I'm looking for a new way of doing the same old thing

[LaurenG]

In a perfect world, I'm looking for someone to change the world in a ground breaking, earth shattering way. Ideally I want a candidate that wants to re-build America and focus on giving instead of self gratification and corporate welfare. I want an end to fear mongering and war threats (out of Iraq). I want an alternate energy source, I want health-care for all, I want my grandchildren to have a decent education and I want equal rights for all people.

I'm willing to back a flawed human being and I am interested in the finer points of both democratic candidates. We cannot allow this country to stagnate in the "good ol boy" culture, we cannot allow religious fanatics to rule one more day and we have to figure out what is best for the whole rather than our own self interests.

Who is the candidate most aligned with my ideals? (someone still in the race, other than Kucinich and Edwards) ;)

[Armstead]

1. Mr. Mercer?

[LaurenG]

3. No because he might get me involved with his troubles with Jeb Bush

I don't need him all up in my house with disease. :7

[jakem]

2. Gravel?

lol... GOBAMA!

[LaurenG]

4. Thanks

Gravel is a pretty spicy candidate, too spicy for the real world I think. :hi:

[jakem]

7. his beach video is freaking brilliant though.

that man is a freaking genius. unelectable, but genius.

[Saturday]

5. Changing the world in a ground breaking way is not possible IMO.

Why not want someone who can work every day on the problems? Pecking away at them. Firm and steady work. "health-care for all" is closer to Hillary's stance because she will not let anyone opt out. That's the first step to single payer health care.

[jakem]

6. sorry, not interested in a status quo pecker.

if it isnt change, it is the same old bullshit.

[LaurenG]

8. I know that it's not possible

that's why I said ideally. :7 Thank you for the recommendation though because Health-care for all is very important for some members of my family who cannot get any coverage.

[GeorgeGist]

9. Changing America is the task at hand.

Americans have already done an outstanding job of changing the World ... the old fashioned way!

[mmonk]

10. .

http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/ywc/

[End Of The Road]

11. Incremental steps

In your "perfect world" you would like to turn the country around overnight. Simply not possible. So your challenge is really to pick the candidate that can best plug the dam of impending doom to buy us enough time to start turning things around.

Hillary or Barack? They are both flawed, as you alluded.

Let's start with one absolute "given": Washington politics is a very dirty, nasty business and it has been this way for most of our history. Some people on DU seem to think that dirty politics was invented by the Clintons or by Karl Rove, but I don't think you're one of those.

Barack: In him you have an idealist who truly wants to clean up the filth. But he's such a nice guy, and he wants compromise and conciliation. In an ideal world I'd vote for him in a heartbeat, but since we're not living in such a world I have to ask myself if "nice" and "conciliatory" are enough to stand against the money, power and greed of the Washington landscape.

Hillary: She is obviously willing to fight dirty, and this is something I view as an asset in Washington (cynical me) in order to get anything accomplished. I think she would be a strong president, but she would not get us closer to changing the nasty Washington political culture.

The main difference between them is style, not substance.

Flip a coin?