America Votes 2008

[Primus Pilus]

Bad weather in metro Detroit might effect the turnout at the polls today. It's not terrible weather mind you, but Democrats with little incentive might just say, "to hell with it".

 

By the by, not that it really matters in the big scheme of things, but I do take politics quite seriously. My earlier post regarding each individual candidate was meant to be quite tongue-in-cheek, for those of you too literal folks who may stumble across this. I'm still struggling terribly as to who I will vote for today despite my professed support of Ron Paul.

[Faustus]

Excellent PP

I Stand by my earlier post.

Not intended for you PP, but hopefully people will abandon idealism and just act in their own best interest.

 

One more comment to all. Being informed in an unbiased fashion can remove some of the idealism which is counter productive. I suggest people pay attention to various news outlets even if they feel 'put off' by that idea. I for one listen to speeches by all. I would never miss a policy speech by W. Clinton in his day though I thought he was little more than a master politician in the Roman style, but a historian. By that same token how many can say they never missed a speech by Newt Gingrich, a master of political thought and a historian? Could a tendency to pay attention to one and not the other be an indication of a "Lemming syndrome"?

 

To those who provide links to the NY Times, PM me and I will provide links to the Wall St journal on any editorial subject of their interest.

All I'm saying is get all points of view. Please see my first post and the link - EDIT: A POLL ON MOST TRUSTED NEWS OUTLETS. There's a reason viewers have transferred their reliance for even handed political coverage even over the span of a single year.

 

 

 

Faustus

Edited January 15, 2008 by Faustus

[DDickey]

Excellent PP

I Stand by my earlier post.

Not intended for you PP, but hopefully people will abandon idealism and just act in their own best interest. Faustus

 

I think that's the problem. People are too obsessed with their own self interests. You hear it all the time when people confront prospective presidents: "But what are you going to do for me?" The government isn't here to do anything for us in the individual sense; it's only here to help us collectively. The government isn't here to hand-feed us, or to give us handouts. It's here to provide us with the security we need so that we can independently pursue life, liberty, and happiness. We are, after all, a Republic, not a socialist nation-state. Constitutionally speaking, the government doesn't have to give us anything. The Bill of Rights exist only so that they--specifically congress--can't detract from our pursuits. Our founding fathers were wary of the idea of a congress, feeling that, under the right circumstances, a congress can be as tyrannical as a dictator, hence the strong anti-congress language throughout the Bill of Rights: "Congress shall not," etc. Demanding handouts from the government, or demanding that individual politicians promise to fulfill our own self-interests is anathema to the founding principles of this country.

[Faustus]

Sorry if I've been misunderstood by anyone,

 

I for one am way too old to benefit directly from any President in the future, though I

Edited January 15, 2008 by Faustus

[DDickey]

Sorry, DD

 

I for one am way too old to benefit directly from any President in the future, though I

[Kosmo]

For the first time I found some explanation about the US caucases:

 

Iowans have corn, Floridians have coconuts

By Dave Barry Published: January 28, 2008

 

On Tuesday, millions of Florida voters will head for the polls. Being Floridians, many of them will become confused and drive into buildings, canals, cemeteries, other Floridians, etc. But some will actually make it to the polls, where they will cast ballots that will play a crucial role in the U.S. presidential election. Or, in the case of Democrats, not.

 

It turns out that the 2008 Florida Democratic primary doesn't count. Florida will be sending the same number of delegates to the 2008 Democratic convention as Uzbekistan...

 

 

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/01/28/opinion/edbarry.php

 

Yes, all makes sense now

 

 

I edit this to express my happines, now when Obama has the support of an established dinasty - the Keenedy's. I felt sorry for him for not being from a presidential family.

Edited January 29, 2008 by Kosmo

[cornelius_sulla]

I'm an outsider looking in so please forgive me if these are stupid questions. How important is it that the Kennedy's (well, Ted anyway) have swung their support in behind Obama? Is Hilary doomed? And, does Obama have any original ideas of his own? The guy plays like a walking soundbite machine.

[Faustus]

I'm an outsider looking in so please forgive me if these are stupid questions. How important is it that the Kennedy's (well, Ted anyway) have swung their support in behind Obama? Is Hilary doomed? And, does Obama have any original ideas of his own? The guy plays like a walking soundbite machine.

Salve CS

 

I'll give you a few of my views on the subject:

 

The importance of the Kennedy endorsement is the slap it takes at the Clintons. The sub heading or subliminal message is "enough". The most important part of the endorsement comes from JFK daughter Caroline(sp). She is the daughter of a fallen Hero President, and her endorsement seems to pass the flag, baton, torch to the new-comer. It's a way of saying, "you more than anyone else reflect the values that were seen in JFK, my father" and she has credibility because she has stayed out of politics (up to now).

 

The Clintons expected (hoped and pined for) that endorsement. The Clintons represent the worst of party politics, and the Kennedys perceive the country may want to go another way. Does Obama have ideas? On that score I suggest you listen to what he says. Does he mouth only platitudes? Does he have any real ideas or just repeat clich

Edited January 31, 2008 by Faustus

[Faustus]

Post Script:

You asked about the Kennedy endorsement. It has its interest to be played out, but of immediate impact is Giuliani

[Gaius Octavius]

Absolutely no question that giuliani was a great hero! While I watched the WTC puffing down the Bay, I was making coffee. He was running away with his pal Kerik. The fire department priest was running into the mess, and was killed by a falling body. guiliani had the good sense to put Emergency Headquarters in a WTC building that was owned(?) by his pal silverstein, a political contributor. Couldn't have chosen a better target. After all, the WTC was hit once before. He was so prescient, that he didn't bother to make certain that the cops and firemen could communicate. But, he did have a lectern flunky to set up things for his unending press conferences. Should head up Homeland Security for the Screamer.

 

-----------------------------

Why giuliani lost:

 

"He was too New York, too Italian, and he had too many wives"

 

Compliments of the New York Times.

Edited January 31, 2008 by Gaius Octavius

[Faustus]

-----------------------------

Why giuliani lost:

 

"He was too New York, too Italian, and he had too many wives"

 

Compliments of the New York Times.

 

I take exception to the reference "too Italian. I resemble that!

[cornelius_sulla]

Guys, all of that information, perhaps tragically, is all really interesting to me. Thanks for improving my view. See, down here in the news boondocks at the bottom of the world, we don't get that kind of insight into your politics. Even pay TV down here is the 'lite' version. We get Obama the Brown guy, Hilary the Woman and McCain the Rebel. Honest. That's what our news coverage boils down to. In fact, you'd think that Obama and Hilary are already running for the presidency if you were completely ignorant. Jen and Angelina, Britney and a host of other vacuous idiots get top billing. Not swear at the television? Impossible!

I understood the influence and importance of the Kennedy family in a historical sense, but did not realise that they still had so much clout these days. It must be a real slap in the face for the Clinton camp, Bill Clinton especially.

American politics makes for great spectator sport. It's like the ultimate Survivor Series, except that wrestling has more honor. We have an election coming up here in NZ, but it's all very ho-hom in comparison to The Big Show.

That Giuliani line had me bent double.

[Kosmo]

So the decisive caucases on 4 february did not decide anything for the democrats. Yes it all makes sense now.

[Faustus]

An interesting exercise, sometimes valuable for the revealing of candidates "grassroots" popularity, is to take a look at the donations they

Edited February 12, 2008 by Faustus

[Faustus]

Are we in danger of being overindulged with clich