If not Kerry, who?

[spikeb]

We all know that John Kerry sucks. We all know that Bush sucks and would never get any of our votes. So, if not kerry, Who? Who do you guys plan on voting for, and why? I thought this would make an interesting thread...(watch, nobody will answer)

Personally, I am learning towards voting for Ralph Nader, simply because of his stances on the environment and vote reform.

[Chicanery]

My conscience is very torn on this issue. Kerry's record and biography makes him intensely unappealing to me, but no one else besides Bush can win in our ridiculous two-party system. I've been hating Bush for a very long time and my conscience would have a hard time with it if I voted for Nader and Bush won my state. Nader's positions are so much closer to my own on so many issues, but he doesn't stand a chance of winning. On the other hand, that ridiculous "electiblity" concept was the same mantra that I despised in the primaries. We should all be able to vote for candidates that will truly represent us.

I'm sick and tired of voting for the lesser of two evils, but that's the way it always ends up. I haven't really had the chance to vote Democrat with a clear conscience in a general election since Paul Wellstone died. (Even Paul wasn't quite liberal enough for me sometimes.) I'm either going to end up holding my nose and voting for Kerry or I'll stand by my principles and vote Nader or Green or Socialist. I might not decide until November. No matter how I vote, I'll console myself with the knowledge that my vote doesn't really matter in the end anyway. We're going to get whoever the Machine decides will best preserve the status quo. I really wish Dean or Kucinich had won the nomination. It would make the decision so much easier.

[calabi-yau]

I can understand the moral dilemna many Americans will be going through in the next few months. Pulled between ABB no man's land and one's principles.
The ABB mantra is empty and void of any credible solutions to the situation at hand. All we hear is "Get Kerry elected and THEN we will fix the problems" but do they bring an agenda of what they want when THEN gets here ? I sure have not seen any. All it is is wishful thinking on their part and nothing constructive will come of it. If Kerry does win the WH fair and square, he won't let himself be bothered by any ABB'rs wishes.

Wouldn't it be nice if more than half of eligible voters showed up in November and just canceled their vote ? One way of saying : I hereby voice my disapproval of all candidates presented for the position.
Now, I'm the one practicing wishful thinking.
Earth calling calabi-yau. Are you there ?

[spikeb]

Well, I would cancel my vote, but I happen to like some of the people running, just not the republicrats.

[spikeb]

The problem in this election, and the last, and the ten before that, and the twenty before those, isn't the people running. It's who can win, and how we vote, and the media, etc. I've managed to find candidates that I can vote for in most elections (except some local ones where the smaller parties might not be able to field candidates in all the races). The problem has always been actually getting them heard and elected.

[calabi-yau]

spikeb said:

Well, I would cancel my vote, but I happen to like some of the people running, just not the republicrats.

Isn't this what a republic is supposed to mean? Voting in order to get representation for one's ideals ?

If there is a candidate out there you feel represents your ideals then by all means, vote for him/her.
The rest is all politics (some sarcasm...very little)

[spikeb]

Yup, that's what being a republic is supposed to be all about. I think we ALL should vote FOR candidates instead of against them, but that alone is never enough. Vote and coverage reform are needed.

[karpomrx]

I'm a registered green, though it does not mean I will vote for their candidates at the national level.
I'm still wrestling with my home work on the evil dark side of Ralph. So far, he has my vote.
Nor am I remotely in lock step with any party. I will vote for myself if no one else is running.

[spikeb]

I'm not registered anything, because I am still weighing my options. I will vote for who i think is the best person to do the job, regardless of level. And I refuse to get sucked into the either/or mess either. I will "throw away" my vote until we get some changes.

[dissenter]

Its a tough question to be sure...

I think this great nation needs an alternative THIRD party...one that will stand up against the inherent corruption that exists within BOTH parties. We need to start chipping away and fast because the way that we're headed, we might not have a democracy by the end of this decade.

I'm really concerned that this upcoming election will be a complete farce...from the beginning, i.e., the conventions. IMHO, we've already seen the internal "sabotage" or compliance by the dems as to what do. They got rid of viable candidates, i.e., Kucinich and Clarke and replaced them with Kerry.... Its all a big setup...and I could go on and on and on about it.