catapult magazine

I’ve noticed in these discussions that there are several cino members who won’t be voting for either Bush or Kerry. You like Kerry a little bit better than Bush, but will either not vote at all or you’ll vote for a third party candidate. I know why Bush-supporters dislike Kerry, and I don’t want this thread to fill up with regurgitated Bush campaign ads. What I would like to hear is why specifically those of you who don’t approve of Bush have decided not to vote for Kerry.

Do you have to rub it in?

Rubbing what in? I’m not saying anything about a winner or loser, just that I figured it wouldn’t be a blow-out win for either candidate. Although Bush did better than I thought he would.

I’m feeling oddly equanimous. Felt that way before I knew who won, too. I think people got themselves entirely too worked up about and against each candidate and the campaign rhetoric/the war/etc. when it’s really one’s Congressmen or Senators who have more impact on what does/doesn’t get done. It’s a lack of knowledge of basic American civics and understanding of how things actually “get done” in Washington, D.C. that contributes to such mania and depression during an election. NOT that the President doesn’t play a pivotal role, but let’s keep it in perspective.

From the liberals who are afraid “BUSH” will make abortion illegal (which is such a ridiculous misinterpretation of the Supreme Court decision and what would actually occur if the Supreme Court overruled it) to ultra-conservatives afraid Kerry would “outlaw” guns to environmentalists who blame Bush for not approving the Kyoto treaty … chill out and look more closely at your state reps.

Kucinich in ’08.

http://www.beliefnet.com/story/139/story_13914_1.html

hey, it’s a sandbox! anybody wanna play with mrsanniep?

Sandbox? I don’t think so, Dan. You missed my point and it wasn’t because I didn’t make myself clear. I’m not looking for an argument and I wasn’t attacking anyone.

Neither am I. Just saying that you’re bossy, nothing more. Now, I suggest we bury this thread because it no longer matters what’s wrong with Kerry. And I would guess that everyone reading this now agrees that neither I nor mrsanniep would be fun to play with in a sandbox.

Not that I’m trying to or need to defend Anne here, but Dan, taking a last unsubstantiated cheap shot and then suggesting that we all forget the entire thread is a bit too campaign-like for my tastes.

My intention for this thread was very particular, and I wanted to keep it on topic before the election. I didn’t want to sound bossy, but I understand if I came across that way. As for mrsanniep, I am happy that she is here and sharing her opinion, but her rant about everyone getting entirely too worked up about the election seemed to me preachy and condescending. Which is why I suggested that (like her earlier comment about me) she might also not make a pleasant sandbox companion. However, I would like to apologize to everyone for the part I played in how this conversation degenerated. Perhaps we could have a discussion about message board protocol and to get people’s thoughts on how to keep these discussions focused and friendly.

Dan, the post about which you write was not preachy and if it’s condescending, I’m really disappointed in myself, because I can do SO MUCH BETTER at being condescending. That was a joke, fyi.

In fact, I said my statement stemmed from a feeling of equanimity that I felt on election day. It was basically the same thing I told myself all day Nov.2 and for a few weeks up to the election. I decided that no matter who won, the nation wasn’t going to hell in a handbasket and that if I wanted to really point fingers, I’d better step back from presidential campaign rhetoric and look EVEN harder at the other key players in national politics.

But. shrug No matter. We can end this topic … although discussing Kerry’s flaws is exactly what the Democratic Party ought to be doing post-election to figure out how they might better contend in a national election next time around. As Janel pointed out in another thread, alienating pro-life Democrats is something they might want to cease doing, among other things. But you are the alleged master of this thread and although I don’t recognize your authority, I don’t care enough to challenge it. I’m out.

Cheers!

I decided that no matter who won, the nation wasn’t going to hell in a handbasket

Not to resurrect a dead discussion, but I just wanted to add that mrsanniep’s statement is certainly NOT the consensus in my classes here at Northwestern Univ. (go figure, huh?) Thank goodness there are a very few older students and profs who remember the same sorts of hell-in-a-handbasket doomsday predictions during the Reagan era…miraculously, they reminded the rest of us young’uns today, we’re all still alive and well. I get VERY tired of such drama and prophecy around here. Oh, and the assumption that if you’re educated, you’re a democrat. It’s really offensive and arrogant. I voted for Kerry (with reservations and for my own personal reasons), but a whole lot of people I love and respect are Republicans, and I am definitely put off by the attitude of the young, white, liberal elite around me. Someone told the class yesterday that they never even MET a Republican…with the appropriate shudder of horror that always accompanies the word. Sigh.