Kerry: An Echo, Not a Choice

[duvinnie]

In 1964 an incumbent president, Lyndon Johnson, was faced by a challenger, Barry Goldwater, who offered “a choice, not an echo.”

In 2004 an incumbent president, George W. Bush, is faced by a challenger, John Kerry, who offers an echo, not a choice — a mere variation on a theme.

That’s too bad, because the theme is old and stale and entirely inappropriate for what is supposed to be a constitutional republic that honors individual liberty.

http://www.fff.org/comment/com0406d.asp

(a libertarian perspective)

[Delano]

1. Okay, fine, whatever.

Reasonably liberal Kerry is exactly the same as extreme hard-right pro-theocracy Bush.

I've seen the error of my ways and will sit out this election.

-sarcasm off-

[duvinnie]

11. "reasonably liberal"

candidates don't provide an echo chamber for their extreme hard-right pro-theocracy opponents.

I know many folks who are repub/libertarian, and will NOT vote
for Bush, but they keep wondering, how is Kerry different? What
is his reasonably liberal plan for getting out of the Iraq mess?

[lancdem]

2. Dumb analogy

Kerry is no Goldwalter, who lost in a huge landslide.

[jobycom]

3. Perhaps he offers a return to sanity, rather than an untried leap?

I don't care what Libertarians say. Silly bunch of Easter Bunny politicians, hopping around in their little fantasy worlds of nice people who don't need laws.

[Delano]

5. Definition of Libertarian

Every bit as greedy and selfish as a republican, but wants his porn and pot, too.

[jobycom]

9. Very good! nt/

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

8. Exactly little bro

and :hi:......one week of true libertarian policy would return America to barbarism...the fires in SO Cal last year demonstrated the efficacy of libertarian philosophy...do your own thing at the expense of the greater picture and one community's negligence can assist in burning down another. :wtf:

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

4. In 1964, the culture was substance over style

In 2004, the culture is style over substance.

[wyldwolf]

6. Goldwater lost. Big.

[amber dog democrat]

7. I don't care.

I am still voting for Kerry. I think the alternatives are unaccepatble.
After reading this I have to disagree with the conclusions. There is no indication that Kerry won't have a saner and more constructive approach to terrorism and tensions in the Middle East.

For me there IS a difference.

[MAlibdem]

10. A libertarian perspective?

Who gives a crap? They're frickin libertarians...

If it was up to them in 1932 we would STILL be in the Great Depression.

They go on and on about how give the government any power will destroy our freedoms. But, the government is OF, BY, and FOR the people, we ARE the government. So screw 'em, I'll help out others and be helped by them though the most effective, widereaching system we have to do that, the government.

[Monte Carlo]

12. If you fantasize about some non-existant Libertarian world, then yes.

But then again, some of us live in the real world.

I have no respect for Libertarians.

[Democat]

13. If you care about freedom in America, vote for anyone but Bush

If Bush appoints any Supreme Court justices, get ready for your freedom to go away for a long time.

Supreme Court justices are appointed for life.

[ACK]

14. Not an echo a real choice maybe just not the choice you wanted

Kerry is right of Kuicinch and Nader and this is true.

However, he is to the left of Lieberbush and Clinton.

At least we got a yankee with a liberal voting record for goodness sakes.

At least he wants to modify NAFTA and is not going to endorse the FTAA. Did Gore or Clinton try that? Hell no.

At least he has a good voting record on the environment.

At least he wants to come up with a national service plan that helps to put kids through college without them having to carry guns.

At least he wants to repeal the tax giveaways to the rich.

At least he wants to repeal the bill that gives tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas.

At least he wants to return the US to community of nations.

At least he is pro-choice through and through.

At least he has a healthcare plan. Did either Gore or Clinton the second time around mention this? Nope.

What real choice has anyone else got?

_

[mr715]

18. You're

A bit incorrect (on the liberal issue).

Kucinich is not more liberal than Kerry.

All voting indicators show that Kerry has a more consistent environmental, socially liberal, and economically liberal record. Kucinich has a more liberal record over the past election cycles, and is more towards government control than neoliberalism.

Kucinich is more authoritarian than Kerry, while Kerry is at least AS liberal as Kucinich.

Another difference is Kerry offers reasonable policy to deal with existing problems, while Kucinich offers (sorry, but its how I feel) pie in the sky, crystal waving, feel good policies which have no hope of passing.

Kucinich may be more "progressive" than Kerry, and more idealistic, but in the hard core world of American politics, comparing Kerry and Kucinich doesnt work.

I do draw a distinction between idealistic progression and liberal votes.


M

[Still_Loves_John]

15. I hate the people who keep posting that Kerry and Bush are the same thing

Because they are not, in any way. Bush is very conservative, and, believe it or not, Kerry has a very liberal voting record. People here are still too attached to their primary candidates and can't admit that Kerry is actually *gasp* a good guy.

[mr715]

16. Ooooooo

Ann Coulter is a libertarian.

[MoonRiver]

17. I am so sick of this propagandizing crap.

Some masochistic lemmings just never learn. :thumbsdown:

[edkohler]

19. Huh?

A libertarian would have to realize there is a difference between the support for corporate welfare judicial nominees of a Bush or Reagan vs. the at least somewhat sane nominations by the Clinton administration.

If a libertarian believes in civil liberties, they'd basically HAVE to vote Dem over the bigoted policies of the Republicans over the past few decades.