hawl: Well, maybe it was my subconscious at work, but I accidentally hit "Republican" instead of "Democrat" and this doesn't allow me to change my vote! Oh well, thinking of me as a pro-choice, very casual urban Republican may not be so misleading. I think the Democrats should never have had anything to do with Al Sharpton, and I think Bernard Goetz should have gotten a medal. The current administration has, through Ashcroft's attempts at social engineering (like Operation Pipe Dreams and the assault on the porn company Extreme), the neocons' secretive and bizarre foreign policy, etc., alienated me to the point where I'm temporarily a knee-jerk Democrat.
prepstudinsc: While I am a registered Republican, I truly do vote for those who represent my views, regardless of party affiliation. These days, the party lines are so blurry--look at The Governator--he's a Republican, but married to the princess of the Democratic posterfamily, but he supports many liberal policies than most conservative Republicans don't like. In my own family, I am a middle-of-the-road person, but definitely financially conservative. I have other relatives who are registered Democrats, but are very right-wing, and don't like what the Democratic party as a whole stands for, but they won't change parties. I guess it goes back many years when the Democrats were conservative and the Republicans were more liberal/progressive. Who knows....I'm just going to keep voting for the people who stand for what I believe.
Javierdude22: [quote author=rrrrrr link=board=meetgreet;num=1067598374;start=0#1 date=10/31/03 at 06:53:42]Well, maybe it was my subconscious at work, but I accidentally hit "Republican" instead of "Democrat" and this doesn't allow me to change my vote! [/quote]
Wrong ballots!!! I demand a recall!!
...oi...Meeeeeemorieeeeeees.....
Wrong ballots!!! I demand a recall!!
...oi...Meeeeeemorieeeeeees.....
fourdeg420: Obviously, (look at my screen name) I have a reason for voting the way I do (Green Party), but when I was in my senior year of highschool, I went to hear Ralph Nader speak at Cal. State Long Beach (go 49ers) and I was really impressed. Everybody tells me that I'm throwing my vote away, but I'm not voting for anyone else, I'm voting to express my opinion.
The Hippie Chick
The Hippie Chick
longtimelurker: Well I'm Liberal Democrat - which, as it's only the 3rd party in the UK most of you wouldn't have heard of it.
Basically they are theoretically centre but will have a mix of policies from left and right depending on what suits their ethos (hence why I really don't get Liberal = left wing, as Socialist = left wing and Liberal = increased freedoms). Their main drive tends to be 'prevention is better than cure' - i.e. drug units to cut drug crime rather than just increased police etc.
Basically they are theoretically centre but will have a mix of policies from left and right depending on what suits their ethos (hence why I really don't get Liberal = left wing, as Socialist = left wing and Liberal = increased freedoms). Their main drive tends to be 'prevention is better than cure' - i.e. drug units to cut drug crime rather than just increased police etc.
7x6andchg: Da-bliss:
Praise you for being from Minnesota - I actually am the only person who picked DFL.... so far.
7x6&C
Praise you for being from Minnesota - I actually am the only person who picked DFL....
so far.7x6&C
da_blissmachine: If only more people knew Ralph Nader's history of over 30 years of consumer activism I am sure he woudl be more popular. I too was told I was throwing my vote away for voting Ken Pentell (Green) for Minnesota governor. I replied that I thought going against my conscious to go with who was expected to get votes was throwing my vote away. To the liberals, I responded that only Pentell opposed drilling in Alaska. Roger Moe (DFL) did not. To the conservatives, I responded that only Pentell was pro-life. Tim Pawlenty (Rep, current governor) was not. To the "rebels" who supported Jesse Ventura, I responded that although Tim Penny was the candidate for Ventura's party (Independence), Ventura supported Pentell. Pentell was also the only candidate with a sound budget plan before even beign nominated, the only one who was unwilling to compromise on the environment, health care, education AND consumer rights.... Is it the so called "far fetched tiny minority Green Party" which has lost its mind and out of touch with the concerns of average Minnesotans or the majority?
da_blissmachine: [quote author=7x6+C link=board=meetgreet;num=1067598374;start=0#6 date=10/31/03 at 16:44:18]Da-bliss:
Praise you for being from Minnesota - I actually am the only person who picked DFL.... so far.
7x6&C[/quote]
True, good old MN is the only state where neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have ever been a majority. The DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor Party) is loosely associated with the National Democrat party on some issues but not the same party. The IR (Independent Republican Party) does not consider itself subject to the leader of the Naitonal Republican party (Currently George W. Bush). If you look closely, you can see the national parties represented on the ballot, but usually they are listed after the Independence, Green, Socialist, Socialist Worker, Communist, and Constitution parties and receive about 2,000 votes each..... or if your in Olmsted County you have the Islamic Social Democrat League and the Islamic Voice for Conservative Reason Party. Both parties usually receive only a few hundred votes. The ISDL once had a city councel member though.... then there's the good old Grass Roots Party... mmm go legalized marijuana!
Praise you for being from Minnesota - I actually am the only person who picked DFL....
so far.7x6&C[/quote]
True, good old MN is the only state where neither the Republicans nor the Democrats have ever been a majority. The DFL (Democratic Farmer Labor Party) is loosely associated with the National Democrat party on some issues but not the same party. The IR (Independent Republican Party) does not consider itself subject to the leader of the Naitonal Republican party (Currently George W. Bush). If you look closely, you can see the national parties represented on the ballot, but usually they are listed after the Independence, Green, Socialist, Socialist Worker, Communist, and Constitution parties and receive about 2,000 votes each..... or if your in Olmsted County you have the Islamic Social Democrat League and the Islamic Voice for Conservative Reason Party. Both parties usually receive only a few hundred votes. The ISDL once had a city councel member though.... then there's the good old Grass Roots Party... mmm go legalized marijuana!
7x6andchg: Actually, bliss...the IR merged back with the GOP in 1998...sad, really...I liked the idea that they were at least somewhat independent...
da_blissmachine: really? That's sad. they seemed somewhat less conservative since the GOP.... largely I think the differences were religious. GOP leaders tend to be Southern Baptist or other conservative Protestants while IRs, like all Minnesotans, are mostly Catholic and Lutheran. However, influxes of "immigration" from elsewhere in the country brought through the Mayo Clinic Founcation and IBM Corp HQ in Rochester have added to the mixing pot. These "immigrants" often have more of a voice than the traditionally complacent Northern Euro natives.
OMG reminds me of an MLK day activity we had in school once where to feel what it was like to be segregated the class had to divide into Catholic and Lutheran.... I didn't know what to do.
OMG reminds me of an MLK day activity we had in school once where to feel what it was like to be segregated the class had to divide into Catholic and Lutheran.... I didn't know what to do.
Synergistic
Experimental Member
prepstudinsc: In the last Presidential election, I voted for the Libertarian platform. I didn't like the Democratic or Republican choices. I agreed with more of the Libertarians' point of view. So don't blame me for anything the current presidential regime is doing. I respect the office, but it doesn't mean I need to agree with what it does.
da_blissmachine: I didn't like Bush or Gore either..... fortunately I was underage in the 2000 election.
What is the Libertarian platform?
What is the Libertarian platform?
H8Monga: Are the Whigs still around? :
I dunno what party... I don't like the blind loyalty some of my friends swear to a particular party. I swear by nothing, but my track record so far has been Democratic.
I dunno what party... I don't like the blind loyalty some of my friends swear to a particular party. I swear by nothing, but my track record so far has been Democratic.
da_blissmachine: No I do believe the Whigs last had a candidate in 1856.... how 'bout them Federalists?
- jonb,
[quote author=longtimelurker link=board=meetgreet;num=1067598374;start=0#5 date=10/31/03 at 14:13:30]Well I'm Liberal Democrat - which, as it's only the 3rd party in the UK most of you wouldn't have heard of it.
Basically they are theoretically centre but will have a mix of policies from left and right depending on what suits their ethos (hence why I really don't get Liberal = left wing, as Socialist = left wing and Liberal = increased freedoms). Their main drive tends to be 'prevention is better than cure' - i.e. drug units to cut drug crime rather than just increased police etc.
[/quote]
The "liberal as left-wing" is more Ronnie-speak. I never understood it either.
AFAIAC, all the parties are flawed. Dems make Neville Chamberlain look uncompromising by comparison, GOP's angrier than the Hulk, Greens are Dems who vote Republican, Libertarians are for increased corporate freedoms but against increased individual freedoms.
Basically they are theoretically centre but will have a mix of policies from left and right depending on what suits their ethos (hence why I really don't get Liberal = left wing, as Socialist = left wing and Liberal = increased freedoms). Their main drive tends to be 'prevention is better than cure' - i.e. drug units to cut drug crime rather than just increased police etc.
[/quote]
The "liberal as left-wing" is more Ronnie-speak. I never understood it either.
AFAIAC, all the parties are flawed. Dems make Neville Chamberlain look uncompromising by comparison, GOP's angrier than the Hulk, Greens are Dems who vote Republican, Libertarians are for increased corporate freedoms but against increased individual freedoms.
jackinman: Well...I'm a registered Democrat and I usually vote Demo, but for the life of me I have no idea as to who I'm going to vote for in this upcoming election. I am completely lost.
tracksuitboy: I am beginning to wonder whether voting matters any more. Forgive me for sounding critical, but the USA doesn't have a fair voting system ... to people outside the US, it sounds totally bizarre (something about college votes which are dependant on a state's population?). Gore received 400,000 more votes than Bush (and that is ignoring the debacle of Florida), yet Bush became President. Some election then.
I am not crowing about it either. The UK also has a non-democratic voting system. The country is divided into constituencies (around 650) and the winner is the person (and party) who receives the most votes in that consituency. So far so good. The party which forms the Government is the party which has the most constituency winners. Sounds OK then. Well, no. Suppose there are only 2 parties in the country and 49% of people vote for party A in each constituency and 51% for party B, then the government is made up entirely of party B as they won all the consituencies but the reality is that 49% of the country voted for party A but they have no members of Parliament.
So, the USA does not have a fair voting system and nor does the UK.
So much for Democracy!
I am not crowing about it either. The UK also has a non-democratic voting system. The country is divided into constituencies (around 650) and the winner is the person (and party) who receives the most votes in that consituency. So far so good. The party which forms the Government is the party which has the most constituency winners. Sounds OK then. Well, no. Suppose there are only 2 parties in the country and 49% of people vote for party A in each constituency and 51% for party B, then the government is made up entirely of party B as they won all the consituencies but the reality is that 49% of the country voted for party A but they have no members of Parliament.
So, the USA does not have a fair voting system and nor does the UK.
So much for Democracy!
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