tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161060.post3604347582702383622..comments2023-11-05T04:31:48.615-05:00Comments on Elusive Lucidity: Obey!ZChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10211734319629732065noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161060.post-18182013933677000762008-02-08T20:05:00.000-05:002008-02-08T20:05:00.000-05:00The difference between Obama/Clinton and McCain is...The difference between Obama/Clinton and McCain is negligible enough, yes--at least negligible enough for me to not vote for them in New York this fall. (Or Chicago, where I myself may be living in the near future.) Like I said, if I were living in a swing state, perhaps I'd act differently. But my withholding of a vote isn't to make a point (who's listening?) so much as it is to stick to my own guns. Like I said, I jumped on the Kerry bandwagon in '04--when it was also "really important"--and got burned, because Kerry's too right-wing, the country's political system is shit, and Bush probably stole the whole thing anyway. So, no, I'm not happy with the Democratic Party. Not that they care, but they can't assume my vote. They're part of what's wrong.ZChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10211734319629732065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161060.post-90586193953670317262008-02-08T02:23:00.000-05:002008-02-08T02:23:00.000-05:00Zach, thanks for the detailed response.Personally,...Zach, thanks for the detailed response.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I'm from Florida originally, reside in Chicago currently. I voted Nader in the 2000 election in Florida, so I guess I am "one of them," the 500 or so voters who "lost the election for Gore." <BR/><BR/>In this election, I originally aligned myself with Gravel, and I hate to simplify things, but I feel his anger - a kind of Old Testament wrath - would not be good for this country.<BR/><BR/>Kucinich might be aligned with my politics - but damn if he isn't a dwarf. I suppose this is where the media and politics begin to intersect. In an ideal state, Kucinich might be viable as President. But I don't think charisma and oratory skills are newly desired traits, and I don't think they are negligible in a President. <BR/><BR/>I can't love Cary Grant and make that claim.<BR/><BR/>I've also lately felt that this election is too important to withhold a vote from the Democratic party. Based on the candidates, I can't really defend this stance, except in entirely practical terms. Is there so little difference between Obama/Hillary and McCain that you would subject yourself to 4 years of rule by either to make a point? That's more a question I'm asking myself than you; and one which I'm sure goes much deeper than my phrasing.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02628526257213487993noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161060.post-10123525573883171312008-02-07T20:28:00.000-05:002008-02-07T20:28:00.000-05:00OK, probably a longer answer than you wanted Joel,...OK, probably a longer answer than you wanted Joel, but:<BR/><BR/>I'm registered as an independent, so in the context of the NY primaries--i.e., when it would have "counted"--it didn't matter anyway. But I was, of course, a Kucinich man. (Though there was one single online "which candidate are you close to" quiz that aligned me with Gravel.) But even Kucinich is farther to the right than I am.<BR/><BR/>Among the big three Democratic contenders (of yore), I preferred Edwards slightly to Obama and Clinton.<BR/><BR/>But frankly I feel I got burned with Kerry in '04--I hoped big hopes for him, didn't love him of course but really did feel that "our" collective effort to get him elected--and I'm still not convinced Bush won everything fair & square--and when he lost/"lost" the election I was too crushed. I won't swing right for pragmatic reasons again. I won't vote for a Democrat unless he or she is about as left-liberal as Kucinich. (That means I've still got a chance with smaller offices, just not prez.) If I were in a swing state, I might not be singing the same tune. But for the foreseeable future I will almost definitely be living in blue states, and will therefore occasionally, meagerly protest the Democratic Party for its right-wing extremism by withholding my vote.<BR/><BR/>So--at this point--I don't really have a candidate anymoreZChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10211734319629732065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10161060.post-67767344306789532472008-02-07T17:52:00.000-05:002008-02-07T17:52:00.000-05:00Out of curiosity, Zach, who is "your" candidate?Out of curiosity, Zach, who is "your" candidate?Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02628526257213487993noreply@blogger.com