Why should I vote *FOR* John Kerry?

[FlemingsGhost]

I'm not interested in simply voting *AGAINST* George W. Bush in November. I'm looking forward to casting my vote with a specific political vision in mind.

So my fellow DUers, just what will a vote *FOR* John Kerry yeild? Please refrain from throwing out speculation as to what you think a Kerry presidency will produce. I want to hear cold, hard policy that Kerry has gone on record saying he will work towards.

Thanks.

(on edit: typo)

[toddzilla]

1. peace on earth, goodwill towards men.

and he won't invade syria and north korea..

[Generator]

7. Yes, diplomacy in this world of today is VITAL

The ability to speak in clear, cogent sentences and listen to others. Diplomacy means less war. I think it's pretty simple. Other than that, you have no proof he will do anything, even if it's in his plan. I'm certain there will be more diplomacy though, it's a no-brainer! HAH!

[FlemingsGhost]

12. I agree, Kerry is indeed a capable diplomat.

Thanks, Generator.

[truthspeaker]

2. if voting against Bush isn't enough, I don't know what to say

Kerry: he's not stupid and evil.

[Renew Deal]

16. lol

[Maine-i-acs]

3. Free college education -

In exchange for 2 years of service to the nation (domestically).

I converted my 8-year old on that one.

[FlemingsGhost]

4. Good one!

Thanks Main-i-acs

[Taverner]

5. Because he's the most liberal Dem candidate in over 20 years

Perhaps 30 years...the man is more of a *liberal* than even Dukakis...

Voting for Kerry sends a message to the Democratic Party that you prefer progressives who pander to centrists over centrists who pander to progressives.

[JI7]

10. highest lifetime league of conservation voters ratings of ANYONE

kerry has the top lcv ratings of anyone. and they endorsed him early on which was a break from tradition of waiting until much later.

[JI7]

6. supreme court justices

[Cocoa]

8. it's different for everyone

why are you at DU? Answer that, and I bet it would also answer why to vote for Kerry.

[mitchtv]

9. No Drilling in ANWR

for 1. No FMA for 2. An alliance with Europe #3. that's enough for me, but there is more .

[livetohike]

11. After decades as a representative of the people

he understands the issues. He is intelligent, thoughtful, well-spoken
and will be respected by other world leaders. Everything is the exact opposite of Bush.

[FlemingsGhost]

17. Policy, please.

Dems

[livetohike]

28. Try this

http://www.johnkerry.com

I particulary like his environmental policy section.

Reduce our Dependence on Foreign Oil
John Kerry has outlined a comprehensive energy plan that will tap America’s initiative and ingenuity to strengthen our national security, grow our economy, and protect our environment. Kerry’s plan will increase and enhance domestic energy sources and provide incentives to help Americans use energy more cleanly and efficiently. When sixty-five percent of the world’s oil reserves lie beneath the Persian Gulf states and only 3 percent lie beneath America, we cannot drill our way to independence. We can, however, develop and deploy clean energy technologies that will make us more efficient and allow us to capitalize on domestic and renewable sources of energy. John Kerry’s plan for a renewable energy trust fund to invest in the development of renewable energy will reduce our oil dependence by more than 2 million barrels of oil a day – about the same amount we import from the Persian Gulf. Kerry’s plan will also create 500,000 new jobs over the next decade and work toward producing 20 percent of US energy from renewable fuels by 2020.
See John Kerry’s Energy Plan



A Commitment to Cleaner and Greener Communities
John Kerry believes that addressing the environmental needs of our communities will improve the economic vitality and quality of life of the places where we live and work. Kerry will fight for “Green and Clean Communities” by removing the threat of toxics from our communities, reinvigorating the Superfund cleanup program, improving our parks, and taking on traffic congestion and sprawl. As part of this commitment, Kerry will create a Toxics Task Force at the EPA that will identify the top toxics threats to our citizens and develop an action plan to address them, and he will work to ensure that every American child has access to a clean and safe neighborhood ball field or park.

Fighting for Environmental Justice
For too long, low income and minority communities have borne a disproportionate burden of air pollution, water pollution and other environmental hazards. John Kerry will make environmental justice a national priority. He will create Environmental Empowerment Zones to ensure that environmental justice is considered in decisions that affect these communities and, more importantly, to empower communities from the ground up for positive change. He will also create a national health tracking system for chronic diseases and environmental health hazards. And, John Kerry will reinvigorate action on environmental justice at the federal level.
See John Kerry’s plan for Environmental Justice


Enter into a 'Conservation Covenant' with the American People
John Kerry will enter into a “Conservation Covenant” with the American people to tread lightly on the public lands and protect and restore our nation’s parks and other treasures for the benefit of future generations. As part of the covenant, John Kerry will implement the Endangered Species Act in a cooperative manner that extends the benefits of wildlife and habitat protection to public and private lands. He will put new teeth into requirements that private companies who lease public lands return the land to its original state. The Covenant will reinvest royalties obtained from extracting resources from public lands back into protecting our lands, and require that before remote public lands are opened up to new resource development, the federal government evaluate the long term economic and environmental costs associated with such actions.

Protect our Health by Reducing Dangerous Emissions
John Kerry understands the connection between air pollution and public health. As President, he will immediately reverse the Bush-Cheney rollbacks of our nation’s Clean Air laws, plug loopholes in the laws, and vigorously enforce them. He will take bold steps to protect the health of all Americans – particularly our most vulnerable seniors and children – by adopting an aggressive program to meet ozone and air quality standards, stop acid rain, and reduce mercury emissions. His plan also includes addressing global warming emissions through a combination of innovative programs that will drive technology change and create jobs.

Restoring America's Waters
Our nation has fallen far short of the Clean Water Act’s goal of making our waters “drinkable, swimable, and fishable.” John Kerry will lead a “Restoring America’s Waters” Campaign to clean up our nation’s waters, protect communities’ fresh water supplies, and help communities reclaim their riverfronts and lake-fronts as new centers of economic growth.

Reassert US Leadership in Global Environmental Progress
John Kerry understands that some of our most serious environmental challenges – and opportunities – are taking place on an international stage and that they require American leadership in the international community. Unlike the Bush Administration, John Kerry will not abdicate this responsibility and opportunity. When John Kerry is president, the U.S. will reengage in the development of an international climate change strategy to address global warming, and identify workable responses that provide opportunities for American technology and know-how. And a Kerry Administration will meet new challenges associated with the global exploitation of marine resources and the global crisis of access to fresh water supplies.

Promoting Smart Growth and Livable Communities
John Kerry recognizes that local communities are struggling with how to address issues of traffic congestion and sprawl. A Kerry Administration will work with states and communities to ensure they have the tools and resources they need to tackle these difficult problems. Kerry will ensure that we have “Clean and Green Communities” throughout America by coordinating federal transportation policies, federal housing incentives, federal employment opportunities and the use of federal dollars to acquire parks and open space.
More

[FlemingsGhost]

31. Nice.

Kerry has a sensible environmental/energy policy.

Good one!

[livetohike]

34. I believe he will do all he says about the

environmental issues, too. This is important to me (well other issues too, but this one especially).

[derby378]

13. Here's a few reasons

1. Infinitely more foreign policy experience than Bush
2. More likely to back basic science research than Bush
3. Knows what war is like from a first-hand experience
4. Will likely repeal the "partial-birth abortion" ban
5. Won't declare that God wanted him to become President or attack Iraq

Those will do for starters...

[FlemingsGhost]

24. Thanks, but...

No.s 2, 4 and 5 are speculation

No.s 1 and 3 aren't platform policy

[blm]

14. Accessible healthcare. REAL funding of alternative fuel research.

Honest government. Kerry has a record of investigating and exposing more government corruption than any lawmaker in modern history.

Fairer free trade with greater consideration for environmental and labor protections.

Putting the nation to work on its infrastructure - ignored by the Republican thugs hoping to privatize those works.

Kerry will use the bully pulpit to convince citizens that democracy depends on public financing of campaigns. Kerry has advocated this issue since 1985 and he and Wellstone drafted the Clean Election Law, ignored by the rest of the Senate but adopted by the Maine legislature.

If any of these matters are important to you, the answer is clear.

[emad]

15. I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish, I wish etc

I've just got a horrible feeling in the pit of my stomache that this will all end belly-up.

My gut reaction is the BFEE is going to annihilate Kerry, who has none of the charisma or natural voter-charm of Clinton, nor the loquacity or the gravitas to kick Bush out of th W.H. Which is very sad.

I also think whatever positive quailities his second wife may have, being a Republican senator's ex and Republican herself until a year ago is just bad, bad karma - and won't attract the key Dem votes needed to get him elected.

[hippiegranny]

18. because if you don't

you'll be voting for Bu$h. simple as that. if you're going to vote for Bu$h, do us all a favor and stay home that day.

I don't mean to be mean, but these threads are so couple, three months ago.

[goobergunch]

47. Not that they got better responses then

Then as now, there are a few good responses and then others such as this.

It is possible to vote for neither Bush* nor Kerry - please remember this.

[kiahzero]

76. Right

But doing so when you clearly favor Kerry's policies over Bush's, or favor the type of SCOTUS justices Kerry would appoint over those Bush would appoint, etc., is simply abandoning the major battle between the two main candidates when aid is sorely needed.

[Renew Deal]

19. You won't be labeled a terrorist and thrown in jail for

being a teacher.

[Paradise]

20. he's a "good" man,

smart, experienced, and a conservative liberal! please go to his website for anything you want to know; it's all there.

http://www.johnkerry.com/

AND, your vote for kerry may just be the one vote that will yield a one-way ticket to crawford texas for * and his vulcans.

the world hates *, we hate *. AND, how about you? :hi:

[radwriter0555]

21. He's not OWNED by big biz, the PNAC, or big oil. He is his own MAN..

and a man who puts US first.

[Pastiche423]

22. Can't give you a reason...

Just wanted to say how sad I find our state of being after almost four years of whistle ass.

In January '01, what kept me going was looking forward to supporting a real, honest to good Democrat in '04. What fun and excitement I had to look forward to. Or so I thought at the time.

Now that that time has come, it's just fucking depressing. Fucking depressing that a warmonger that agrees w/whistle ass on vital issues, has been chosen FOR us as our Democratic representative.

Brokered convention, brokered convention, brokered convention...

[blm]

27. Yet you supported someone who agreed more OFTEN with Whistle-ass

before the anti-Iraq war crowds grew. How odd that a longtime centrist with a record of procorporate governance would get your full devotion and a longtime liberal with a lengthy record of progressive positions would get the full brunt of your scorn.

Odd.

[Touchdown]

23. He likes Hockey instead of rodeos.

:evilgrin:

Hey, he's at least got something to address the outporing of jobs from this country, even though I doubt it's bold enough, I'm still willing to give that plan a chance.

He also wants to do something about our rising health care costs, and drugs. He'll balance the budget, and hopefully move forward with Clinton's original plan to amend NAFTA to provide for worker rights, decent wages, environmental protections, and worker safety...before the Repug congress stopped Bill cold.

[duvinnie]

25. Because

Kerry will NOT enact Patriot II
Kerry will NOT entangle us further in the ME
Kerry will NOT erode our image abroad further

...ow well never mind, those came out as negatives :-(
Seriously, I know what you're getting at - things are
at such a low point now that we are looking at a political
savior who merely promises to make things - NOT WORSE.

At least Dean had a platform..

[ACK]

26. Multiple reasons

Kerry is not as liberal as Kuicinch or Nader that I will give you.

However, Kerry is more liberal than Clinton, Lieberbush, or the way the DLC ran Gore the last time.

After all, the idea of changing NAFTA has entered from the fringe of political discussion into the national debate. He has said he will not back the FTAA.

The idea of National Healthcare has entered back into the National debate in a way Gore would not approach last time.

We are now talking about a program of National Service where kids can get money for college WITHOUT having to carry a gun.

Kerry will not take a unilateral piss on our allies approach to foreign relations.

He will protect a woman's right to choose.

He has pledged to lift the gag order Bush enacted on family clinics.

He will fight for real environmental legislation instead of Orwellian giveaways to the corporate powers that be.

He has pledge to let the Patriot Act lapse.

He will take away the tax benefits for corporations that ship jobs overseas.

He has pledged to close corporate tax loopholes.

He wants to get rid of the tax cuts for the wealthy and stop the deficit leak.

He wants to fight for strong enforcement of Civil Rights Laws listing the ADA and reversing Buckhannon which makes enforcement difficult.

He will fully fund Head Start. (really important never been funded right)

He wants a College Opportunity Tax Credit to help people to be able to afford college.

He is the first national candidate to not only talk about cleaner fuels and reducing our dependence on foreign oil but to actually talk about loosing ourselves from the "demon oil."

He has a 90% lifetime record of voting with the AFL/CIO and stands beside the base of organized labor. He does not demonize teachers and workers.

This is a man who can change his mind and makes an informed decision.

+

[FlemingsGhost]

30. Good post, ACK

You are well-informed. I appreciate your time and effort.

Cheers.

[Trajan]

29. You shouldnt ...

I mean: if you dont already know the answer to THAT question, then what can WE say that will snap you out of your self-imposed quagmire of ignorance ? ...

I have never had to ask 'why' I should vote Democratic ..... The differences are as stark as they are easy to settle ....

How silly to even ask this question ...

If you dont know why yet? ... then why not just vote for someone else ? ...

Go ahead .....

[sangh0]

32. I have no idea why I should care about

why YOU should vote FOR Kerry. Why don't you tell us?

[Paradise]

60. yours, sanghO is the best reply on this thread! :) n/t

[Zorra]

33. Replacing the Patriot Act.

As I talk to people around the country, it’s clear there is a broad based fear that the ideologues of this Administration will stop at nothing to get dissenters out of the way. Already, they are summoning the full-power of their communications network – the attack ads, the Ann Coulters, the Sean Hannitys, the Rush Limbaughs – to try to stifle dissent. In the name of the War on Terror, they are attempting to diminish the very rights that define us. They turn civil debate into a shouting match of personal mudslinging that does a disservice to the quality of our democracy. These pretender protectors of our Constitution are trying to intimidate those who dare to speak out. We will not be silenced. We will be heard.

In my first hundred days, I will restore our commitment to civil rights and individual rights. And that will begin with the appointment of an Attorney General whose commitment to and understanding of the Constitution is as great as that of all Americans. An Attorney General who knows we can fight the war on terrorism without attacking America’s freedoms. An Attorney General whose name is not John Ashcroft. If I am President, this government will protect individual rights not roll them back. We will protect equal rights, privacy rights, and a woman’s right to choose. And we will restore the constitutional foundation of this nation.
snip------

After September 11th, this Administration gathered and used broad new powers to investigate the private lives of people in this country. The powers were supposed to be used fight the War on Terror. But George Bush and John Ashcroft have gone beyond that. They have used police powers in secret ways and for political purposes. John Ashcroft has authorized his agents to monitor church meetings and political rallies without any cause and without the need to get approval. Thirteen FAA employees and a high-tech Homeland Security tracking system were used to help Tom Delay track down Texas State Legislators who were resisting his plan to give Republicans more seats in Congress.

And the FBI investigated peaceful demonstrators who spoke out against this Administration’s policies in Iraq. I know what it’s like to be spied on by the government because it happened to me under Nixon when I came home from Vietnam and said that war was wrong. And one thing we don’t need in this country is an Attorney General who spies on Americans.
snip-----------

An America that creates a secret police power which can by its secret discretion invade the privacy of Americans and intimidate them is a far cry from what our Founders envisioned and from what we have fought to protect for 228 years.

A country where you are visited by the authorities for thinking or voicing an unpopular idea smacks more of the Taliban than Thomas Jefferson. Trading in our basic rights for the false facade of security is not worth it – and it is not worthy of a great nation such as America.

We are a nation of laws and liberties, not of a knock in the night. So it is time to end the era of John Ashcroft.

That starts with replacing the Patriot Act with a new law that protects our people and our liberties at the same time. I’ve been a District Attorney and I know that what law enforcement needs are real tools not restrictions on American’s basic rights.

http://www.johnkerry.com/pressroom/speeches/spc_2003_1201.html

"From the moment I take office, I will stand up to the special interests and stand with hardworking families so that we can give America back its future and its ideals." John Kerry

[Claire Beth]

35. We have to protect the Supreme Court...

there are at least two supreme court justices who have already hinted at retiring and Bush* will appoint RADICAL right justices to replace them. The radical right would be the MAJORITY.

[troublemaker]

36. Who Cares? Get over yourself.

re: "I'm not interested in simply voting *AGAINST* George W. Bush in November."

Jesus... get a hobby or something. Does it seem a touch CRAZY to spend eight months naval-gazing about the profound meaning of your vote? Your vote is not a friggin' work of art, it's a vote.

[Killarney]

37. The three main reasons I'm doing it

1) he will repeal the insane Bush tax cut for the wealthy and bring fiscal sanity back--reduce the deficit and thereby help the economy and help all of us. Running a large deficit like this hurts everyone.
2) he's not planning the next country to invade like Bush is. If Bush is pres, you KNOW we'll be in Iran or Syria next. Kerry won't do it that way. Kerry will be more like Clinton.
3) Kerry cares about the environment and will run his presidency that way. Hopefully he can reverse the damage Bush has done and move forward. The environment is a big issue with me.

People who say Kerry won't do much different from Bush are pretty naive in my opinion. They are probably the same people who said Gore and Bush were the same. Look at my three issues above. Would Gore have given a $3 trillion tax cut to the rich and created the largest deficit in history? NO. Would Gore have started a war with Iraq? NO. Would Gore have hurt the environment like Bush? NO. Anyone that tries to tell me the parties are the same after the last 3 years can fuck off and die.

That's all. :toast:

[bigtree]

An honest effort to protect and preserve the environment and wildlife

For 30 years in public life I have committed to environmental protection. My commitment is driven by the belief that we can safeguard the environment and grow our economy. I have fought hard to reduce the threat of global warming by supporting renewable energy and increased funding for climate change research. I have also called on Bush to stop blocking progress and to engage in international efforts to mitigate the threat of climate change.

Source: MoveOn.org interview Jun 17, 2003
______________________________________________

Bush Takes A Backseat-

By SEN. JOHN KERRY

Posted Sunday, August 18, 2002; 7:31 a.m. EST
Americans are an optimistic people—especially when it comes to protecting our environment and public health. Our nation has made extraordinary environmental progress over the past 30 years, which helped, not hurt our economy. Americans believe renewed leadership and technological innovation can once again protect our air and water and create a strong economy for all our citizens.

That same optimism and common sense is in short supply in our politics today. The Bush Administration has succeeded in "changing the tone" back to the days of pessimism, when partisan politics pitted businesses against clean air and water. It has turned the environmental agenda over to big polluters, denouncing even modest reforms as technologically impossible and economically ruinous. These doomsday predictions aren't new: if Richard Nixon had believed polluters' grim fairy tales, he never would have put an end to the days when lakes and rivers literally caught fire.

Nowhere is presidential leadership more lacking than in the debate over global warming. It took the Bush Administration 16 months to acknowledge what scientists have known for more than a decade: the same pollution—primarily from fossil fuels—that causes asthma and respiratory illness is also altering and warming the atmosphere. Refusing to address climate change may bring unprecedented environmental damage to the health and well-being of people throughout the world.

Yet the Bush Administration continues to embrace a policy—at home and around the world—of pure inaction at best. In a stroke of unilateralism the White House announced it wouldn't even try to fix a decade-in-the-making international agreement, the Kyoto Protocol, to address global warming. That position abandons the work of 160 nations begun with the approval of President Bush's father.

The White House and the auto industry teamed up to defeat Senator John McCain and me when we tried to modestly improve car and truck efficiency while cutting pollution and reducing our dependency on foreign oil from nations that support terrorism.

We should have 20% of our electricity come from alternative sources by 2020

Americans deserve better choices than this Administration is offering. To begin, the U.S. must stop being an environmental isolationist and again work with our global allies. We should re-engage now, so we are the masters of our own destiny.

First and foremost, we must lead at home, where Americans' unrivaled ability to drive economic growth through innovation can protect the environment and create jobs. Why not set a national goal of having 20% of our electricity come from domestic alternative and renewable sources, including wind and solar power, by the year 2020? Isn't that a vision worthy of America? Developing new energy technologies can create thousands of good new jobs. Renewable energy can be generated, transported and consumed in America. And we can export our technology. I don't think we should take a backseat to the Germans or the Japanese in creating clean energies no American soldier will ever have risk life and limb to protect.

The Administration's energy plan would make us more dependent on foreign oil in 2020 than we are today and would increase global-warming pollution more than 30%. Each new fleet of cars and trucks is using more fuel than the one that came before. Our oldest and most polluting power plants are exempt from clean-air standards.

We must do better than we are doing. We should cap carbon emissions from power plants and make cars and trucks more efficient. Renewable fuels like ethanol from corn and other biomass sources can displace oil in vehicles, if we help create the opportunity.

There's no way to solve global warming overnight. But it's the American way to accept the hard work of making our country strong and our environment healthy. That kind of leadership wouldn't just change the tone in Washington; it would secure a cleaner and safer future.

http://www.time.com/time/2002/greencentury/enkerry.html

[Anjisan]

38. There IS no reason to vote for Kerry other than ABB

If we had Edwards, Dean or Hillary, there'd be a lot of reasons, but Kerry will lose and lose big time.

[ACK]

39. Bullshit

Read post #26.

[Anjisan]

64. So what?

Almost everything there can be said of Edwards too WITHOUT the baggage that Kerry brings.

[FlemingsGhost]

40. I disagree.

Besides, what's Bush have to run on?

[Anjisan]

65. Who gives a shit?

Bush has incumbancy and a shitload of right-wingers. What difference does it make what Bush has? What matters is what the Democrat has to beat him with and Kerry ain't got it.

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bigtree]

43. Quiz for Anjisan

What positions do Sen. Edwards, Gov. Dean, and Sen. Clinton represent that you would advocate and how do they differ from the Views of John Kerry?

[Anjisan]

66. For the most part

the positions aren't substantially different. Certainly not enough to make a huge difference to the populace.

What matters is public perception and that's where Kerry fails.

First of all, he can accurately be labeled the most liberal senator from the most liberal state in the nation. That may be wonderful for some to hear, but anyone who can remember George McGovern can see that such a reputation won't do us any good in November.

Second, he has far too many weaknesses with Teresa. She won't release her tax returns and although she's under no obligation to do so, it LOOKS really bad to an undecided person.

His anti-war stance after Vietnam is not a good thing to have on your record three years after 9/11 and in the middle of a war.

His long record in the Senate has created many opportunities for the spin-meisters of the Republican Party to distort.

None of those things can be said about Edwards or Dean. Hillary is an entirely different case, but along with her baggage she brings millions of dedicated fans and a huge war chest to fight with.

Of the four, Kerry is the most vulnerable to criticism and has the fewest resources to call upon. ANY of the others would have a better chance of beating Bush, but Edwards WOULD beat him.

[Lindacooks]

49. Wrong.

Buh bye

[Paradise]

61. LOOOOOOVE KERRY, & HE WILL WIN & WIN BIG TIME! n/t

[jeanmarc]

42. Visit his website...there's plenty of reasons [nt]

[FlemingsGhost]

44. Oh... I'm there often.

This thread set out to gauge the motives behind Duers support for Kerry.

So far, it's a mixed bag:

Equal parts reasoned logic, ABB, and misdirected hostility towards yours truly...

[Maine-i-acs]

46. lmao ... I figured.

There's plenty of reasons to vote for Kerry as opposed to against Bush...

[Walt Starr]

45. Because it's the only way to vote *AGAINST* Bush*

That's my rationale any way.

[Lindacooks]

48. Vote for him to

1) protect the environment

2) protect women's rights

3) stop the neocon's plan for world takeover through aggressive wars

4) create new jobs

5) reverse the ridiculous tax cuts for millionaires

6) start working on fixing the country's infrastructure

7) regain trust in the world by having an honest person as President

8) reinstate veteran's benefits slashed by chimpy

This is just a very short list. How many more reasons do you need?

[FlemingsGhost]

50. kick

... because I'm still curious.

[GreenPartyVoter]

51. I wrote to him and asked him the very same question

No answer as yet.

http://www.geocities.com/greenpartyvoter/OpenLetter.htm

[ACK]

53. Please read

My post #26.

Maybe it will help.

Maybe not.

+

[Walt Starr]

56. I read your open letter

I would like to see his answers, too.

[GreenPartyVoter]

73. If ever get a response, I will be sure to post it on my website

and will announce it here. :)

[JHBowden]

52. Kerry is a dedicated liberal.

Kerry supports gun control, is against capital punishment, has an awesome record on energy and the environment, has voted against a lot of waste, fraud, and abuse in the pentagon, supports civil rights, health care access, multilateralism, et cetera.

[Quahog]

54. Fewer people like DemsUnite "disappeared"?

Let's see, I don't know if I want to go out and vote... I'm waiting for someone to give me a beautiful and inspiring vision... if I don't get a sense of that inspiring vision, I may just refrain from voting....

How about this vision: fail to vote for Kerry, bush* is reinstalled, and Asskrofften's minions track you down via records seized from DU. They confiscate your personal property and haul you in for a nice month or two of "hand-cranked high-amperage A/C probe to the genitalia."

My idea for a new bumper sticker: "Visualize Ashcroft's Cattle Prod Up Your Ass."

[BigThama]

55. I'll vote Kerry because he isn't Bush.

But I don't like him one little bit, and if the Republicans run an honorable candidate in my mind (McCain and Powell come to mind) then I'll consider withdrawing my support in 2008.

I just wish we would have taken Dean or Edwards over the corpse we seem to be putting our chips behind right now.

[Zinfandel]

57. First of all wake up...then get real, OK???

Shit, don't vote for Kerry...so what?

Are you going to vote for Bush NO! Are you going to vote for Nader NO!...

So get real your going to vote for Kerry like every single person here including myself...

Was this just your way of making small talk? Your going to vote for Kerry no matter what...So what do you really need to know?

Not vote? Then join the 100 million other Americans who won't be voting.

Yes a two party system year after year, after year, is wonderful isn't it?

[Stuckinthebush]

59. LOL!

Excellent!

I heard Dennis Leary's voice while reading your post.

[Nuclear]

58. Kerry

Of all the Democratic candidates I dislike Kerry the most. He does seem to try and take both sides a lot. I liked Dean a lot more, even though he had a bit fo a temper. :) Which I thought was funny. I'd rather Clark or Edwards be in there right now as I think they have more integrity. I don't think Kerry can beat Bush cause Kerry doesn't seem to have the integrity of some of his former competitors.

My advice for who you vote for is not to blindly vote out Bush but to see all the candidates and pick whom you like the best. Nader has little to no chance of winning so it's Kerry or Bush. You don't like Bush so you end up going Kerry. It'd be cool to have 40 different people running for office in the general election but that means only 20% of the country could elect the President. Although the two party system makes things black and white(not meant as a racial reference), it allows the majority to win. Or at least like 40 or 45%.....

[Paradise]

63. LOOOOOOVE KERRY THE MOST & HE IS "MR. INTEGRITY"! n/t

[Zero Gravitas]

62. If you're not interested in voting against Bush

Then you haven't been paying attention. Bush is a huge danger to our basic principles & way of life. If we don't get rid of him we are screwed. This is not the time for holier-than-thou posturing, we need to get rid of him now & save ourselves from the PNAC loonies and to at least try to re-assert the notion of Government of, for and by the People.

[IronLionZion]

67. Just do it!

It would be nice to have a liberal president for a change.

If you are worried about Kerry being "too moderate" or "waffling" remember that he has an election to win and that means gaining moderate votes.

It's better to have a progressive who goes after moderates, than a moderate who goes after progressives right?

you can check out his platform here: http://www.johnkerry.com/ and come back to debate specific issues.

[AP]

68. vote to shift the flow of economic, political and cultural power the other

direction--down to the people, rather than up to a few large, wealthy corporations, and their insiders.

Even if the flow is slowed or stopped and not even reversed, it will make a huge difference for America.

[apnu]

69. Pick any of the issues you support here

... and see what Kerry did for that issue, then make your decision.

http://www.issues2000.org/Senate/John_Kerry.htm

[John_H]

70. If you need us to tell you, you should vote for Nader.

He seems to be the choice of most people I know who still can't see the difference between Rethugs and Dems, even after eight years of Clinton followed by three and a half of Chimp.

[Colin Ex]

71. A vote for Kerry is a vote for cute bunnies.

Can you say no to that?

-C

[apnu]

72. LOL! nice! n/t

[apnu]

74. Just for you Colin Ex...

[Triple H]

75. You're kidding....right?

You should get rid of your screen name. DemsUnite....that means Democrats should unite behind Kerry--no matter what.