Freethought & Rationalism Archive

Grad Student Humanist · 01-23-2003, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Krieger
Now, would I like Howard Dean or Al Sharpton to win the Democratic primary? Hell yes.

Well if you really want Al Sharpton to win, then you are on your own. I'm as liberal as the next guy, but this is the presidency we're talking about, not the city council. Sharpton has no experience in either public office or public service. If he wants to be elected to public office I suggest he start with the House of Reps and go from there. I'm not about to vote to turn over control of the country to a man who makes a living as . . . . how does he make a living?

And by the way, it is the Reverend Al Sharpton, isn't it? Yeah right, that's just what we need. A professional religionist as president. :banghead:

Krieger · 01-23-2003, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Grad Student Humanist

And by the way, it is the Reverend Al Sharpton, isn't it? Yeah right, that's just what we need. A professional religionist as president. :banghead:

Slightly OT, but I don't care what people's religious beliefs are - as long as they are both economically left and socially left. However, I don't think someone could be a fundie and still have those political beliefs (especially the socially left part), hehe.

Feather · 01-24-2003, 06:36 AM

Update from CNN

Well, a small victory, I suppose.

Grad Student Humanist · 01-24-2003, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Slightly OT, but I don't care what people's religious beliefs are - as long as they are both economically left and socially left. However, I don't think someone could be a fundie and still have those political beliefs (especially the socially left part), hehe.

I notice that you don't say a thing about how Al Sharpton is completely unqualified to be president.

I refused to vote for Bush because he was an unqualified conservative boob. Sharpton is an unqualified liberal boob.

What are his qualifications? What is his educational background? Where is the evidence that this man would in any way be able to handle the foreign policy responsibilities required of the president? What are the chances that he would be able to work with either party who monopolize the legislative power in this country and aren't going to give him the time of day?
Why shouldn't Sharpton first prove that he is capable of being an effective public servant in a lower office first? His only public experience has been as a demagogue. Even Bush had to serve as governor before the GOP anointed him.

Of course, the Democrats (and Democratic votes) aren't stupid enough to support his campaign or vote for him in the primary. And if by some miracle he were on the ballot as the Democratic candidate in Nov. 2004, the GOP would record the most lopsided electoral victory of all time. The defeats suffered by Mondale and Dukkakis would pale in comparison.

FoE · 01-24-2003, 12:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hezekiah jones
Hi FoE. I'm from Canada. It's -18 here for a couple of days and 17 people died in Chicago. Can you believe it? Nobody dies in Kapuskasing when it's -45 for weeks on end.

I remember it well. They went from like 260 seats to three? Thanks to Brian Mulroney, the most hated man in Canadian history, with the possible exception of Corey Hart. What happened to Stockwell Day? Did he figure out The Flinstones isn't a documentary yet?

It's not completely a matter of "stopping the Republicans." However the Republicans have been very successful of late, since they have managed to make their issues very simple, very one-dimensional, to suit the mentality of their grass roots supporters. Integrity. Compassion. Grown-ups. God Bless America. George Bush is a "good man." It's a testimony to the genius of Karl Rove that the GOP has convinced more and more low income voters to transfer more and more capital to the wealthy. You actually have people down here insisting that the obscenely rich deserve more, out of principle. It's insane.

The Democratic Party actually does have its own policies and platform, but it's been in disarray since Clinton went away, basically. Gore's handlers, chiefly Donna Brazile, were a disaster. Terry McAuliffe, the party chairman, was a disaster.

Its political leadership in particular is in disarray too, I think. A whole boatload of them are maneuvering for the presidential nomination now, and Tom Daschle, the Democratic Senate leader, walks a thin line, since he represents a pretty conservative electorate at home. So he takes a lot of crap from both sides. And they did a terrible job during the 2002 elections getting across whatever message they should have been getting across, although it was difficult to be heard over the beating war drums, especially when it seems to be all CNN gives a shit about. Ain't no Michael Enright, Barbara Budd, Peter Mansbridge, or Rex Murphy down here, FoE. (Or Don Cherry, which is the worst.)

Yes, they would. What the Greens should do is concentrate on running candidates in the conservative "ridings" and stay the hell out of the close races for the time being, which is exactly the opposite of Nader's strategy in 2000. Ralph campaigned like a son of a bitch in swing states like Wisconsin and Florida, of all places, and still didn't get enough votes to qualify for federal election funding. A lot of liberals will never forgive him for that, even though they agree in principle with many of Ralph's positions.

The problem is, with the winner-take-all two-party system, the Greens don't have a snowball's chance in hell of winning a seat in Congress in the foreseeable future. There is a huge rift among liberals in this country (the "left" is virtually non-existent in the U.S.) and something needs to be done to bring it together soon. Because the aggregate liberal vote in this country is more than enough to whip these conservatives hands down.

Vive le Quebec libre! (j/k)

Well Stockwell Day lost the leadership to Stephen Harper, a man that makes Al Gore look extremely charismatic. The NDP leadership race is going on right now between Jack Layton who wants to take the party back to the left versus Bill Blaikie a United Church reverend with solid experience in national politics. The Tories have *gasp* an openly gay man running for the leadership of that party. None of that matters a bit since Paul Martin is going to be the next PM.

Do the think the lack of deep debate between the two parties in the US is because of the two party system? It seems much harder to develop compromises when the other guy is your sole opponent.

FoE · 01-24-2003, 12:06 PM

More unwanted butting in here. I think you should all vote for Al Sharpton based on his hairstyle alone. Anyone in the public eye with a hairstyle like that has some serious balls. Thre whole Democratic party should get that hair style going. Plus as the first black President he'll certainly end up on a bill down the road and his hairstyle will be an eternal reminder to you all.

Autonemesis · 01-24-2003, 12:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by atheist_in_foxhole
Are you nuts? Look at what Bush has done over the past two years.

None of which would be possible without Democrat capitulation and prostration. They are ga-ga for Bush, as best I can tell.

Krieger · 01-24-2003, 12:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Grad Student Humanist
I notice that you don't say a thing about how Al Sharpton is completely unqualified to be president.

I refused to vote for Bush because he was an unqualified conservative boob. Sharpton is an unqualified liberal boob.

What are his qualifications? What is his educational background? Where is the evidence that this man would in any way be able to handle the foreign policy responsibilities required of the president? What are the chances that he would be able to work with either party who monopolize the legislative power in this country and aren't going to give him the time of day?
Why shouldn't Sharpton first prove that he is capable of being an effective public servant in a lower office first? His only public experience has been as a demagogue. Even Bush had to serve as governor before the GOP anointed him.

Of course, the Democrats (and Democratic votes) aren't stupid enough to support his campaign or vote for him in the primary. And if by some miracle he were on the ballot as the Democratic candidate in Nov. 2004, the GOP would record the most lopsided electoral victory of all time. The defeats suffered by Mondale and Dukkakis would pale in comparison.

Sharpton is far more "qualified" to be president than Dumbya, because Sharpton has actually been working for the people (as an activist). All Shrub did was be daddy's rich, spoiled, son.

fando · 01-24-2003, 01:09 PM

Hey Grad, it would be nice to pick officers by merit, but that doesn't seem to be the case in general. Marketing and PR tactics are somewhat more important.

Anyways, good ridiance to that misbegotten appointment.

ELECTROGOD · 01-29-2003, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by atheist_in_foxhole
Article

So, do you suppose that these guys will be the ones coming up with the ways to deal with the African Aids situation (I mean Bush's hot air re-election rehtoric)?
I'm sure they will come to the conclusion that we'll have to take out those African governments to get anything to work...unless the solution is abstinance for everyone!
(keep breeding though, "god" wants it and we don't want to run out of people)

{edited by Toto to fix tags}

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01-24-2003, 06:36 AM	#53
Feather Veteran Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Gainesville, FL Posts: 1,827	Update from CNN Well, a small victory, I suppose.

01-24-2003, 12:06 PM	#56
FoE Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 1,168	More unwanted butting in here. I think you should all vote for Al Sharpton based on his hairstyle alone. Anyone in the public eye with a hairstyle like that has some serious balls. Thre whole Democratic party should get that hair style going. Plus as the first black President he'll certainly end up on a bill down the road and his hairstyle will be an eternal reminder to you all.

01-24-2003, 01:09 PM	#59
fando Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Los Angeles Area Posts: 1,372	Hey Grad, it would be nice to pick officers by merit, but that doesn't seem to be the case in general. Marketing and PR tactics are somewhat more important. Anyways, good ridiance to that misbegotten appointment.

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