To Democrats who say: My Candidate or Bush

[question everything]

Because, this will be the outcome.

There are several on this board, supporters of Dean, or Kerry, or Clark, who, under no circumstances will vote for any but their candidate come November.

And, you know? You might as well vote for George Bush. It is not only the 2000 elections when every vote counted; when, in many states, the Nader votes were more than the Gore-Bush differences. It is the 2002 elections when a swing of 150,000 votes would have left the Senate in Democratic hands. It is the 2002 elections when a larger turnout by Republicans gave them their smashing victory.

So perhaps you cannot stand Lieberman (he seems to generate the most visceral antagonism on these boards). But you have to remember that the next president will appoint at least one Supreme Court justice. That if Bush and the Republicans stay in absolute control of both branches of government we will see further erosions of our right to privacy. We will see government prying into our bedrooms, our doctors offices, our libraries, into the hearts of impressionable young pupils. Perhaps will even moderate these kind of message boards. We will see the continuing decimation of the Middle Class at the expense of fat cats (or, as someone said, the top 1 percent sounds better).

We will see the continuation of the huge deficit without anyone wishing to reign on it. We will see the beginning of baby boomers retiring with barely enough to support themselves. And we will see people dying for lack of adequate health care as hospitals that have to accept everyone will no longer be able to.

So before you are going to gather your ball and go home, refusing to play, think about the consequence of your decision and then look at the mirror and ask yourself whether this is what it means to be a Democrat, a concerned citizens for whom the direction of this country is really, really important.

[Walt Starr]

1. If somebody isn't going to vote for the nominee

it's FAR FAR FAR better they vote third party than for George W. Bush.

Better to take away one vote from your column than to take one away and put it in the other guy's column.

[cheezus]

10. wasn't your vote non transferable, period?

[cprise]

28. I don't remember him saying that

.

[mlawson]

2. Most will change their minds by November.

But if they don't, they don't. It's frustrating, but this is the way it is, in every election.

But again, MOST will adjust to the nominee, whichever it is.

[JasonDeter]

3. A very easy question, which candidate supporters are they?

I would say but the flame would begin and I don't want to deal with it.

[pnziii]

4. Hold on

You act as if it's only the republicans doing the dirty work.

Check the voting records of the Dems. They have taken away our right just like the republicans have.

The Dems aren't that much better than the repubs these days. As some say they're just republican lite.

Kerry and Edwards voted for the Patriot Act.

If I'm going to vote it's going to be for change in politics not just to get Bush out.

Voting ABB is not a good plan, if we're really going to make a change then let's make a change. I think Kerry will just be a milder version of Bush. I think this because of Kerry's voting record.

[library_max]

7. "Let's make a change."

How do you propose to do that except by voting for whoever ends up the Democratic nominee? If you don't like Kerry or Edwards, support someone else in the primaries, but when the fall election comes, it'll either be the Democratic nominee or Bush.

"Because of Kerry's voting record." Kerry's been in the Senate for years, made hundreds of votes. Do you know any of his voting record other than the IWR and Patriot Act votes? Every senator except Feingold voted for the Patriot Act, and the IWR was not a declaration of war.

[pnziii]

15. I don't like the way he's voted on these

Senate Vote on Welfare Reform
H.R. 3734

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Welfare reform - With bipartisan support and the endorsement of President Clinton, the
House and Senate approved legislation that preyed on the limited rights of vulnerable
groups including children, immigrants, the poor and the elderly in the name of welfare
reform. The bill also eroded free speech for not-for-profit organizations, violated
the separation of church and state, and damaged privacy rights by establishing a de
facto national identification system. The legislation passed the House on a vote of
256 to 170; the Senate approved the measure with a vote of 74 to 25.

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against the Legislation
Sen John Kerry voted for this and so did LIEberman, Santorum & Ashcroft...

Senate Vote on Government Funding of Religious Institutions
S. 1956

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Government Funding of Religious Institutions - Included in the welfare overhaul was
a provision that could force state governments, under threat of lawsuits, to
contract with religious institutions, including houses of worship, to provide
taxpayer-funded social services, even if they are delivered in a proselytizing
environment. This, too, was a recurring theme in the 104th Congress where opponents
of religious liberty repeatedly sought to pass provisions to lower the wall of
separation between church and state. In the Senate, the provisions were
inserted into the welfare bill by a vote of 67 to 32. There was no separate vote
on the provisions in the House.

The ACLU Urged a Vote For the Separation of Church and State
Kerry voted against ACLU and so did LIEberman, Santorum & Ashcroft...

How the Senate voted on Internet Censorship
S.652

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Internet Censorship - As part of a major overhaul of the nation's telecommunications
industries, both the House and Senate approved major new censorship schemes for the
Internet. The Senate adopted its version, the so-called Communications Decency Act,
by a vote of 84 to 16. A similar censorship scheme was adopted in the House on a vote
of 256 to 149 as part of its version of telecommunications reform. The final bill
incorporated much of both provisions and passed overwhelmingly with only five
senators and 16 representatives registering opposition. Minutes after President
Clinton signed the legislation, the ACLU challenged its constitutionality in
Reno v. ACLU.

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against Censorship
Kerry voted for this Even LIEberman voting only 28% w/ ACLU voted against this...

Senate Vote on Campaign Finance Reform
S. 1219

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Campaign Finance Reform - In a sign of widespread disillusion with the political
process, both the House and Senate considered versions of campaign finance reform
that the ACLU believed to be unconstitutional infringements of free speech
provisions of the First Amendment. In the Senate, a motion to end a filibuster
against the bill failed by a vote of 54 to 36, six votes short of the 60 needed to
end debate. In the House, campaign finance was rejected by a vote of 259 to 162.

The ACLU Urged a Vote For the First Amendment
Kerry and LIEberman voted against the First amendment... Even Ashcroft and Santorum voted for the 1st...

Senate Vote on Medical Privacy
H.R 3103

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Medical privacy - Hidden within the massive health care reform bill approved by
Congress in the stampede for an August recess was a deceptively labeled provision
that further eroded the privacy rights of all Americans. The provision, known as
"administrative simplification," gives government and businesses access to
confidential medical information about individuals without their consent and
establishes a unique health identification number for every patient, health
provider, health plan and employer. The medical privacy provisions of the bill
never came up for a separate vote, but the Senate approved the health care
measure on a vote of 98 to 0. Earlier, the House had rejected by a vote of
198 to 226 an alternative version of the bill that would have deleted the
anti-privacy provisions.

The ACLU Urged a Vote For Medical Privacy
Kerry, LIEberman, Ashcroft, Santorum and many others voted against Medical Privacy...

Senate Vote on Immigration Legislation
H.R. 2202

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Immigration - Seeking to capitalize on a wave of anti-immigration initiatives,
both the House and Senate passed bills that represented the most draconian and
divisive immigration proposals in decades. Included were provisions that would
strip the courts of jurisdiction over illegal and abusive INS actions and erect
enormous and virtually insurmountable barriers for most people seeking political
asylum. The House even approved a bill that would have effectively denied public
education to American citizen children of undocumented immigrants. The Senate
voted 97 to 3 to accept one version of the legislation; the House approved a
harsher version by a vote of 333 to 87. The President signed the immigration
legislation in September.

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against the Legislation
Kerry, LIEberman, Ashcroft, Santorum and many others voted for this...

Senate Vote on National ID Cards
S. 1664

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

National ID Card - One of the most pervasive themes of the 104th Congress has
been proposals to establish a national identification system as a means of tracking
undocumented workers, so-called deadbeat dads and to monitor health insurance
information. Various database schemes have been included in bills as diverse as
immigration, welfare reform and health insurance. Since these proposals have been
buried in much larger legislation, it was often difficult to determine the position
of members of Congress. In the House, however, an attempt to eliminate a national
ID system from the immigration bill failed by a vote of 159 to 260. A similar
attempt in the Senate failed by a vote of 46 to 54.

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against National ID Cards
Kerry voted FOR this... Even LIEberman, Ashcroft, Lott and Santorum were against this...

Senate Vote on Wiretapping

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wiretapping - Although the interception of innocent conversations in federal law
enforcement wiretaps is already at record levels, Congress has been repeatedly asked
to give the FBI even greater authority to wiretap. Proposals have ranged from
providing $500 million to the nation's phone companies to finance a retrofit of their
systems to make it easier for the FBI to wiretap to permitting law enforcement
agencies to use more "roving" wiretaps (without specifying which phone is to be
tapped), and more "emergency" wiretaps (without obtaining a prior court order).

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against Wiretapping
Kerry voted FOR Wiretapping with LIEberman and his other buddy Santorum...

How the Senate Voted on Counter-Terrorism
S. 735

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Counter-terrorism - The bombing of the Oklahoma City Federal Building lifted from
obscurity a Clinton Administration proposal to increase the powers of law
enforcement in the name of fighting terrorism. The measure gave the government the
power to use secret evidence to deport immigrants it accuses of being "terrorists"
and to exclude aliens merely because they are members of a disfavored foreign group.
The bill won approval in the Senate by a vote of 91 to 8 and a vote of 293 to 133 in
the House.

The ACLU Urged a Vote Against the Legislation
Kerry voted FOR this with LIEberman, Ashcroft and Santorum...

[library_max]

23. How about these?

John Kerry on Abortion

No criminalization of a woman's right to choose. (Jun 7)
Voted NO on maintaining ban on Military Base Abortions. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on banning partial birth abortions. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on disallowing overseas military abortions. (May 1999)

John Kerry on Budget & Economy

Bush policy kept economy afloat in recession-keep some of it. (Sep 25)
No excuse for special tax cuts for the rich. (Jun 17)
Voted NO on prioritizing national debt reduction below tax cuts. (Apr 2000)
Voted NO on 1998 GOP budget. (May 1997)
Voted NO on Balanced-budget constitutional amendment. (Mar 1997)

John Kerry on Civil Rights

Include a sunset provision in the Patriot Act. (Jun 17)
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes. (Jun 2002)
Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation. (Jun 2000)
Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women. (Mar 1998)
Voted NO on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business. (Oct 1997)
Voted NO on prohibiting same-sex marriage. (Sep 1996)
Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation. (Sep 1996)
Voted NO on Amendment to prohibit flag burning. (Dec 1995)
Voted NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds. (Jul 1995)
Shift from group preferences to economic empowerment of all. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Corporations

Democratize the process of corporate boards. (Sep 25)
Voted NO on restricting rules on personal bankruptcy. (Jul 2001)

John Kerry on Crime

Voted YES on $1.15 billion per year to continue the COPS program. (May 1999)
Voted NO on limiting death penalty appeals. (Apr 1996)
Voted NO on limiting product liability punitive damage awards. (Mar 1996)
Voted YES on restricting class-action lawsuits. (Dec 1995)
Voted YES on repealing federal speed limits. (Jun 1995)
Voted NO on mandatory prison terms for crimes involving firearms. (May 1994)
Voted NO on rejecting racial statistics in death penalty appeals. (May 1994)
More funding and stricter sentencing for hate crimes. (Apr 2001)
Require DNA testing for all federal executions. (Mar 2001)

John Kerry on Drugs (snicker)

Voted NO on increasing penalties for drug offenses. (Nov 1999)
Voted NO on spending international development funds on drug control. (Jul 1996)

John Kerry on Education

Voted YES on funding smaller classes instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on funding student testing instead of private tutors. (May 2001)
Voted YES on spending $448B of tax cut on education & debt reduction. (Apr 2001)
Voted NO on Educational Savings Accounts. (Mar 2000)
Voted NO on allowing more flexibility in federal school rules. (Mar 1999)
Voted NO on education savings accounts. (Jun 1998)
Voted NO on school vouchers in DC. (Sep 1997)
Voted NO on $75M for abstinence education. (Jul 1996)
Voted NO on requiring schools to allow voluntary prayer. (Jul 1994)
Voted YES on national education standards. (Feb 1994)
Offer every parent Charter Schools and public school choice. (Aug 2000)
Three R’s: $35B for Reinvestment,Reinvention,Responsibility. (Jan 2001)

John Kerry on Energy & Oil

ANWR won't provide any oil for 20 years. (Sep 25)
Invent our way out of oil dependency-don't drill our way out. (Sep 25)
Invest in advancing secure forms of energy instead of oil. (Jun 17)
Led effort to try to raise fuel efficiency standards. (May 3)
Create new energy sources to end Mideast dependency. (May 2002)
Voted YES on targeting 100,000 hydrogen-powered vehicles by 2010. (Jun 10)
Voted YES on removing consideration of drilling ANWR from budget bill. (Mar 19)
Voted NO on drilling ANWR on national security grounds. (Apr 2002)
Voted NO on replacing CAFE standards within 15 months. (Mar 2002)
Voted NO on preserving budget for ANWR oil drilling. (Apr 2000)
Voted YES on keeping CAFE fuel efficiency standards. (Sep 1999)
Voted NO on defunding renewable and solar energy. (Jun 1999)
Voted NO on approving a nuclear waste repository. (Apr 1997)
Voted NO on do not require ethanol in gasoline. (Aug 1994)
Supports tradable emissions permits for greenhouse gases. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Environment

Safeguard the environment and grow the economy. (Jun 17)
Voted NO on confirming Gale Norton as Secretary of Interior. (Jan 2001)
Voted NO on more funding for forest roads and fish habitat. (Sep 1999)
Voted NO on transportation demo projects. (Mar 1998)
Voted YES on reducing funds for road-building in National Forests. (Sep 1997)
Voted YES on terminating desert protection in California. (Oct 1994)
Voted YES on requiring EPA risk assessments. (May 1994)
Reduce liability for hazardous waste cleanup. (May 2001)

John Kerry on Families & Children

Fund Head Start to leave no child behind. (Sep 4)
Voted YES on restricting violent videos to minors. (May 1999)
Give parents tools to balance work and family. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Foreign Policy

Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe. (May 2002)
Voted YES on killing a bill for trade sanctions if China sells weapons. (Sep 2000)
Voted NO on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion. (Oct 1999)
Voted YES on limiting the President's power to impose economic sanctions. (Jul 1998)
Voted NO on limiting NATO expansion to only Poland, Hungary & Czech. (Apr 1998)
Voted YES on $17.9 billion to IMF. (Mar 1998)
Voted NO on Strengthening of the trade embargo against Cuba. (Mar 1996)
Voted YES on ending Vietnam embargo. (Jan 1994)
Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence. (Aug 2000)
Multi-year commitment to Africa for food & medicine. (Apr 2001)

John Kerry on Free Trade

Dean's trade policy is protectionist. (Sep 25)
FTAA needs more labor and environmental standards. (Sep 4)
Fix NAFTA-canceling it would be disastrous. (Sep 4)
Capitalism and democracy go hand in hand. (May 3)
Voted YES on extending free trade to Andean nations. (May 2002)
Voted YES on granting normal trade relations status to Vietnam. (Oct 2001)
Voted YES on removing common goods from national security export rules. (Sep 2001)
Voted YES on permanent normal trade relations with China. (Sep 2000)
Voted YES on expanding trade to the third world. (May 2000)
Voted YES on renewing 'fast track' presidential trade authority. (Nov 1997)
Voted YES on fast track trading authority. (Nov 1997)
Voted YES on imposing trade sanctions on Japan for closed market. (May 1995)
Build a rule-based global trading system. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Government Reform

Flag and patriotism belong to all Americans. (Jun 17)
Voted YES on banning "soft money" contributions and restricting issue ads. (Mar 2002)
Voted NO on allow signatures for voter registration instead of photo IDs. (Feb 2002)
Voted YES on McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on limiting funding for the National Endowment for the Arts. (Aug 1999)
Voted YES on cloture of 1998 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Feb 1998)
Voted YES on favoring 1997 McCain-Feingold overhaul of campaign finance. (Oct 1997)
Voted YES on Approving the presidential line-item veto. (Mar 1996)
Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995)
Voluntary public financing for all general elections. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Gun Control

Voted YES on background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
Voted NO on loosening license & background checks at gun shows. (May 1999)
Voted NO on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Prevent unauthorized firearm use with "smart gun" technology. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Health Care

Cover more citizens with health plan like Congress gets. (May 3)
Lack of accessible health care is a disgrace. (May 2002)
Voted YES on allowing importation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999)
Voted YES on increasing funds for Medicare prescriptions. (Mar 1999)
Voted YES on increasing tobacco restrictions. (Jun 1998)
Voted NO on banning human cloning. (Feb 1998)
Voted YES on Medicare means-testing. (Jun 1997)
Voted YES on medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996)
Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Homeland Security

No new generation of nuclear weapons. (Sep 4)
Automatic citizenship to immigrants who serves in army. (Sep 4)
Voted YES on adopting the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. (Oct 1999)
Voted YES on allowing another round of military base closures. (May 1999)
Voted NO on cutting nuclear weapons below START levels. (May 1999)
Voted YES on deploying National Missile Defense ASAP. (Mar 1999)
Voted YES on military pay raise of 4.8%. (Feb 1999)
Voted NO on deploying missile defense as soon as possible. (Sep 1998)
Voted NO on prohibiting same-sex basic training. (Jun 1998)
Voted NO on favoring 36 vetoed military projects. (Oct 1997)
Voted YES on banning chemical weapons. (Apr 1997)
Voted NO on considering deploying NMD, and amending ABM Treaty. (Jun 1996)
Voted NO on 1996 Defense Appropriations. (Sep 1995)

John Kerry on Immigration

Amnesty to anyone here over 5 or 6 years. (Sep 4)
Voted NO on allowing more foreign workers into the U.S. for farm work. (Jul 1998)
Voted NO on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
Voted NO on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)

John Kerry on Infrastructure

Voted YES on Internet sales tax moratorium. (Oct 1998)
Voted YES on telecomm deregulation. (Feb 1996)
Chief information officer to digitize federal government. (Aug 2000)
Promote internet via Congressional Internet Caucus. (Jan 2001)

John Kerry on Jobs

Trade grows jobs. (Sep 25)
Jump start jobs at home via energy independence. (Sep 4)
Voted NO on repealing Clinton's ergonomic rules on repetitive stress. (Mar 2001)
Voted NO on killing an increase in the minimum wage. (Nov 1999)
Voted NO on allowing workers to choose between overtime & comp-time. (May 1997)
Voted NO on replacing farm price supports. (Feb 1996)

John Kerry on Principles & Values

Favorite song: Bruce Springsteen, "No Surrender.". (Sep 9)
Need a president who won't write laws only for contributors. (Sep 9)
Contest between common sense values and extreme ideologues. (Jun 7)
I'm talking about things that matter to people. (May 3)
It is time for this country to ask again, why not? (May 3)
Religious affiliation: Catholic. (Nov 2000)
Supports Hyde Park Declaration of "Third Way" centrism. (Aug 2000)
Member of Democratic Leadership Council. (Nov 2000)
New Democrat: "Third Way" instead of left-right debate. (Nov 2000)
Member of the Senate New Democrat Coalition. (Jan 2001)

John Kerry on Social Security

Guarantee Social Security soundness, even if unpopular. (Sep 25)
Don't threaten Social Security on Wall Street trading block. (May 2002)
Voted NO on Social Security Lockbox & limiting national debt. (Apr 1999)
Voted NO on allowing Roth IRAs for retirees. (May 1998)
Voted NO on allowing personal retirement accounts. (Apr 1998)
Voted NO on deducting Social Security payments on income taxes. (May 1996)
Create Retirement Savings Accounts. (Aug 2000)

John Kerry on Tax Reform

10% bracket in Bush tax cuts was Democrats' idea. (Sep 25)
Bush tax cuts reach 32 million in middle class. (Sep 25)
We're tired of being trickled on--Middle class tax cuts now. (Jun 7)
Voted NO on $350 billion in tax breaks over 11 years. (May 23)
Voted NO on cutting taxes by $1.35 trillion over 11 years. (May 2001)
Voted YES on reducing marriage penalty instead of cutting top tax rates. (May 2001)
Voted YES on increasing tax deductions for college tuition. (May 2001)
Voted NO on eliminating the 'marriage penalty'. (Jul 2000)
Voted NO on across-the-board spending cut. (Oct 1999)
Voted NO on $792B tax cuts. (Jul 1999)
Voted NO on requiring super-majority for raising taxes. (Apr 1998)
Voted NO on FY99 tax cuts. (Apr 1998)

John Kerry on War & Peace

Maybe on $87B for Iraq-repeal Bush tax cut to pay it, if yes. (Sep 25)
De-Americanize Iraq: the exit strategy is victory. (Sep 9)
Vote for war was needed to push Saddam on inspectors. (Sep 9)
$87B for Iraq only when internationalization is addressed. (Sep 9)
Don't miss 3rd opportunity in Iraq to bring in UN. (Sep 4)
Don't send more US troops to Iraq-share power & share burden. (Sep 4)
Against a misapplied blanket pre-emptive doctrine. (Jun 17)
Intelligence information should not be manipulated. (Jun 17)
Disarm Saddam, but war should be a last resort. (May 3)
Preferred diplomacy, but supported invading Iraq. (May 3)
Vietnam didn't threaten US; US war crimes did. (Apr 1971)
Vietnam war was criminal hypocrisy and tore apart US. (Apr 1971)
Voted YES on authorizing use of military force against Iraq. (Oct 2002)
Voted NO on allowing all necessary forces and other means in Kosovo. (May 1999)
Voted YES on authorizing air strikes in Kosovo. (Mar 1999)
Voted NO on ending the Bosnian arms embargo. (Jul 1995)
Condemns anti-Muslim bigotry in name of anti-terrorism. (Oct 2001)

John Kerry on Welfare & Poverty

Voted YES on welfare block grants. (Aug 1996)
Voted YES on eliminating block grants for food stamps. (Jul 1996)
Voted NO on allowing state welfare waivers. (Jul 1996)
Voted YES on welfare overhaul. (Sep 1995)
Finish welfare reform by moving able recipients into jobs. (Aug 2000)

[library_max]

24. Let's see, you've got nine votes there.

Tom Harkin and Bill Bradley both voted the same as Kerry in eight out of those nine votes. Jim Jeffords and Robert Byrd voted with Kerry seven times out of nine, Ted Kennedy six, and Paul Simon, Paul Wellstone, and Carol Moseley-Braun four times each. So these votes aren't exactly beyond the progressive pale, and they were your best nine shots out of hundreds of Kerry votes.

I'd have a little more respect for this if it was the product of original research and not a cut-and-paste smear against Kerry that is all over the web just now. And I'm not sure how many DUers share your outrage and the ACLU's over campaign finance reform.

BTW, I'm a card-carrying member of the ACLU myself.

[Spirochete]

5. It's a long way to November

and, though I could be wrong, I think a lot of the "nobody-but-my-candidate" people are just angry about all the bashing their candidate has had to endure in this forum, and are striking back. Can't really blame them - it does get nasty in here. But, when confronted with the actual possibility of four more years of the Crawford Cretin, I think most of them will vote for the dem nominee, whoever he is. Of course, lightening up on the candidates couldn't hurt either...

[Demobrat]

6. As a result of this primary season so far,

and some hijinks in the recent SF mayoral election, I no longer consider myself a Democrat and will switch to I after the CA primary. I will then vote for the best man for the job, or nobody. I will not vote for a scumbag regardless of party affiliation, and that's that. Sorry.

[library_max]

8. In case anybody's wondering how people like Bush end up in charge,

ask yourself how much of it is due to progressives being too high and holy to tolerate politics and politicians?

[Terwilliger]

9. Yes...the centrist/rightist contingent being innocent in their

actual record of facilitating and enabling the other side

good reason to be high and holy

[Demobrat]

12. High and holy notwithstanding

I will not be bullied or shamed into voting for somebody who doesn't deserve it. If the best the Dems can do is Repuke light, their best is just not good enough. End of story.

[bushwakker]

17. I'm a pragamatist

to me politics is as much about preventing bad policies from being enacted as it is about implementing good policies. If either Kerry, Dean, Edwards or Clark were in the White House right now we would not be in Iraq. I'm guessing of these three you would only vote for Dean. Clinton used to always say that we shouldn't let the perfect be th enemy of the good. I agree with him.

[waldenx]

11. save the fear mongering

till after the nominee is chosen.
There will be plenty of time to alienate voters with fear tactics then.

[cprise]

26. don't worry

they are!

[beyurslf]

13. I will vote for any of the Dems

but Joe. I live in KS though so we won't win here anyway. I would vote third party if Joe has the nod. I would, however, still travel to battleground states the work for Joe in Nov.

[kaitykaity]

14. When I post something critical of a particular candidate,

supporters of that candidate always pipe up with
"if I don't vote for 'x' I'm supporting Bush".

Which totally defeats their purpose, because such
attacks make me less likely, not more likely, to
support the candidate I'm criticizing.

Or are we not allowed to be critical of our own?

[question everything]

18. Of course we can be critical of our own

That's why we have primaries and that's why I hope that the final nominee does not "wrap it up" by next week.

Hopefully the primaries process opens up a discussion on many issues that are not left behind once we capture the white house. For example - if Dean has specific ideas about, say, health care, but he is not the final nominee, let his be the secretary of HHS.

But I can understand your frustration. I am relatively new here and it frustrates me that we often have meandering threads attacking candidates instead of debating the issues.

I posted an op ed from a newspaper in San Diego county which raised issues about jobs that, I think, could be raised during the campaign. But the only responses were about how backward San Diego county is..

So, hold on to supporting your candidate and I hope that you explain why. But once the process is over, let's all support the winner.

[kaitykaity]

27. I'll vote for the Democrat this November, no matter what.

I'm there already.

My problem is when I say "I won't vote for Kerry because . . . "
people either automatically assume I'm talking about the
general election, or they think only their candidate can
beat Bush, and a vote for any other of the Dem candidates
in the primary is a vote for Bush.

THAT's what pisses me off.

[bushwakker]

16. I support Kerry

I think Kerry is the most electable - thus I hope he wins NH and gets the nomination. To me it's all about beating the Shrub. I see things that I admire in most of the candidates (with the exception of Sharpton)and whomever gets the nomination gets my $$ and my vote. How anyone could call themselves a Democtrat or a progressive and not vote for the Dem nominee is beyond me.

[flaminbats]

19. Democrats do not support shrub, only repukes and DINO's...

but DINOs doesn't really count as democrats, do they? :shrug:

[Victor Wong]

20. What the hell's a DINO

[flaminbats]

22. Democrat In Name Only...

welcome to DU victor! :hi:

[NewHampster]

21. I don't think too many here won't vote ABB

and Democrat.

Shit. I'd vote for Lyndon H. LaRouche before I'd vote for Bush.

I'd vote for any of the 20 odd Democrats on the ballot tomorrow.

See all candidates here: http://www.nh.gov/sos/presprim%202004/list%20with%20photos.htm

[question everything]

30. Has everyone seen this "commercial?"

http://www.liberaloasis.com/Bushmovie.swf

[cprise]

25. DLC Democrats = Neocon Ascendency

Bush is not "the problem", he is a stupid figurehead.

His friends will amass enourmous amounts of power and find ways of starting wars if a DLC Democrat gets into office. Such a docile President will be ridden so hard by Congress and corporate media, it will make Clinton's second term look like a child's bedtime story.

With most of America still asleep and self-centered, it is perhaps best that she grab the ammonia by mistake and get a good hard whiff of a neocon second term.

Better sooner than later.

[shivaji]

29. If Clark gets nominated, I am going Green....

My choices are (in order of preference)...

DEAN, Kerry, Edwards, DK, Lieberman, GREEN party.