Q: Who do I vote for in 2008?
A:
I find that the thing to focus on during campaign time is not so much what the candidates are saying — all of it could easily be complete bullshit — but who they are. This requires a little bit of digging around for info. Enter Wikipedia and other Internet sources. And remember, don’t listen to the people at work because they’re usually just quoting inaccurate twaddle they heard on the news, and often adding inaccuracies of their own at that. It’s this sort of confusion on the issues that allowed Bush II to claim the throne and reclaim it a second time.
First let’s look at the Republican candidates (the one’s that are sticking around for Super Tuesday):
JOHN MCCAIN
-Conservative
-Baptist
-Anti-Abortion
-Capitalism friendly
-For death penalty
-Not a gun rights man
-Veteran and POW of Viet Nam War Conflict
-Not a fan of Big Money or Pork Barrel Spending
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 4.75
MITT ROMNEY
-Conservative
-Mormon
-Anti-Abortion (formerly Pro-Choice)
-Capitalism friendly
-For death penalty
-Likes the guns
-Filthy rich
-Likes big business
-Listens to Roy Orbison
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 3.50
MIKE HUCKABEE
-Hyper-Conservative
-Baptist (former minister)
-Anti-Abortion
-Anti-Gay (equates homosexuality with bestiality)
-Capitalism friendly
-For death penalty
-Loves the guns
-In a cover band
-Sees in black and white
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 8.25
RON PAUL
-Conservative Libertarian
-Episcopalian
-Believes states should determine abortion policy
-Wants to deregulate the Internet
-Leaves death penalty up to states
-Capitalism friendly
-Loves the guns
-Opposes War on Drugs
-Proponent of individual rights
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 3.00
And onto the Dems:
HILLARY CLINTON
-Liberal
-Methodist
-Pro-Choice
-Capitalism friendly
-Hates the guns
-Conservationist
-Progressive
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 3.50
BARACK OBAMA
-Liberal
-Protestant (United Church of Christ)
-Pro-Choice
-Capitalism friendly-ish
-Economic reformist
-Healthcare reformist
-Likes chili
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 3.00
MIKE GRAVEL
-Liberal
-Former Catholic
-Pro-Choice
-Not so capitalism friendly
-Believes sovereignty should reside with the citizen
-Healthcare reformist
-Would eliminate IRS
-Closet socialist
-Crazy Factor (0.00-10.00): 3.00
The ideal Pres/Vice-Pres combo for the Republican Party is inevitably McCain and Paul, or McCain and some other dude. Romney is a product of Corporate America, while Huckabee might be the Anti-Christ. Speaking as a socialist, Paul is probably the least threatening Republican candidate, and therefore the least likely to gain wide Republican support. McCain, at the very least, has had a long career of pissing off corporate interests and might be a departure from the status quo, however slight.
On the other side, the most powerful Dem combo is obviously Hillary and Barack. Both appeal to somewhat different, though considerably large, audiences. Ideally, Barack and Gravel would make a good Pres/Vice-Pres team, though this is not going to happen.
As for the Independents, I haven’t even looked. If it came down to throwing my vote to an independent, a dem, or a Huckabee, I would have to vote for the dem. I wouldn’t feel right sacrificing my vote (however ideologically sound it may be) on some independent if I could help prevent some new lunatic from gaining office. That’s the game plan anyway.
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February 2, 2008 at 4:44 pm
I voted for Ralph Nader in 2000 and a family member opined that I had ‘thrown away my vote’. I disagree. The only people who ‘throw away’ their votes are the losers who don’t show up.
I think it’s significant that when Boris Yeltsin first ran for President of Russia, the turnout was in excess of 90%. During the last primary in South Carolina, we had a 40% turnout for a primary and that was considered a ‘record’. Even in a presidential general election, it’s rare to see a national turnout of 60%.
If I had one wish, it would be to see so many people turn out for an election that it would crash those damned electronic voting machines!
February 2, 2008 at 7:22 pm
I would like to see a visionary like Nader take the Oval Office. I don’t consider votes cast for independents to be thrown away either. If I felt like it was “safe” to vote for a Nader, then I definitely would. I guess I’m rarely voting FOR someone; I’m voting AGAINST someone else. It’s not an idealistic voting strategy, but the idea of a Huckabee taking over gives me chills. Nations should not be run by men who are looking forward to the Apocalypse.