Political rambling

[apocalypsos]

I just got a mental image of what ye olde friends list will look like the day after the presidential election when they announce the winner. Lose, you bastard, lose. *sends bad vibes towards the White House*

Oh, and I heard the audio clip of his "sovereign" ramble last night. You know, everybody's entitled to a mistake or two, but the man says stupid things like this at least once a week. This time, he said two stupid things at the same bloody event, and made a room full of reporters laugh at him. Not with him, at him. I just ... it's anybody's prerogative who you want to vote for, but for crying out loud, when the man behaves like this, it's like presenting the world with our ideal American by sending in the village idiot. I realized yesterday that I wouldn't mind any other Republican candidate as long as he could sound like an actual Presidential candidate. It's just like in Internet arguments -- you want to disagree with me, fine, but at least be able to form a coherent sentence with some actual logic behind it. (If there's one thing I can say about the conservatives and/or Republicans on ye olde friends list, it's that you guys are polite and can give your side intelligently.) And don't even get me started on the fact that the man went to Yale and Harvard and has no idea of the definition of the word "sovereign", but I do and I was only at IUP for three years.

Look, here's the thing. I'd lj-cut this, but I just have to say it. There are a lot of reasons I'll be voting for Kerry instead of Bush this November, mostly because Kerry more represents my beliefs. He's not perfect, of course -- Jesus, my perfect candidate for president right now would be Barack Obama, but the man's not running. And he doesn't support some things I'm for (the gay marriage thing, especially, but outside LJ, I know very few people who are for it, so I'm not surprised), but he supports far more of them than Bush does. It all boils down to one basic thing -- I'm sick of arguing.

I've been arguing with people about politics for the last four years, and I'm tired. I've been dealing with the Bush administration's terror alerts for three years, and I'm exhausted. I've been reading their blatant disregard for the American right to pursue happiness for the last few years, and I'm disgusted. And it's not just Bush that bothers me, it's this aggravating polarization of the political parties that's driving me nuts. The fact that when someone says they're a Republican, it's like Democratic code for "hates women, homosexuals, and non-Catholics," and when someone says they're a Democrat, it's code for some Republicans that stands for "kills babies, is for gay sex in the streets, and loves terrorists" -- it's annoying. Do all Democrats and Republicans think this way? Of course not. But that there are more people who think like this than in past years is disconcerting.

Do I think if Kerry wins, everybody will stop arguing over politics? I'd be an idiot to think that. But do I think it'll lessen? Maybe a little, yeah. I just want to stop having fights on- and off-line about things like gay marriage (which, contrary to popular belief, will not lead to armageddon -- Bush's insistence on invading every country that might have had a guy in a turban within its borders once has a better chance of that) or the war (I know it'll come as quite a shock, but war is bad -- yes, all war, even the ones that liberate people and save lives in the end; war is still a big fight where lots of people die) or sex ed (hey, Bush, I hate to break it to you, but I may be the only person on the planet for whom abstinence is working -- there are nuns getting more nookie than me).

I know I said I was going to lj-cut political opinion posts from now on, but I wanted at least this one out there.

EDIT: Speaking of things I'm tired of, read this and be disgusted. *eye roll*

Comments

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

The thing is, at least you guys have a choice. Here in the UK, we have Tony Blair, leader of a supposedly socialist party that has implemented schemes Maggie Thatcher thought were too extreme and right-wing. On the other hand, we have Michael Howard, leader of the Conservatives, who are shifting more and more to the right in an attempt to distinguish themselves from Labour.

I mean, I want to vote against Blair but there's absolutely no way I can bring myself to vote for Howard. (This is the man who thinks the police shouldn't have to report stop-and-searches. Gah!) The prospect of either of them getting elected/re-elected makes me feel sick.

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

Labour are NOT, whatever they still say in their constitution, still a democratic socialist party. They're social democrats. Big difference, and it irritates me no end that they don't admit it.

Check out the previous voting records in your constituency and see if the Lib Dems have a chance to swing it? ;) Is what I'm doing where I live, seeing as Labour have no chance of beating the sitting Tory.

[derryderrydown.livejournal.com]

Oh, I have done. My constituency has been solid Labour for the past thirty years or so. However, the long-serving Labour member retired in '97 and got replaced by a Blair babe and Labour's majority has been falling ever since. The town council is Lib Dem/Labour with Lib Dem currently in the majority, so there's a slight possibility the Lib Dems will be able to take the constituency.

If only the Lib Dems would field a good, solid candidate! The Tories put up the same candidate at both the recent elections and his share of the vote is growing simply because he's heavily involved in the town.

It's quite annoying - I think he'd be a very good MP for the town but choosing him for the town involves choosing Michael Howard for the country and, really, no.

Can you tell I dislike the current electoral system?

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

I favour the German system, a hybrid (AMS), but seeing as no government is ever going to chance our electoral system an attempt at tactical voting to chip away at the inevitably massive majority is about the only way towards further consensus politics. *grumble*

Yeah, it's annoying. I lean towards Labour and can tolerate Blair to keep the Tories out of government (I think I'd lose the will to get out of bed in the morning if Howard became PM), but the winner-takes-all system in the UK has a lot to answer for.

*hopes the next election isn't called before her 18th, probably in vain*

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

Um, I meant to type "...change our electoral system". *pokes brain*

[jacinthsong.livejournal.com]

I very much doubt Kerry would pursue a different path in Iraq to Bush in the first year or two of his term - more multilateral, maybe, but nothing radical - but half the reason I want him in is that he's less likely to piss off the *thinks* WHOLE of Europe whilst doing it.

At least you can vote, anyway. We the other side of the Atlantic have to put up with the impact of the neocon foreign policy and Bush#s "special relationship" with our dear PM, without a say in the matter.

[garsha.livejournal.com]

See, I added you to my friends list because the consistently hilarious metaquotes made me laugh.

But things like this are why I keep you on my friends list.

[hemlock-martini.livejournal.com]

Well said.

Also, a-freakin'-men.

[jennimarie.livejournal.com]

There was a conversation eerily similar to this in my house last night. Of course you said it much better than I did. :)

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

I love you 'cause you love Obama (I swear, if I lived in Chicago instead of outside it in Bumfuck, Indiana, I'd be jumping up and down for a chance to vote for him--especially since I don't like his new opponent, Alan Keyes). And I love you because you make good points (and I'm not just saying that because I agree with you madly).

The fact that when someone says they're a Republican, it's like Democratic code for "hates women, homosexuals, and non-Catholics," and when someone says they're a Democrat, it's code for some Republicans that stands for "kills babies, is for gay sex in the streets, and loves terrorists" -- it's annoying. Do all Democrats and Republicans think this way? Of course not. But that there are more people who think like this than in past years is disconcerting.

YES. I'm a liberal, but I'm not a raving, anarchy-loving, super!liberal. But you say "liberal", and some people think "SHE WANTS TO OVERTHROW THE GOVERNMENT OMG TREASON." WTF?

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that is unfair. I'm not a liberal, and I want to overthrow the government OMG TREASON. Damnit! Won't someone think of the [lazy] revolutionaries?

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

Damnit! Won't someone think of the [lazy] revolutionaries?

They think of you from their recliners.

[apiphile.livejournal.com]

Our revolutionary recliners. :)

[bibliotech.livejournal.com]

La-Z-Boy for the person that wants to change the world!

[nadmonk.livejournal.com]

Amen!

[phillyexpat.livejournal.com]

I recognize the fact that there are some perfectly nice, normal, upstanding Republicans out there. For example, the Congressman for my parents' district in NJ is a fine, wonderful man. He cares about the community and worked tirelessly to prevent my father's base from being closed. His office always takes my father's calls, and when I stop by to visit, he always takes time to say hello. And he's a Republican.

However, the reason I am a staunch Democrat is because the Republican party does little to censure or attempt to even moderate some of the horrible, horrible things that their candidates do. The lack of tolerance for those whose incomes, races, religions, genders, and sexual preferences differ from their own. They tolerate candidates whose lack of empathy for others is shocking. And I won't support a presidential candidate who will give more power to these yahoos than they deserve.

[sabra-n.livejournal.com]

Sure, some Republicans are great. If I lived in New York I would have voted for Michael Bloomberg- and he's doing a fine job as mayor now. Of course, he's a fake Republican, but you get the idea. If New York City can bring itself to have 3 terms of Republican mayors in a row, they can't be all bad.

-blue

[paradisacorbasi.livejournal.com]

Beautiful ramble as always, and I was finding myself sitting here going "Yeah," and "uh-huh, right," and "me too" to all the points. I got to the point of being sick of arguing awhile back. Two people I consider dear friends both think Bush is a wonderful president. One of them shakes a finger at me anytime I point out some obnoxious thing Bush has done, and the other refrains from commenting in my LJ but then posts "the democrats are ranting and raving again" in her own. I ended up LJ filtering for the majority of my friendslist who don't love Bush.

That said -- everyone above has made statements I feel some resonance with.

And finally? Nuns are getting more nookie than I am, too.

[ltlj.livejournal.com]

Amen, and thanks, I needed to hear that this morning.

[secretbutterfly.livejournal.com]

*applauds you*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_redpanda_/]

But I AM for gay sex in the streets!

[trishalynn.livejournal.com]

But you're the looney kind of liberal. I'm for gay sex in general, but definitely not in the streets. Someone's knees could get permanently damaged.

[silverhill.livejournal.com]

I love Barack Obama.

I hate the myth that only Republicans are anti-terrorist.

[rpp.livejournal.com]

I feel exactly the same way. The whole thing has just gotten exhausting, and unfortunately I think it's starting to cause more apathy because people are so damn sick of it.

[seferin.livejournal.com]

it's anybody's prerogative who you want to vote for 

I am sorry, Trollprincess, but you are incorrect. 

1. Currently, if you are Black, you are likely to be unjustly removed from the polls. 
2. If you wish to vote for someone other than George Bush, you may find that you have changed voting precincts without your knowledge or consent. 
3. If you wish to vote for someone other than the current occupant of the White House, you may find that your vote does not count, thanks to a last minute code push.
4. If you want to go to school, to improve yourself, you are going to find it costs more. 
5. If you ask for things that may b used to prove yourself innocent of crimes you may not even realize you have been accused of, you will be investigated. 
6. If you say or do things which upset those in power, you may be locked up, and never see the light of day, because you are suddenly an enemy combatant.
7. If you wish to teach your children that America is the Land of the Free, you may have trouble proving it. 
8. If you wish to educate your children about biology and the theory of evolution, you may be prevented. 
   
   Freedom of Speech is being changed so that if the government does not want to be heard, you have the freedom to speak ONLY where no one may hear you. If you want the right to raise your children, to give them health care, to teach them, feed them, and keep them warm, you may not have that right, because the man in the White House values someone's paycheck more than your rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. After all, what do you matter? You are just an American.

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Actually, since the key word in that phrase was "want", I'm not incorrect. Whomever you want to vote for is your prerogative -- whether you get to vote for them these days is another story entirely.

[seferin.livejournal.com]

Isn't that like saying it is your perogative to want to rob a bank, even though you may be arrested for wanting to do so?

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Not really, considering voting and robbing a bank are two entirely unrelated things. In a normal democratic situation, you will not get arrested for voting in an election.

Let me try this -- if someone wants to vote for Bush, that is their right as an American. And while I don't agree with their opinion, as long as they aren't idiotic or antagonistic about why they want to vote for Bush or why I want to vote for Kerry, I fully support their right to do so.

[seferin.livejournal.com]

Yes, but Bush does not seem to share your opinion... aren't you pissed at the tricks they are pulling?

[sabra-n.livejournal.com]

Political extremism? Bad.

Political fighting? Good. Very good.

I'll say this for Bush- he's gotten a lot of apathetic people to sit their fat asses up and pay attention to what's happening to their country. And it's about damn time. So bring on more political fighting, higher voter turnout, and more participation in government from the "common people." I love it.

-blue, who can sometimes be a confrontational soul

[ampersand.livejournal.com]

*applauds*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

you might be the best person to ask this: a few days ago it was all over our news that bush actually said "we will do the best to destroy america" (paraphrase), but nobody on my flist mentioned it, and i did expect some americans to do so.
on the other hand i heard that kerry started his last campaign speech by saluting and saying "i am ready to serve", which is the first really obnoxious thing i heard about him.
what do you think about these two facts, what is the general opinion? was the first downplayed in america, was the second an attempt to get the bush voters/nationalists onto kerry's side?

[apocalypsos.livejournal.com]

Oh, no, the first got a good deal of airplay, just because every Bushism gets a lot of airplay. It was actually all over my friends list, with most people snickering hysterically over it.

As for the saluting bit, Kerry's been tossing around his Vietnam record quite a bit, mostly because (I think, anyway) it's an impressive thing that Bush doesn't have. And saluting ... shit like that doesn't help his chances with the Bush voters. If listening to Bill O'Reilly for two weeks taught me anything, it's that loyal Bush voters think he signed up for Vietnam simply to use it during his political career, that four and a half months of service doesn't count (tell that to the people who were injured or killed within their first week in Vietnam), that he didn't earn his medals, that he didn't really save anybody, and that the fact that he was later a war protestor completely negates his war record's true importance.

To be honest, I think Kerry gets more wavering Bush voters when Bush does something stupid, cruel, or annoying.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_inbetween_/]

thank you for that!