Democrats versus Republicans

[camaraderie]

Beez...I am sometimes critical of moderates as it seems to me they have no coherent ad integrated belief system that underlies their stance on issues. Nevertheless, I know many moderates have strong beliefs on individual issues and will vote for the candidate that comes closer to those beliefs overall or one that at least agrees with their most important positions.
For example...I think a lot of moderates really want the Supreme court to be guided by the constitution rather than making new law but support Roe v. Wade. Inconsistent in my view....but if Roe v. Wade is more important to them than future justice choices...that may tip the balance towards Obama.
So, I guess I disagree with the notion that moderates don't have hard and fast positions.
Ooops..did I just agree with Mitch?!

[SailorMitch]

Originally Posted by sailaway21

Hell, Mitch! Vote for none of the above or maybe don't vote at all. I'm sure the protest vote will be noted within the corridors of power.

I'm sure we can count on you to explain the inner workings of the moderate mind, that is, after you've defined what exactly a moderate is. All merely mortal pedants await the enlightenment. (g)

Sway, your previous posts indicate that you certainly will never get it, so why bother? I'd rather vote my conscience than vote based straight on some ideology that has brought the country to near ruin. So keep swilling that Kool Aide and you'll be fine.

Whether I vote for mcCain is up in the air. depends on his vp pick as of now. Biden I see as not helping Obama that much, but that pick does complicate things for Johnny i think.

ANd what I do with my vote won't matter in Md much anyway. Very Democratic state for national elections.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by PBzeer

Let me preface this post by saying this is a serious question, asked without sarcasm or any sense of "gotcha". It's something I can't really get a handle on, and so I ask.

How does a moderate pick a candidate to vote for? How does one choose a candidate when they have no hard and fast positions? How can one have convictions, if they don't lead to conclusions?

Moderates do indeed have hard and fast positions. They just don't feel that they have to stick to them.

[SailorMitch]

Originally Posted by JohnRPollard

Mitch,

I certainly did say that, but I wasn't referring to you specifically. I misunderstood your post and thought you were reporting a new slogan that came out of the convention. I didn't realize you had actually coined the phrase.

So I guess that makes you the schoolyard bully.

Just kidding of course, and no worries. Here's wishing you a continued speedy recovery and good health! All the best, - John

P.S. Whatever you do, don't take Sailaway's bait!!

john-- glad we cleared that one up. AS for my being the schoolyard bully--hardly the case. in fact ever since i was a kid, i have been the one to stand up to those bully's--thus my response to sway. Perhaps you have noted my willingness to take on the knuckle-dragging cabal of conservative bullies on here? They love to travel in packs and follow their leader. Too bad more of them don't think for themselves.

and thanks for your well wishes for my speedy recovery. wo friends took me out sor a sail last saturday on my boat and i had a blast. and i just passed a behind the wheel driving test so as soon as i get a spinner knob installed i can drive! Life is good!

[sailaway21]

I'll vote, apparently uniquely, on my own personal ideology.

I cannot imagine a veep candidate good enough, or bad enough, to affect my vote one way or another but, to each his own.

Rather than tossing the bon mots about regarding the neo-cons it'd be interesting to hear what makes you consider McCain versus Obama versus abstaining from voting. You seem to know all the flavors of Kool-
Aid but fail to express a preference. It's easy to throw husks from the peanut gallery, especially after an election and the president is entrenched, but rather more difficult to publish a coherent strategy that presents a cohesive personal ideology.

Think I'll fertilize the lawn, mix up a pitcher of Goofy Grape over cracked ice (well water used of course!), and await the enlightenment.

[SailorMitch]

Sway--Let's start with the fact they are both politicians who change positions as it suits their goals at the time. e.g.--McCain dissed the evangelicals some years ago, but when he first decided to run for Pres. he made the pilgrimage to Lynchburg, VA to kiss Jerry Falwell's ample hindquarters. (It will take me all night to rid my mind on that image.) Barack's flip flops are well noted elsewhere. Barack's inexperience bothers me, a does McCain's explosive personality and age (thus the desire to see who his vp will be.) Neither one has a lock on integrity--it's Resko vs. charles keating. Also McCain promised to run a respectful campaign based on the issues-- he has not at all kept that promise. that is a quick summary. in short, 2 very sub-standard choices in my book. your mileage may vary.

Otherwise i think the dems will pull this out because of how unpopular the conservative agenda has become and McCain's inability to chart clear differences in his policies compared to Bush's-- although McCain's ads have said we are worse off now than 4 years ago (OK--so how will he improve things?), and his comment about bush's "gross mismanagement" of the iraq war ( falls into the DUH category). McCain's campaign approach to the economy has been laughable. First he hires Phil gramm (of enron fame and more lately as a lobbyist and officer of UBS) then fires Gramm for the "mental recession" gaff and the even worse "whiner" gaff-- and then flip flops again by bringing Gramm back into his campaign. Sorry, but one has to question McCain's own judgement as well as his ability to judge character.

As for your desire for enlightenment, I offer these two quotes from one of my favorite Zen Buddhist writers/monks;

"What do you want to get enlighted for? You may not like it."

"You can't make a date with enlightment."

----------------------------SHUNRYU SUZUKI

[sailaway21]

Thank you very little.

It appears from the above post that you view the election in about the same way, and with the same level of interest, as the fifth race Saturday afternoon at Pimlico. I was hoping for more than the on-line racing forum. (g)

The only thing we can glean is that you do not have much use for the Christian fundamentalist community and are looking for integrity in a candidate; after that they can believe or advocate anything?

Yet the actual positions offered here by conservatives are strong arm tactics based upon the neo-con Kool-Aide. It seems you've strong feelings about others more conservative tendencies yet are reluctant to offer alternatives. All heat and no light, as in enlightenment.

[erps]

I'm pro-life, pro-gun, pro-business, for small government and pro-environment. I end up voting republican at the federal level and splitting my votes at the local level. We had an open primary system in Washington State until the last couple years when we had to start choosing a party. I hated being limited to choosing one party or the other. It seemed un-American.

So when it comes to this term "moderate voter", I'm not sure if I fit that label or not. I find myself almost always choosing the lesser of two evils.

[sailaway21]

Originally Posted by erps

I'm pro-life, pro-gun, pro-business, for small government and pro-environment. I end up voting republican at the federal level and splitting my votes at the local level. We had an open primary system in Washington State until the last couple years when we had to start choosing a party. I hated being limited to choosing one party or the other. It seemed un-American.

So when it comes to this term "moderate voter", I'm not sure if I fit that label or not. I find myself almost always choosing the lesser of two evils.

Now there's a nice, succinct statement of personal ideology which, coincidently, gives a pretty good idea of what the man might be looking for in a candidate. Obviously another Kool-Aide drinker. (g)

[cardiacpaul]

Mitch,

SPINNERS RULE!!!!!



don't forget the dice, and the lil dog in the back wid his head bobbin' up an down....




and the Crown!!!