Curse

OI-812 · Feb 08, 2008, 10:14 PM // 22:14

Warning: politics.

Both Democratic candidates are going to have to overcome a long-standing status quo of white males in the White House. Way to handicap ourselves in the middle of what is a really damn important election. Progress is good, yes, but this makes me rather nervous. Their most likely opponent, McCain, is IMO a serious threat. Hell, back in 2000, I would have voted for him - a remarkably moderate Republican in a time of rapture-right and red-state blue-state polarization. Nowadays, McCain is shedding some of the moderate views and stances that once made him such a plausible contender for the title of "unifier". (Probably because after he lost the Republican primary way back in 2000 the GOP and their status quo bent him over a table.) And things are being said about McCain, that he was partially responsible for the ball being dropped on veteran's rights issues (I'm still having a hard time believing it, as he IS a veteran who served with distinction). Obama wants a faster pullout from Iraq than Hillary, but it has been said that a hasty retreat would cost MORE and be more difficult for the armed forces in Iraq. Now, if he were elected, it's not like he could FORCE such a rapid pullout, as he'd have to deal with the Houses on the matter, so that point may be moot.

Anyone else here feeling like we're in for a rough next 4 years?

VitisVinifera · Feb 09, 2008, 05:50 AM // 05:50

Unfortunately I think so, but I'm DEFINITELY not part of the 'blame america first' crowd.

Onarik Amrak · Feb 09, 2008, 06:20 AM // 06:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by OI-812

Warning: politics.

You lost me after that.

You Americans don't even have to vote anyway.

wetsparks · Feb 09, 2008, 06:41 AM // 06:41

We ****** up Iraq to much to just leave them hanging, it would ruin our reputation throughout the world (what little we have left). Which is what the Democrats want to do because they want to make Bush out to be a bad guy to get into the White House over the next Republican. But with the Presidents poor approval ratings I think people will decide to vote Democrat just to spite the Republicans for ****ing things up so much. Yes I know Clinton started a recession but that was 8 years ago and people tend to forget and 9/11 and invading Afghanistan put a stop to that. Frankly I don't know who I might vote for as all candidates seem to be less than optimal. I kind of like this comic strip about Hillary though.
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/fun/ma...?date=20080208 (hopefully that webpage will stay up for a while since the picture is a link and I cant post it here.)
Just hope one of the candidates give a damn about the national debt. 9.2 trillion and counting.

**cosyfiep** · Feb 09, 2008, 08:34 AM // 08:34

the recession started back in the 80's with a brief respite in the 90's (then the bubble burst.

..) just because they call it something else doesnt mean it wasnt there .....'the sky is pink' you can say it as much as you want, even get others to believe it....but the sky is usually blue.

so its going to be a case of the lesser of 3 evils....pick another republican and be in for 4 more years of what we currently have, pick clinton and get a repeat (of the other clinton) just from a ladies view, or pick the young guy and see if he can fix the mess we call the economy, health care and whatelse....however, things are going to get worse before they get better and whomever takes office is going to get blamed for the recession (even though its been around for almost 25 years already).....there is no good choice right now.

I say vote for bill and opus.

At times like these I wish I were Canadian....

My mom (80) says whomever has the most funding will get the office....and that is usually the case.

Redfeather1975 · Feb 09, 2008, 10:21 AM // 10:21

I mean no offense by this, but honestly I feel that the race for presidency is far too commercially driven. I don't think a leader should be made from a system that greatly benefits those who have enough financial backing to sensationalize themselves.

Onarik Amrak · Feb 09, 2008, 11:03 AM // 11:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redfeather1975

I mean no offense by this, but honestly I feel that the race for presidency is far too commercially driven. I don't think a leader should be made from a system that greatly benefits those who have enough financial backing to sensationalize themselves.

At least those candidates are using charity and their personal funds instead of tax-payer money.

freaky naughty · Feb 09, 2008, 04:17 PM // 16:17

We have to stay in Iraq, we messed it up for them we have to fix it. Saddam was a cruel ruler but he kept his country under control, therefore we should have kept him in power. We'll be in there for quite a long time. Thanks a RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing lot Bush.

Clinton, Obama, and any other democrat candidates are evil.

Dragasa · Feb 09, 2008, 04:24 PM // 16:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onarik Amrak

At least those candidates are using charity and their personal funds instead of tax-payer money.

Nope, they get tax-payer money too: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matching_funds#In_politics

Yang Whirlwind · Feb 09, 2008, 04:57 PM // 16:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by freaky naughty

Clinton, Obama, and any other democrat candidates are evil.

Yeah! - why settle for the lesser evil though - vote for the Republicans!

Every man for himself! Looking out for number one! Might is right! Patrolling the world on moral principle! ... It all feels so right!

Winterclaw · Feb 09, 2008, 05:28 PM // 17:28

Two things:

1. As Rush and some in the more traditional leftist media have begun to point out, the democrats are in a bit of a civil war right now as the females are pitted against the minorities. This could easily be skewed into a no win situation for them. If Hilary wins, a white person just stopped the progress of black people. If Barack wins, a man has just stopped the progress of feminism. Either way both need to be very careful as a key voting block of democrats might be disenfranchised either way and there's a moderate McCain that many democrats can vote for on the other side of the ticket.

2. As I have posted in another post:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Me

All I know is that congress has an approval rating of 20%; that mixed with the fact that McCain and both of the remaining Dems are from the senate means there's a good chance that whoever follows Bush is actually going to be more hated.

I mean if none of them have the leadership ability to get the majority of 100 senators to enact some legislation to make congress more liked than Bush, how on Earth do you expect any of them to be able to lead the nation? None of them have the ability to lead (except Clinton, she might lead the Republicans into a revolution) and all of them want to raise taxes as a recession is looming so expect things to get a lot worse than they get better.

Terraban · Feb 09, 2008, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by freaky naughty

Clinton, Obama, and any other democrat candidates are evil.

McCain isn't? Doesn't he support reinstating the draft?

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to get shipped off to a country that we don't belong in just to get myself killed.

Pretty sure that I seen him on TV stating that we need to increase our military, increase our military funding, and no longer remain in a defensive state.

Shadow Kurd · Feb 09, 2008, 06:22 PM // 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terraban

McCain isn't? Doesn't he support reinstating the draft?

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to get shipped off to a country that we don't belong in just to get myself killed.

Pretty sure that I seen him on TV stating that we need to increase our military, increase our military funding, and no longer remain in a defensive state.

Dont join the military?

Terraban · Feb 09, 2008, 06:28 PM // 18:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shadow Kurd

Dont join the military?

Do you not know what a draft is?

Pretty sure that increasing the size of the military doesn't mean handing out more ink pens at highschools.

freaky naughty · Feb 09, 2008, 08:48 PM // 20:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Terraban

McCain isn't? Doesn't he support reinstating the draft?

I'm sorry, but I'm not going to get shipped off to a country that we don't belong in just to get myself killed.

Pretty sure that I seen him on TV stating that we need to increase our military, increase our military funding, and no longer remain in a defensive state.

I never really understood how the draft was constitutional. Forcing someone to fight in a war doesn't strike me as "freedom." However mostly people who are drafted work in intelligence, as medics, or another non-combat position. Btw Mccain voted against tax-cuts so he's officially evil.

Onarik Amrak · Feb 09, 2008, 10:02 PM // 22:02

Doesn't tax-cut = inflation?

credit · Feb 09, 2008, 10:09 PM // 22:09

Move to Canada.

freaky naughty · Feb 09, 2008, 10:32 PM // 22:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onarik Amrak

Doesn't tax-cut = inflation?

You're thinking of rate cuts, but tax-cuts sometimes increase inflation. In Reagan's term he drastically cut taxes and interest rates and the economy boomed. Reagonomics pretty much proves that a democrat government weakens our economy.

Numa Pompilius · Feb 09, 2008, 11:23 PM // 23:23

Bush manufactured a war because he was losing in the polls against Kerry and needed to rally the people. That part worked, if just barely.
The war was supposed to be over in six months, and the soldiers greeted as liberators by the grateful Iraqi public, after which the oil and reconstruction contracts would pay for the entire campaign. That part didn't work.

Result: worst RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOup since Vietnam, US economy in the shitter (that's really going to bite in the coming years), US international reputation in the shitter, and Bush competing with intellectual giants like Warren Harding for the title of "worst president ever".

So how could Hillary or Obama, or McCain for that matter, possibly do any worse?

Bush's presidency is a turd, and history will spit on his name. Whoever is president next will be a massive improvement and be considered godlike if he just avoids RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOing up as badly as Bush.

So, excuse me, what was the question?

EDIT: Oh, and you guys can perhaps explain to me how tax cuts which are not accompanied by lowered expenditure is a good thing? Tax cuts financed by loans from China and Taiwan, like the Bush tax cuts - how do you reckon they're good?

lacasner · Feb 09, 2008, 11:28 PM // 23:28

The democrats worry me big time they seem like bigots and liars, but are more intelligent that the republican candidates by far, if that counts for anything.