight
Voted present, but did help push our local library levy into success
Texas
The key factors for me are healthcare and Iraq. I’m also interested in energy issues (job related.) I understand that Obama is not the most experienced candidate and it gave me some pause in the past. However, I made my decision months ago after a conversation with 9 year old daughter about the election. The old definition of insanity came up — doing the same thing over and over and somehow expecting a different result. We have to take a chance or we can be assured nothing will get accomplished on health care and we’ll continue to lose respect in the rest of the world. I feel like I owe it to my kids to try to make things better.
So for the questions:
40
Married, 2 kids
Straight
Kerry (but voted for Bush in 2000. Fool me once…)
NC
I feel like a bit of a lurker lately. I’ve been totally mesmerized by the debates but haven’t had time to chime in. But I can at least respond to the questions:
1. Age: 40, exactly one month from tomorrow. Yikes.
2. Status: Happily partnered for 5 years. No kids and none planned. A menagerie of animals, including a German shepherd who thinks she runs the house.
3. Gay
4. Kerry
5. Boston, MA for past 8 years. Native Tar Heel prior to that.
In terms of elections, I’ve tended to think that presidents and congresses come and go as the pendulum swings back and forth between the two parties. But supreme court justices are on for life, and there are a lot of issues that really matter to me which are ultimately decided by the court. Of course, justices haven’t always gone on to vote as predicted by the president who nominated them. Still, it terrifies me that, if McCain wins, he could potentially replace both Stevens and Ginsburg. There are plenty of other reasons why I’ll vote for Obama, but that’s a big one.
I’m voting for Obama for all the same reasons as Isis, above.
1. 56
2. Married 28 years, 1 child (who is a police officer)
3. Straight but not narrow
4. I have voted for every Democratic candidate since 1972, mostly because of anti-war or social issues, or maybe because I’m a yellow-dog Dem. So — McGovern, Carter, Carter, Mondale, Dukakis, Clinton, Clinton, Gore, Kerry.
5. Maryland.
Howard Dean was a Yale and Einstein College Doctor of Medicine
and we all know how well Yale qualifies one to run the country….
let’s not get too lost in someone’s educational background. that’s the part of being elitist that is dangerous, in my opinion. i know plenty of people who have Ivy League educations and can’t tie their own shoe, and plenty of people who went to a state college in the middle of the country who i could see as a CEO in a heartbeat.
I am voting for Obama because I think it’s about time we started sitting down with people instead of threatening from afar, because he will stand firm for roe v. wade and for gay rights (though i wish he had the stones to come out and just support gay marriage), because I think his tax plan will be worse for rich people but better for lower income people and that’s fine by me, but most of all because he had the wisdom to oppose the Iraq war from the get-go, and I’ll take that kind of judgement any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
at any rate,
1) 37
2) married 2 years
3) straight
4) Kerry
5) New York
1. 34
2. married, no kids
3. Straight
4. Gore and Kerry
5. Dallas, TX
Issues:
Supreme Court – no more Scalias and I think it’s swung too far to the right
Digital Rights/Net Neutrality – one candidate has PhDs, SMEs and others as advisors, the other candidate has an AT&T employee as his advisor
Reasoning and judgement – People make mistakes, we’re human. One has shown a complete inability to admit too or correct mistakes, the other actually listens to people who may have differences in opinion.
Personal – Coming from a lower class, single parent family and going to school with a lot of scholarship and loan help, I identify with one of the candidates much more than the other one. One has led a life like mine, working for everything they received, one relied on family connections to get where they were.
1. 41
2. Married, no kids
3. I like Women
4. Held my nose and voted for Kerry
5. In New Jersey, from North Carolina
Strongly for Obama (first-time presidential campaign volunteer) because 1) 95%+ agreement with his positions and 2) the power of his personality, which gives me hope that he’ll be able to get things done.
It’s not every day one gets to have some bearing on the agenda of this blog. I appreciate the consideration, Ian. My goal, for the record, was just to get a sense of the background of the folks who post [and lurk] here to better understand the motivations. That and the fact that some of my friends here post simply to provoke or stimulate discussions (or mess with Ian) while their true beliefs are counter to how they might otherwise come across in this forum.
Me in a little nutshell:
1. 38 and 1/6 years old
2. Married with a 2.5 year old son and 5 mos old daughter
3. Straight but love to have “safe flirting” with all of my lesbian friends in my bootcamp.
4. Voted for Kerry last time and actually was out of town on business during the 2000 election, so missed out on the opportunity to vote for Bore, er um, GORE.
5. Georgia
I’m voting for Obama. His style is like mine. (Yes, he’s older and more accomplished, but I had my style before I even knew who he was.) I also like that he looks like me and–more to the point–looks like my children. (Although no one in my family can use their ears to hover). I like that he’s smart.
I happen to believe that ANYTHING would be better than what we’ve experienced the past 8 years, even though–financially speaking–a traditional Republican platform might better serve my wallet. I want someone who understands nuance and doesn’t automatically move people to the extremes. I think nuance, an open mind and fresh perspective are crucial to moving forward.
I believe our military efforts in pursuing the terrorists are as antiquated as the British troops trying to fight Magwa and the Iroquois Native Amerians in the movie, LAST OF THE MOHICANS. We’re not gonna win with tanks, big talk and big sticks. We’ll need productive negotiations, guile, clandestine individuals on the ground and the cooperation of our allies.
After talking with many folks, I think my personal beliefs fall more in line with the “Librarian” party, founded by the great French philosopher, Monsieur Dewey De Cimal. Or was it Libertarian? Hell, I don’t know.
Thanks for participating in my little quasi survey. I also want to hear from the lurkers out there. Do it anonymously, if you must (makes no difference to me) but I want to hear from real people about their real concerns. You know who you are: hilarity-selected, hoss, carpet crawlers, bocephus, ketel one, etc.
1. 37
2. Married, 2 kids
3. Straight
4. Kerry, Gore, Clinton x2 – in 1992 at the Carmine Street Rec Center in NYC!
5. Northern VA
I am voting and volunteering for Obama, hoping we can win in VA in 2008.
1. 51
2. Married, no children
3. Bi
4. Kerry
5. NC
OBAMA, OBAMA, OBAMA. Like someone on your blog said last week, hearing Obama speak was a revelation: here is someone who believes what I believe. How long ago has it been since we’ve had THAT experience?????
PS. The Rose’s in University Mall has fabulous Obama shirts for $10. Gotta love Chapel Hill!!!!!!
1. 51
2. M,2 kids
3. Flamboyantly straight
4. Kerry
5. Iowa
Matt, I’m turning over a new leaf. When you post, I’ll smile and nod, like I’d do if you were in front of me in real life. Bear in mind, while I’m smiling and nodding, that if you think about it, you’ll know when I think you’re completely full of shit.
1. 37
2. married 14 years, 2 kids
3. straight-up straight (but to each his/her own)
4. Kerry
5. Long Island, NY, but native North Carolinian (still drawlin’)
Voting the democratic ticket based on the need for overhaul on several fronts and many of the other reasons already cited. Wanted Hillary on the ticket somewhere/somehow, but alas it ’twas not to be. I concur with the earlier commenter that potential Supreme Court appts. are a key national and multi-generational issue for all. I’m very fearful of some of the Repub. rhetoric, e.g. “Culture of life”. As a teacher and coach, I’m sure Palin was a joy to have in the team huddle and a tiger on the court, but hey, basketball is not life, despite what my sweatshirt says.
1. 40
2. Married, no kids
3. None of your business and not relevant but Straight
4. Kerry
5 Southern California via Texas, Colorado, New York, DC, and France.
Honesty about the need for people to take responsibility for themselves and their lives. Honesty about the need for society to catch those who are truly defenseless and in need (handicap, mental, terminally ill, children) Honesty about our role in the world and how our actions effect everyone else in the world in some way. Thoughtfulness in regards to differences. Ability to accept everyones differences to the extent they do not hurt anyone else. Ability to delegate and hold people accountable. Ability to motivate people to revolt. That being said….
“God forbid we should ever be twenty years without such a rebeliion. The poeple canot be all, and always, well infomred. The part which is wrong will be discontented, in proportion to the importance of the facts they misconceive. If they remain quiet under such misconceptions, it is lethargy, the forerunner of death to the public liberty…. And what country can preserve its liberties, if it’s rulers are not warned from time to time, that this people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to the facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time, with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.”
so, if we are not prepared to sacrifice ourselves and well being for change….. we are just pretending to want change, regardless if you are R, D, I or whatever. Lethargy.
1) 51
2) Married 22 yrs..no kids
3) straight
4) Kerry as I held my nose
5) Nawf Cackalacky
Voted for Obama.. We need a fresh perspective and good lord, experience hasn’t gotten us very far of late.
1) 51
2) Married 22 yrs..no kids
3) straight
4) Kerry as I held my nose
5) Nawf Cackalacky
Voting for Obama.. We need a fresh perspective and good lord, experience hasn’t gotten us very far of late.
(1) 37
(2) Married father of 3 (6, 4, and 3 yrs old)
(3) Straight
(4) ’92: Clinton, ’96: Didn’t Vote, ’00: Bush, ’04: Bush
(5) The Great State of New Jersey
I like to vote for whoever I believe to be the best candidate, regardless of party affiliation. I also think I’ve got a tendency to pull the lever for the “fresh face” as I’m dubious of all things Washington (especially the Redskins). There’s no question that the “change agent” strategy drove my vote for Clinton in ’92, Bush in ’00 and it’s why I’m voting for Obama this year. I feel like I’m playing blackjack – at some point, I’m going to hit 21. I’d like to claim temporary insanity for my 2004 W vote. My kids were 27 and 12 months old, my wife was 4 months pregnant with #3, clearly my head wasn’t on straight.
Long-time lurker here. I mainly read this blog for hoops reasons (love the dook-bashing!) but I’m enjoying the political commentary lately too.
1. Age – 48
2. Marital status and number of kids – Single
3. Straight or Gay – straight
4. Who they voted for in the last election – Kerry (I have never voted for a Republican and never will)
5. State or region – the Tar Heel State
I support Obama because (to paraphrase Charles Kuralt) he is what a president is meant to be, a leader for the people. Plus, I’ve known that the right-wing was off-the-mark since I was a teenager.
Ian, keep up the good work!
1. 33
2. Single, no kids
3. Bi
4. Kerry
5. PA
Priorities for me are environment and agriculture. I have no vested interest in farming, but I am very interested in eating. :) I’m also disgusted by the justifications for torture and war that have been proffered to the American people in the form of soundbites and slogans, and I think it’s about time we had a President who doesn’t think it’s necessary to communicate in that way. I think Obama has made people pay attention to politics in a way I’ve never seen before, and I think that will continue on into people paying attention to government like they never have before.
1) 34 (ugh)
2) Married, no kids
3) Straight
4) Kerry
5) NYC
O B A M A . I would like a president who is smarter than I am. I would like a president who carefully weighs important decisions and seeks the counsel of people who he knows are smarter or more experienced than he. I fear stubbornness and the cowboy politics that things are black and white – I think most things that are high-level enough to come across a president’s desk are pretty grey. I abhor the ‘you’re either with us or against us’ idea. And I am personally hurt at the idea that I am not patriotic or don’t love my country because I don’t approve of saber-rattling, war, etc. or that it’s unpatriotic of me that I’ve been incensed and ashamed at the behavior of my government and/or president.
Oops, forgot my vote: Obama. And I could just cut and paste Caroline’s reasons, above. We need someone to get us all working together. The Republican Party has morphed into a weird sneering smug anti-intellectual hee-haw monster. I’m sick of this crap, really. I useta like McCain, but now he has to go along with the Karl Rove contingent, which diminishes him in my eyes.
I was saying to my 22 yo son (first-time voter; Obama fan) this morning: I am so sick of the campaign already. I wish we could all vote tomorrow and get the taunting and sniping over with and get on with GOVERNING the damn country. Growrrrrrr!
1. 37
2. Married with 2 boys, 6 and 4
3. Straight
4. Clinton, abstained, Bush, Kerry
5. Virginia
I am voting for Obama for many of the same reasons posted above. Normally, I would classify myself as fiscally conservative, socially more liberal. I think the current presidency has been too narrowly focused on the war in Iraq such that other important issues (un- or under-insured, national debt, basic infrastructure, and the future of the environment) have gone largely unnoticed, and, in some instances IMHO, are unraveling at a scary pace.
1. 28
2. Unmarried, but in a 2+ year relationship!
3. Straight
4. Kerry
5. Southern California
Obama/Biden
1) I believe they are the only ones that can remove the ‘Osama bin Laden seeds’ we have been ‘planting’ in Iraq and across the Middle East.
2) Baby steps towards total equality for all Americans, i.e. Gay Marriage.
3) Scientific advancements, I want to use stem cells before I die!!
4) I WANT god OUT OF MY GOVERNMENT.
5) I want affordable health insurance. (I haven’t been to the doctor in 4 years and I really would like to go again someday.)
6) I think Obama could start a new ‘space race’ with green energy that could revitalize America.
7) I want the young people of our country empowered. It will make us strong in the right ways for decades to come.
1. 39
2. Single, no kids, want kids
3. Gay
4. Kerry
5. NC native, now in SC
Obama. I think leaders should promote tolerance and inclusivity, have an appreciation for nuance, be able to compromise, harbor a natural curiosity, be gracious and considerate, and be willing to share. I trust that manifestations of these qualities will begin to heal the past eight years.
1. 36
2. Married w/one child
3. Straight
4. Kerry (Dean), Gore, Clinton.
5. New England
I am voting for Obama because of my wide-eyed optimism. I expect to be disappointed, but I’d rather vote for a dream.
1. 38
2. Married, 3 kids: 9, 7 and 4
3. always been straight
4. Kerry
5. CA since 2000, also KS, MO, OH, IL, NC
Voting for Obama, for reasons listed by many people above. I simply cannot stand the narrow-minded, psycho-christian, right-wing babble. Don’t like abortion? Don’t have one! Don’t like gay marriage? Don’t marry someone of the same sex! Why are these “morality questions” something that people use to choose a President? There are so many facets of this job, and those issues are simply not part of the job responsibilities. We deserve better. These so-called christians ought to read the bible. What would Jesus do? Hmmmm…
1. Age – 46
2. Marital status and number of kids – Married, 2 kids
3. Straight or Gay – straight
4. Who they voted for in the last election – Kerry
5. State or region – PA for the last 7 years
Isis perfectly summed up all the reasons I’m voting for Obama so I won’t repeat them.
Here’s a great article about the falsehoods in SP’s speech: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080904/ap_on_el_pr/cvn_fact_check
I’m excited about Obama, but I’m worried because I’ve had my hopes dashed so many times at the polls. This election is giving me heartburn and major IBS. Just when I think the Republicans can’t produce anymore candidates to scare me, they trot out Sarah Barracuda and my nightmares begin again. It’s like they’re Saruman in the LOTR, creating a species more evil and dangerous than the one before it.
Ian said it’s been GOP Hate week, well I’ve had a GOP Hate life. My grandpa grew up with Reagan and I heard many, many stories about Reagan that ended with “What a dick!” The first year after I went to college, Reagan slashed the BEOG/Pell grants and I discovered how big a dick he could be. I spent the rest of my college years enraged with Reagan’s actions. Anyone remember Iran Contragate? Bombing begins in four minutes? Jesus, it never ends with these guys. How much more arrogant and hateful can they get? And now they’ve got a VP candidate attacking Obama for being a community organizer. To quote Jon Stewart, it’s like SP’s saying “To everyone out there, trying to make a difference in your communities, #$&* you!” It feels like the last eight years has been a giant “#$&* you!” to everything I believe in. I want change so much it hurts.
Once again, Ian completely misses the point of my comments that he cited, but I appreciate the shout-out. Since I work in education, and there is an old adage that if the student has not learned then the teacher has not taught, allow me to try one more time:
“Please. Howard Dean was a Yale and Einstein College Doctor of Medicine graduate who governed Vermont for 12 years…”
You missed the point. I am not trying to equate Dean’s experience with Palin. Truth be known, I kind of liked Dean and would have voted for him in ’04. But the left has tried to discredit Palin’s experience by citing the size of her small town and the relatively sparse population of Alaska. The point is that during Dean’s run, the fact that Vermont is a wee state was never mentioned as a disqualifying factor.
“No, not a rotten parent. A deeply hypocritical one.”
Please show me what Palin has done from a parenting standpoint that is hypocritical. In fact, I would argue that she is not hypocritical in the slightest. She is opposed to abortion and chose not to have one when many people, including me, would have been cool with the reasoning.
And how does her daughter not practicing abstinence-only make Palin a hypocrite? Moreover, the fact that the daughter is having the baby (again, when many would be just fine with an abortion) and marrying the father (we’ll see how that works out) seems to support her position. What was she supposed to do – put her, the redneck boyfriend, and the unborn child out on an ice floe? Oh, that’s right – we save that one for gun-totin’ racist DEMOCRATS in PA who vote for HRC.
“Clinton was against the war and made no bones about trying to avoid it.”
So if GWB had just come out and said, “Yeah, I pulled every string I had to get a sweetheart assignment” it would have been OK?
“…apples and oranges. Dan Quayle was a moron.”
No disputing that. But the fact remains that he did have three times the experience of Obama, and yet was chastised for his lack of experience by Lloyd Bentsen (the “you’re no Jack Kennedy” line) – and Quayle wasn’t even at the top of the ticket.
To paraphrase Kevin Pollack in “A Few Good Men”: Forget about Sarah Palin and the conventions. This campaign starts Monday. As I have said time and time again, all this VP talk is just a parlor game. People vote for the top of the ticket, and the next 8 weeks are about distinguishing Obama from McCain. Biden and Palin, other than their debate, will just be names on a bumper sticker.
1. 39
2. Married, 2 kids
3. Hetero
4. Bush
5. Iowa native, now living in Maryland
For me, the big issues in this election are: 1) the war (GWoT); 2) judges; 3) economy; and 4) energy policy. The Republicans are closer to being on right on all of them. Think Reagan. I’m hoping Palin looks as good upon closer inspection as she does on first impression. I like the idea that she might be a future president — Ronald Reagan in high heels.
Kent, I’ll just have to come to terms with that. Point of clarification on the sociopath thing: I was using the actual clinical definition of someone incapable of feeling guilt (not rabid partisan or who someone voted for).
1. 24.5
2. Not married, but not single
3. Straight
4. Kerry
5. Recently relocated to Chicago… previously, Chapel Hill and Madison, Wisconsin
I should have gotten here earlier, as everyone has already stolen my answers for why I’m voting for Obama.
Something else I just realized is that I’ve been reading this blog for going on 5 years. That amazes me only because I usually lose interest in websites and blogs somewhat quickly. Other than ESPN and a couple news websites, I don’t know if I’m still reading anything else that I was reading 5 years ago. Sure, I only average 1 post every 8 months or so, but I read it every day.
Great post today, Ian!
1. 31
2. Married, no kids, one dog
3. Straight
4. Kerry!
5. NC
I’m voting for Obama for SO many reasons. My views line up best with Kucinich (i.e., far left on almost every issue), but I agree with Obama on most things.
My top issues:
– the war in Iraq (get us out responsibly and soon)
– don’t go after Iran unless there’s a damn good reason (and fictitious reports of WMDs don’t cut it)
– fix the economy
Somehow “fiscal conservatives” increase the debt, whereas “tax-and-spend” Dems like Clinton have a surplus? Go figure.
Republicans have proven time and time again that they’re terrible for the economy – unless you’re rich or a large corporation.
I’d rather cut taxes for the poor than the rich and corporations. In fact, with so many Americans living in poverty, I think it’s unethical to do otherwise.
– the environment / energy
There are plenty of other issues that I’m squarely with Obama as well (abortion, gay rights, etc).
The bottom line is that I can’t think of ANYTHING good to say about McCain.
Okay, so he’s a veteran and a POW POW POW (which makes it even more digusting and mind-boggling that he supports torture).
But I think McCain would be a terrible President, as would Palin – who is the least qualified VP candidate I can think of.
Palin’s selection is a blatant attempt to pander to women and Christian conservatives rather than a selection based on her ability to do the job – how can anyone dispute that?
Did McCain honestly pick her because he thought she would be the most capable person/Republican to take over as President if needed? Come on. No one can believe that.
And as yesterday’s video link showed, if she was a Democratic VP candidate instead, the same people praising her now would be destroying her.
McCain/Palin would be 4 more years of the outright lying, fear-mongering, and horrible policies of the last 8 years.
We can’t allow that.
Obama would bring change and hope, and would do wonders with repairing our incredibly damaged worldwide reputation.
1. 35
2. Married, 2 kids: 4.5 and 4 months
3. straight
4. Kerry
5. Southern Part of Heaven (NC)
I’m voting for Obama for all the reasons stated above. We need a president who will restore this country’s reputation in the world and will work together instead of the “my way or the highway” style of W. I’m fiercely pro-choice. I appreciate Obama’s priority in helping the “middle class” (whatever the hell that is). And I want a president who is smarter than I am. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t matter that W went to Yale. I’m smart enough to know that he has screwed our foreign relations up so badly that it will take years to fix. Even I know how to make friends and the importance of keeping my enemies close(r). Finally, as my colleague Sharon says, “We have to take a chance or we can be assured nothing will get accomplished on health care and we’ll continue to lose respect in the rest of the world. I feel like I owe it to my kids to try to make things better.”
Now I gotta go get ready for Hanna and Ike.
1. 35
2. Married, 2 kids: 4.5 and 4 months
3. straight
4. Kerry
5. Southern Part of Heaven (NC)
I’m voting for Obama for all the reasons stated above. We need a president who will restore this country’s reputation in the world and will work together instead of the “my way or the highway” style of W. I’m fiercely pro-choice. I appreciate Obama’s priority in helping the “middle class” (whatever the hell that is). And I want a president who is smarter than I am. I’m sorry, but it doesn’t matter that W went to Yale. I’m smart enough to know that he has screwed our foreign relations up so badly that it will take years to fix. Even I know how to make friends and the importance of keeping my enemies close(r). Finally, as my colleague Sharon says, “We have to take a chance or we can be assured nothing will get accomplished on health care and we’ll continue to lose respect in the rest of the world. I feel like I owe it to my kids to try to make things better.”
Now I gotta go get ready for Hanna and Ike.
Scott M.,
It’s well known that McCain opposed the Bush administration on what it considers to be torture. McCain’s anti-torture, even anti-harsh interrogation, because he says it doesn’t work. He’s in your camp on this one. He even wants to shut down Gitmo. And you do know that “the poor” (bottom 40% of income earners) and those living in poverty pay no federal income tax at all, right? You might also want to look a little closer at the issue of Iran’s nuclear program, too. Even Obama doesn’t believe they are only interested in peaceful purposes.
“i know plenty of people who have Ivy League educations and can’t tie their own shoe”
Oh, you’ve met me. ;)
Forgot to state my main issues: Terrorism, health care. (If we’re all dead, the other stuff really doesn’t matter, does it??)
old friend and lurker, but had to write today b/c (1) you asked so nicely and (2) “hugey-wugey” = f’n fantastic
1. 32
2. Married, no kids
3. straight
4. Kerry
5. NY
The most important issue for me in this election is the Supreme Court. Justices can — and almost always do — stay on the bench and impact our country for decades. We have enough ultra-conservatives on the bench. Aside from the disaster of overturning roe v wade, which is a very likely scenario if McCain wins and appoints an anti-choice judge, I think obama is more likely to appoint a justice who might actually be representative of a slice of america not presently represented on the court. I simply believe that the Court should include justices who have diverse experience and backgrounds so that differing interpretations of the law and life are considered. Seriously — 9 justices and only 1 woman and 1 minority? Thomas replaced Marshall, Alito replaced O’Connor. Really? Think it doesn’t matter? It does. The lone female justice just last year wrote a dissent noting the “alarming” hostility of the (conservative) majority (when they reasoned that the ban on partial birth abotion should be upheld because, among other reasons, women might not fully understand and would later regret their decisions). I know this may not be top on most people’s lists, but you cannot underestimate how important the supreme court is to everyday issues. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/19/washington/19scotus.html
Matt –
McCain “flip-flopped” on water boarding when he voted against the waterboarding ban.
http://thinkprogress.org/2008/02/13/mccain-waterboarding-fail/
As for the poor paying no income tax at all – I admit I’m not an expert with regard to tax brackets, but that’s news to me.
Doesn’t federal tax come out of everyone’s paycheck? Do they just get it all back as a tax refund? I certainly paid federal taxes when I was working for minimum wage in high school, and I don’t recall getting all of it back at tax time.
I do know that McCain wants to continue (expand?) Bush’s big tax cuts for the wealthy, modest cuts for the middle class, and smaller cuts for the poor, while Obama’s plan is the opposite. Here’s an awesome graphic from the Washington Post – I wish there was a way to show this to everyone right before they vote.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/story/2008/06/09/ST2008060900950.html
Obama’s plan sure makes a lot more sense to me.
1. 36.5
2. married, two awesome little boys (3 and 8 weeks)
3. straight
4. Bush
5. NC
6. UNC ’94
Will be voting for McCain. I’m socially conservative (strongest held belief is pro-life). I deeply respect his military service to this country as the wife of a former Navy man. I think he has more relevant experience than Obama. Like Dean, I believe in the party’s lower taxes, lower spending platform. Sara Palin won me over with her speech at the RNC.
Scott M.,
He voted against that bill because it was flawed in other ways and he had already helped pass legislation that prohibited “cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment.” He’s still against waterboarding, and thinks it’s a mistake to limit interrogation methods to what is contained in a publicly available document, which is what that bill would’ve required.
No, almost half of all Americans pay no federal income tax at all. In 2005, 62% of all returns filed Separately or Head of Househod or as Surviving Spouse were non-paying returns. Taxes is always a subject that can be spun, since there are so many different kinds and ways to tax. If you make 42k/yr with no dependents, your taxes are going up under Obama’s plan. If you have 2 kids, it will go up only if you make 62k/yr (according to FactCheck). Obama and Democrats were claiming earlier this year that they weren’t going to raise taxes, merely let the Bush tax cuts expire. Uh, ok, but the end result is that most people’s taxes are going up. That’s raising taxes in my book. Both sides abuse the truth on this subject and it’s difficult to keep up with all the different scenarios, so I look at how it will affect my family and my relatives.
It should be an interesting election. No matter what happens, I’m sure the country will be fine. We survived Jimmy Carter (from my perspective) and we survived GWB (from your perspective). We can survive Obama or McCain. By the way, other than foreign policy and a few other issues, McCain is not right wing. He’s fairly liberal. He was considering Lieberman for his VP for cryin’ out loud. Look at it that way and liberals have already “won” this election.
Have a good weekend. I’m off to Newark, NJ.
Thanks, GFWD, for bringing on this list! I was trying to catch up last night after 10 days away from the computer and almost posted something about Governor Scary Barbie, but got too glum doing so and just axed it. This is a much brighter entree. I’ve been fascinated reading so many people’s positions, and amazed at how many have voted across party lines in presidential elections.
1) 38 y.o.
2) Never married, currently in an LTR
3) Would generally be considered straight
4) Poor ol’ beleaguered Kerry
5) Carrboro NC–textbook example of liberal enclave
I was proud as hell to vote for Obama in the NC primary, sealing his position as the ’08 Dem nominee, and I will do so again (with even more pride and glee) at the polls in November. Obama represents many of my core political values: the right to choose, fair and equitable taxation, universal (or near-universal) health care, working to repair our disastrous global reputation, responsibly changing the direction of our involvement in Iraq and minimizing as best we can any additional harm to Iraqis and Americans–Obama also gets many points in my book for having ALWAYS been against the “war”, which I believed was bogus from the very first second–and, as many folks have mentioned, I respond strongly to Obama’s powerfully apparent and reassuring brains–the lucidity of his thinking and speech–sometimes it makes me want to weep. I have never been able to listen to even one sentence spoken by GWB without wincing (and turning off my radio. It’s never stayed on for more than a few words. Never.)
A related but potentially worm-can-opening thought– the similarity between GWB and Governor Scary Barbie struck me immediately after her speech. Not that they are similar figures per se, but they both appeal to the same appetite in the American voter–how instinctively people respond to someone who’s cute, funny, plainspoken, “one of us folks”– who seems like someone you might know. That’s what is so bone-chilling about this VP choice. People are responding out of instincts that should factor into choosing a friend/activity partner (“She’s so funny! I like her!”) but not…not…NOT to evaluate a candidate for high office.
1) 39
2) Married, no kids
3) mostly straight
4) Always, always vote Democrat
5) Yankee in NC
Matt – I get your last point about McCain and it was the one thing that made me feel less worried about this election. I did feel he was more “liberal” than most Republicans. He has worked with Democrats to create bipartisan legislation and that is something. However, his more right leaning in the last few months in order to win over the party and his choice of Palin show where his alliances lie and where they will always be.
As far as the other stuff.
39
Married, 2 kids
Straight
Always voted Democrat and will again. Why? because of two things that might sound funny since they are generally Republican catch phrases.
1. Family Values..
My definition of those … compassion for those who have less, need more help, aren’t as well off as you or I. After having kids I feel this even more. I think of the little innocent kids (just like mine in every other respect) born into inner city homes (or even trailers) and think they do not deserve what they are up against in this world. I think in this great country where so many of us are prosperous we should ensure that there is a floor below which we are not willing to let our countrymen fall. That floor for me relates to funding adequate education, providing good quality healthcare to everyone and supporting research to find solutions to the big problems in our country (anyone seen the disappearing NIH budget lately?). Those things are key to ensuring that everyone has a chance to better themselves and reach the American dream. I do believe in the American dream but I think just saying it’s possible doesn’t make it so. If I have to pay a little more in taxes, I’m willing to make that sacrifice. I’m not a believer in trickle down theories. It doesn’t jibe with my “family values”. It feels too selfish and uncomfortable to me and that’s just how it is. I know others see it other ways and I respect that.
2. Freedom –
I believe in live and let live. You want to be a snake handling, speaker in tongues, go for it – just don’t legislate that I should be too. I think Palin not having an abortion is admirable and great. Just don’t tell others they can’t have one. You met the love of your life and he’s your same gender – good for you. As long as you don’t force me to do the same – how does that effect me or my marriage? I think we should learn about each other and our beliefs, try to understand each other and then respectfully disagree (and maybe even change some opinions) But to me freedom means not imposing your beliefs on others.
1. 34 and 2/3
2. Single, no kids…though if Prop 8 goes down in November, I’d someday like to be married with 2 kids. Maybe 3. Any takers? Ha.
3. Gay
4. Kerry, though I didn’t love him. Was the best of 2 bad choices.
5. Los Angeles, CA
Voting for Obama, though I was initially a Clinton backer. I think he’s a tad green but I agree with his views on where America needs to be headed, domestically and internationally/diplomatically, and there’s something to be said for the general feelings of hope that he instills in people after the shitstorm of the last 8 years. I like Joe Biden as well, think they’ll be a great team.
I realized I didn’t reply to Greg’s demographic questions, so here goes:
1. 38
2. Married with 2 kids
3. Straight, but I am willing to learn. (a little “Stripes” shout-out)
4. Michael Badnarik, the Libertarian candidate. That’s the general election equivalent of voting “present”. But I did vote for Gore in 2000.
5. the proud Tar Heel state
You may not believe it, but I haven’t decided who I am going to vote for in November. Truthfully, as it relates to governance, I really don’t see but so much difference between Obama and McCain. For all the attempts of the Dems to make McCain into Bush III, this was a guy who received serious consideration as Kerry’s VP in 2004. The next two months, head-to-head, mano-a-mano, will tell the tale for me.
What I have yet to figure out is who is pulling Obama’s strings. You just don’t go from passing official state songbird resolutions in the statehouse in Springfield to an even-money bet to be president in less than four years without some serious work being done behind the scenes.
Weekend reading:
http://www.crosscut.com/politics-government/17341
Very well-written, sensible and intelligent background on Sarah Palin written by Anne Kilkenny, a resident of Wasilla, who has known Palin since the beginning.
I’m going to be voting for McCain/Palin. While I always vote Straight ticket (even when some of the candidates bother me), I’ve been less than impressed with the Bush presidency. While I like Obama as a speaker and a leader, I don’t believe his leadership of change can hold a candle to McCain’s leadership. No candidate can cover all of my beliefs and convictions, but the Republican philosophy more alligns with what I believe. I tend to be a fiscal conservative and more socially liberal. I believe we should have a balanced budget (the one thing that Clinton did in his second term with a republican congress forcing him to work for the people and not for interests). I think Bush has been more left of Clinton in that department – tax and spend – or in his case – cut taxes and still spend and hurt us in the long term even more than when he started. I believe McCain is just “maverick” and crazy enough to do the right thing and get us back on track.
My Digits:
1. Age – 39
2. Marital status and number of kids – Married – 4 kids
3. Straight or Gay – Straight
4. Who they voted for in the last election – Straight Repub ticket (as always)
5. State or region – North Carolina
Straight ticket’s for chumps and herbs who burn fewer calories considering the candidates than they do scratching their ass.
indeed.
What FreshPaul said…indeed…
1. 36
2. Married – 2 kids
3. Straight (but lifelong bi-curious!)
4. Kerry
5. North Carolina
Voting Obama. Again, for many of the reasons seen above. Can’t take more of the same crap we’ve been given. Am pro-choice. Middle class. As a Jew, can’t stand the Christian crazy talk of the conservative right. Hate what has been done to our Good Country’s name. As a Returned Peace Corps Volunteer who is probably still the face of America for several hundred people in a small rural village in a South Asian country, I hate to think what they think of me and my country now.
This is for Ian’s Mom:
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/feature-articles/levi-johnston-hockey.php
The rest of you can read it, but I don’t want to have another one of those “Got more relatives in trailers than you” conversations. They’re as lame as “ethnic friends” or “gay friends” Proclamations. Perhaps lamer…
Chumps and herbs, huh? Must be a lot of them growing out in the good old US of A tonight based on the polls following the convention as McCain/Palin now lead 50 to 46 (54 to 44 in one poll). Course, you can flip a coin and determine the election outcome at this point as there is a lot of campaigning and debates to figure this one out. Kind of figured this would happen, same way it did following the Obama Drama in Denver. It will melt away in the next week and we’ll be back to even and I expect this one to be neck and neck to the wire. One thing I think we can all be certain of is that there will be change in the White House come January, it just depends on what flavor that change will take and it depends on which candidate gets their point across to the undecideds among us.
Wanted to share this profound piece of writing by my friend Kimowan McLain, about the RNC:
http://web.mac.com/kimowan/iWeb/portfolio/Studioblog/9CB64171-F9E9-4B77-98ED-FA72C071AD34.html
i think everyone should have to state their sexual preference all the time so i could find a date. ;)
39, married, voted for bush, live in charlotte.
i am voting for mcain mostly because i think he’s the lesser of two pretty shitty candidates. i can’t stand obama and think he’s wrong on taxes, guns, iraq, abortion, and healthcare. other than that, he’s a nice young politician who seems like he means well but is WAY out of his league.