I don't want to start any more internal debate between the Democrats on the board (those Democratic primary discussions did get pretty heated) but I have noticed something that I think needs to be addressed: a large percentage of Democrat voters (from what I've read here and elsewhere) seem to be more enthusiastic about voting against Bush than voting for Kerry. Now I can understand the desire to see Bush ousted and I also believe that Kerry would be a pretty good candidate to replace him, but it's still stikes me as odd that so few of the people voting for him seem to be in the least bit enthusiastic about Kerry or his policies. We've seen the mantra "Bush must go!" repeated a million times, but when was the last time you ever saw anyone say "Kerry's economic initiatives really resonate well with me. He's won my vote"?

Like I said, even though he often struggles to get his message across clearly, Kerry does have quite a solid election platform and would be a worthy president. Why is it, then, that there seems to be so much indifference to his candidacy from affirmed Democrat voters? Why is the position of "Well, he's not that great, but I'll vote for him just to make sure that Bush goes" so much more prevalent (by many, many times) than the attitude of "Yep, this really is a guy who represents my views well and whom I shall be enthusiastic about voting into office"?

Any thoughts? How do the Democrats out there feel about Kerry?

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Well although I wouldn't necessarily classify myself as a democrat, I will be voting for John Kerry in November despite my significant lack of enthusiasm for his campaign. It is true that I will be voting "against Bush" rather than "for Kerry." If I weren't living in Florida, I'd probably vote for Badnarik, but while I believe that it is generally better to vote for the best candidate rather than the lesser of two evils, it is my opinion that the threat of a Bush candidacy for four years in which he does not have to worry about being re-elected could potentially make the past four years pale by comparison.

My main problem with the Kerry/Edwards platform isn't so much that I strongly disagree with any of his proposals (except for his support of affirmative action and the war on drugs), it's that his platform doesn't address the issues which really matter to me. A list of "issues" taken from his campaign website reads as such:

quote:

http://www.johnkerry.com/issues/ Children & Families Civil Rights Economy Education Energy Environment Health Care Homeland Security National Security National Service Rural America Science and Technology Stronger Communities Veterans Women

"Children & Families" doesn't really inspire me in any way. On civil rights I strongly disagree with him (and his position leads me to question his character). His economic platform sounds good on the surface but is too vague at this point to inspire my confidence. Energy is a good topic but it's really just part of his "Science and Technology" category IMO, it doesn't deserve that much attention on its own - I'm not one of those people crying about my gas prices and at this point I really don't care.

The environment is a good issue but I'm not sure his solutions are the best. Health care doesn't mean much to me, and neither do any of his security/military issues. "Rural America," "Veterans," "Women?" Sounds to me like he's just pandering out to various groups, none of which are me. "Stronger Communities" means nothing to me. I like his platform on Science and Technology, but it isn't in my top five issues.

So basically the issue's he's promising to address aren't the issues that I believe should be addressed. So, while I agree with him on most of his positions, he seems to me to be off the mark with what to be giving his position on.

The issues that are important to me: civil liberties, electoral reform, genuine educational reform, reduced government regulation, stronger seperation of church and state, responsible federal spending, and the elimination of inherently racist "groupthink," are either inadequately explained, glossed over, or ignored entirely in the Kerry/Edwards platform.

Perhaps it's because I'm not really a Democrat which is why his platform "doesn't do it for me." But for a candidate who's supposed to be trying to appeal to independent and politically centrist voters, I don't think he's very appealing at all.

Kerry is not whom I really like as the candidate, but hey.. it is the better option still, and, I'd say, THE BEST option there is actually.

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It's not just Kerry's voters that think this way. Apparently it is Kerry himself and his political team.

Pundits these days on the local TV news rounds in the USA mentioned that Kerry is switching campagin focus from 'Vietnam' to 'Bash Bush' as evidence by a switch after the republican GOP. "W is for Wrong", ring a bell?

Kerry's political advisors believe that the Vietnam issue does not resonate well with voters (no doubt due to the GOP's success to blow the issue out of the water, point out every sinlge hole imaginable, and to quesiton Kerry's character in the issue), even Clinton in a recent consultation with Kerry reportedly told him to drop the issue.
Instead his advisors tell him to go diretly against Bush and his "issues" - or Bush bashing in less political terms.

Pundits also explain that Bush's team has done a wonderful job of destroying Kerry's character establishing him as 'flip-flopper' (not that that was hard to do or anythig ) and with unclear ideas, visions, or stand on issue on America. Which by and large he hasn't done. (Bush clearly outlied his vision for America in his GOP speech, aside from not beig Bush, I'm not clear as to Kerry's vision in the next four years).

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this is what its all about: people dont like Bush, so they go for the alternative, no matter what the alternative stands for. thats just plain stupid. this thread has been up for a week or so, and i wanted to wait to post in here, but no longer. it is obvious that people in this forums don't give a hoot's ass for kerry, though they might be anti-Bush or anti-USA.

>JM<

i wouldn't go so far as to say the anti-bush folk would pick anyone, regardless of what they stand for. We do need someone that can make headway repairing our severed foreign relations. I wouldn't mind going to europe without trying to disguise myself as a German. Yeah, i'm not a big fan of social spending, which Kerry represents, but this perpetual military problem that bush is causing is getting a little out of hand.

I consider myself a civil libertarian (you know, a republican without special interests), and i would like to see a dismissal of this new breed of republicans. Maybe if Kerry wins in November, the party will be forced to reevaluate it's leadership priorities and give us a candidate that can't be called a goofy dimwit in 2008.

No, Kerry proposals don't resonate with my leadership ideals, but it doesn't sound like the fingernails on blackboard that we've been exposed to for the last four years. If the bush team wants to try to destroy Kerry's character before trying to repair their own, they're just living up to this voter's expectations.

im pretty sure that for most ppl. this is more of an "anybody-but-bush" election than it is a "lets get kerry into office" election. (that's how it is for me too).

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherWay83 im pretty sure that for most ppl. this is more of an "anybody-but-bush" election than it is a "lets get kerry into office" election. (that's how it is for me too).

Depends on what side of the fence you stand on. Personally, Im not even in the yard, as Kerry is too much of a I run my campaign (and potentially presidency) on public opinion polls and Bush is overly concerned with making his pals rich while building some kind of presidential legacy. Sounds like a third party vote for me this year.

This is just my opinion, so sorry if you dont agree....Im sure no one will..

quote:

Originally posted by ResonantDrag I wouldn't mind going to europe without trying to disguise myself as a German.

my friend got a canadian flag patch and put it on his backpack during his few weeks in Paris during a huge religious gathering. Thats after he got harassed for being an American.. Then again, this was France...



>JM<

yeah, i miss the days when we were just picked on for not speaking their language. If you go speaking german, they just run away.

I dunno 'bout any of you, but I could dial a phone number with my nipples right now.

That's how gosh darn excited I am about Kerry right now.








Just to let y'all know.....

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Whence September dusk grows crisper still,
with leaves all crimson conquered,
I yearn to shout,
and dance about,
and stick pickles in my honker...

quote:

Originally posted by MisterOpus1 I dunno 'bout any of you, but I could dial a phone number with my nipples right now. That's how gosh darn excited I am about Kerry right now. Just to let y'all know.....

You must have big nipples. Turn up the heat, yo!