See I think it’s a completely VALID idea to vote for someone you think you could have a beer in a bar with because it’s democratic.

Realistically there are MANY many people that don’t pay the depth of attention to politics that the demographic of this site does, and while I myself would often prefer that the uninformed or uneducated wouldn’t vote at all, it’s a selfish thing because it’d likely mean the NDP/Bloc Quebecois as the Government of Canada. Better? Of course. Democratic? Less. It isn’t at all democratic to ostracize someone’s methods of choosing a candidate, that’s a step in the fascist direction.

It should be easy enough for the Democrats or the Green Party to pick somebody who’d be a good conversation over a beer at a bar is my point and if dumbasses are who the politician represents then for better or worse that politician should be the best dumbass possible and I think USA’s doing just fine in that regard.

No worries though if McCain’s cool cause Barack Obama you could have a drink AND a smoke with.

seriousbusiness:

You wrote:

[quote comment="53116"]Having someone screw up the US completely might cause a general awakening to how wrong things really are regarding the US government . . . .[/quote]

Screwing up the U.S. . . . is what, at this point? A Simpson’s quote might capture what the entire McCain presidency might be about:

“[Several townspeople are stuck in a deep hole they've dug.]

Homer: I know! We’ll dig our way out!

[They begin shovelling afresh.]

Chief Wiggum: No, no dig up, stupid.”

I want him to win because I’m as cynical as fuck. Having someone screw up the US completely might cause a general awakening to how wrong things really are regarding the US government and its election at present. Apathy will end as soon as people need to care. Implosion is a realistic and reliable way of bringing that about.

So you would rather have a President who takes a firm stand on horrendously bad policies, and looks comfortable doing so?[/quote]

Ok why are we putting other peoples quotes under my name. I don’t think Kerry or Gore would be responsible for 4,000 dead soldiers now and 30,000 wounded. A couple bad policies I will take any day over dead americans as well as canadians and other foriegn allies, oh and don’t forget the poor iraqi’s caught in the middle.I’m sure you love the near depression our country is in also. hooray for george, our country stands tall and strong.

People are quick to dismiss rural Americans/Republican voters as lesser thans, probably because it makes them feel smart. Power to them, I guess. But just because they aren’t always as eloquent in explaining themselves (sometimes, I think, a charming quality) doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to think about. Sure, there are some simple people voting out of racism and blind fear, just as there are probably a lot of simple people voting for Obama without considering the potential downside of his presidency. But most voters are seriously weighing the options between two good men and very distinct choices, while Hillary continues to caricature herself in the background.

America has a lot on its plate and a lot of responsibility in the world, and whether or not to withdraw in Iraq is not an easy choice for many Americans. McCain himself has a son serving there, although he doesn’t trumpet it like he could. It might be naive to assume the old-style bravado/determination that says we should never give up, as McCain is doing. And yes, it might be even more naive to assume that pulling troops out of Iraq and simply being diplomatic with everyone is going to make everything suddenly poof and disappear. Peace is great until someone attacks you or someone who can’t defend themselves. Not all wars are evil or dumb.

Personally I would take the gamble with Obama, but the real fools in this campaign are the ones who support the man who calls for unity and empathy on one hand and continue to look down on others whose opinions and beliefs they don’t share on the other.[/quote]

He’s apparently the real deal - Barack on negotiating with Iran:

“Here’s the truth: the Soviet Union had thousands of nuclear weapons, and Iran doesn’t have a single one. But when the world was on the brink of nuclear holocaust, Kennedy talked to Khrushchev and he got those missiles out of Cuba. Why shouldn’t we have the same courage and the confidence to talk to our enemies? That’s what strong countries do, that’s what strong presidents do, that’s what I’ll do when I’m president of the United States of America.” - Barack Obama.

Plus the simple fact is that most Iranians prefer the west despite America’s/Britain’s joint 1953 coup removing their 1st democratically elected government.

So you would rather have a President who takes a firm stand on horrendously bad policies, and looks comfortable doing so?

Great strategy to pick a president based on his ability to be a patron in a dive bar. Avoid those things called voting booths this year, say around, november. The end is nigh[/quote]

Sarcasm strikes again my friend! Directly into your left ventricle.

People are quick to dismiss rural Americans/Republican voters as lesser thans, probably because it makes them feel smart. Power to them, I guess. But just because they aren’t always as eloquent in explaining themselves (sometimes, I think, a charming quality) doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to think about. Sure, there are some simple people voting out of racism and blind fear, just as there are probably a lot of simple people voting for Obama without considering the potential downside of his presidency. But most voters are seriously weighing the options between two good men and very distinct choices, while Hillary continues to caricature herself in the background.

America has a lot on its plate and a lot of responsibility in the world, and whether or not to withdraw in Iraq is not an easy choice for many Americans. McCain himself has a son serving there, although he doesn’t trumpet it like he could. It might be naive to assume the old-style bravado/determination that says we should never give up, as McCain is doing. And yes, it might be even more naive to assume that pulling troops out of Iraq and simply being diplomatic with everyone is going to make everything suddenly poof and disappear. Peace is great until someone attacks you or someone who can’t defend themselves. Not all wars are evil or dumb.

Personally I would take the gamble with Obama, but the real fools in this campaign are the ones who support the man who calls for unity and empathy on one hand and continue to look down on others whose opinions and beliefs they don’t share on the other.

Voting for someone because they’re someone you wouldn’t mind having a beer with puts about 200 hockey players ahead of Barack Obama but I wouldn’t trust any of them to run Canada, let alone the United States of America.

Great strategy to pick a president based on his ability to be a patron in a dive bar. Avoid those things called voting booths this year, say around, november. The end is nigh[/quote]

Interestingly enough, I do believe thats why he won against both Gore and especially against Kerry. I would never have voted for Kerry as he always seemed just, well, uncomfortable. Oh, and he couldnt take a firm stand on any relevant issue whatsoever.

You might THINK that, given what he’s been through. But that’s simply not the case. McCain voted against a ban on waterboarding, and he is a huge proponent of the Iraq War.

As for John McCain, I think its a harsh generalization to write him off as “George Bush in another man’s skin”. I think out of any of the candidates he would be the most anti war/anti torture of them all given what hes been through.[/quote]

Good point Kanji

As for John McCain, I think its a harsh generalization to write him off as “George Bush in another man’s skin”. I think out of any of the candidates he would be the most anti war/anti torture of them all given what hes been through.[/quote

Good point Kanji.

The hot topic last year was how so many people get their news from The Daily Show and The Colbert Report, and while those of us with a liberal lean and half a brain snicker at that, the fact is that we’re a nation that is deeply divided, regardless of how bad Bush has fucked things up, and there’s no guarantee the intelligence of Obama or the tenacity of Clinton is going to overcome a nation of Republicans that will most likely vote party-line while many Clinton supporters say they’ll vote for McCain before they do Obama. SNL is relevant again because the media has deemed it so; while they’ve tried to sway away from their initial support of Clinton, the jokes lately about Clinton and McCain haven’t been anywhere near as biting or funny. Remember, we’re a nation full of God-fearing NASCAR, WWE and GTA4 lovers; To think that McCain couldn’t take this election is as elitist as everyone wants Barack to be portrayed. God help us when I live in a nation where a man running for president could lose because he’s seen as too intelligent.