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Let's talk politics.
I think we have a pretty open/understanding board despite political differences... so I'm wondering what people are thinking about the presidential race. I've been asking myself the following questions, plus many others, and thought they might stimulate a good discussion.
Do you think Obama should have a 2nd term? Do you think he will?
(This is a stupid question because I'm not all that informed on how this stuff works-but-will the democratic party definitely endorse Obama as their candidate?)
What about the republican options? Any strong contenders? Any democrats out there think one of the republication options are better than Obama?
Is there anyone else out there worth considering? Anyone you wish was running?
Etc etc. Share your thoughts!
Re: Let's talk politics.
Obama will be the democratic candidate. I volunteered for his campaign last time and will vote for him again. I'm not really in a position to volunteer this time around.
I'm not sure that Obama will be re-elected though. Historically, in down economies the presidential incumbent and his party have not done well. The one thing that could change things this time and Obama's best hope is the Republican pledge re taxes, which I think a lot of the middle class do not view favorably.
I'm in political overload here in Iowa! I was bombarded by a group of Bachman supporters while at the mall today. They got angry (like mean angry) with me when I told them I was going to the Democratic caucus tonight. Ugh.
My short answer. I will be supporting Obama in the general election. And, yes, I think he has a good chance of winning. Romney will be his toughest contender, so the Republicans better hope he wins the nomination.
Thing is, all politicians are making me ill lately. SO MUCH MONEY is being spent (on both sides) and the slander is ridiculous! I don't think we'll ever have any politicians I love run until there is campaign finance reform.
ETA: There are some very obscure progressives attempting to run against Obama, but they have no chance in hell.
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
To tell you the truth, I am not paying attention much to the republicans right now. Surprisingly for NH, not much has been going on besides campaign signs. Probably starting tomorrow there will be more pick up.
I will be voting for Obama this time around also. If I had time I would possibly volunteer. I also think he has a good chance of winning since the taxes thing is getting drawn out ... ok not going to go into it.
I also agree that Romney will be his toughest competitor, but also think that the big dig and his health care plan in MA could be the downfall of him. Funny - asked DH yesterday, and he is a Romney fan, if it was between the two of them who he would vote for and he said obama!
But I am interested in the outcome tonight in Iowa and next week here. Looking online it does look like there is a democrat primary also so I guess I'll take Evie to go vote in a week.
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I'm one of the few openly republican/conservatives on the board ... that said ... I do not agree with Obama or his politics most of the time. I would prefer not to see him get a second term.
I am not at all impressed with anything that I have seen or read about our republican options, yet. Ron Paul (Libertarian) is about the only one who might get my vote today, but I do have some fear that the man is pushing, what, 80?
I'd actually like to see Hilary run for office again, (though not going to happen) I think she brought something interesting to the table, all though I'd probably vote against her - but that just my political leaning.
Additional comments, I think that one of the conditions of becoming president is that you should have had to serve in our military.
My main focus for 2012 is small government - a government that is here to protect and serve while people are held to higher standards of self-control and personal responsibility. With focus on small business, where people are encouraged to work and earn for themselves.
No matter who the candidate is, I cannot STAND it when people act like that!
I think I've made it clear that I have fairly conservative leanings, but honestly all candidates have disgusted me at one point or another. I get really sick of the conservatives making such a deal about "defense of marriage" or other such losing battles. I don't care who the Hell wants to get married, I care about the people in my country who are starving and/or barely able to make ends meet!!!!!! I really don't think that is too tall of an order.
Depending upon who gets the Republican nom, I may abstain in the general election. I know, I know, not the most productive thing to do, but I don't like Obama. I do not trust politicians from Illinois, period, end of story. Historically, with unemployment rates where they are, it doesn't look good for him, but I still think Obama will get re-elected (Reagan did with unemployment rates still high).
Side note/rant: I think in the financial spectrum Republicans get a majorly bad rap as having corporations in their back pockets. This ticks me off to no end. Almost ALL politicians have political interests in their back pockets. Almost ALL of them. That's why they can afford to run for office. To say thats all focused on one party is beyond ridiculous. And I get really p!ssed at the way the media handles these things. Most of them are so slanted I can barely stand to look at it (this goes for Fox as well as CNN, in case anyone's wondering). Can't I just get a look at the issues and decide for myself?
EDIT: Actually, I take back my Illinois thing. There are TWO politicians from Illinois that I personally know and trust, but they are more local politicians. One of them being my father. He's an extremely trustworthy man. If you wonder why I don't typically trust IL politicians though, I will direct you to the criminal history of our two most recent former Governors and the city from which Obama hails.
Amen!
Agreed. Jake and I think that all politicans should be like Nascar drivers and be required to wear their sponsorship logos on their clothes. HA! I'm a HUGE proponent of campaign finance reform because money has tainted the whole political system. And, you're right, it's on both sides.
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
Agreed, which makes me think I am more Libertarian in that sense. I want the republican government but I could care less about social issues. Could care less.
Abortion, gay marriage, etc. I have an opinion but it's not my choice. I go home at night and shut my doors, what do I care what you do with your body/heart/soul at the end of the day? You're the one who has to be responsible for your actions.
I also hate the way the media takes over these things. I watched a really interesting documentary on the 2008 election and how the media played into all of that on Netflix the other night. Too me, I'm just disgusted all together at how the media clearly picks sides.
That would be awesome if they wore their sponsors on their lapels!
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I'm frustrated with this election for a lot of reasons.... but mostly because I feel like I would actually consider an alternative candidate (aka, not Obama) if I actually felt like one could do a better job. But I'm not convinced by any of the options.
I am socially liberal and fiscally moderate, and not opposed to considering candidates from both parties if someone really inspired me, but I've got nothing. But I also don't have a ton of confidence that Obama can make a big turn around with four more years (even though I like him as a person, etc. and always have). Then again, will anyone really be able to change anything? I don't know.
Romney is prob. the best option from the republicans but I fear he won't get the nomination, which will hurt that party considerably, IMO.
Ron Paul isn't a bad option either, but I also know there's probably no real chance of him winning.
Blah.
The thing about Ron Paul is that he wants to go back to the gold standard economic system! Maybe I'm crazy, but that can't possibly work! Also, the fact that he claims to be libertarian, yet he is anti-choice and anti-same sex marriage.
Neena Mae. 1/7/10
"A baby nursing at a mother's breast is an undeniable affirmation of our rootedness in nature." - David Suzuki
Also I think that we need to put the ER (Election Related) note on our posts' titles in 2012, that way we can avoid heated unwanted/conversations if we want to.
I know closer to November I will be ready to ring some of your necks.
Short answer is that I will support Obama again, but not with the same gusto as I did in 2008. I just don't have it in me this time, and frankly, he hasn't done as much as I hoped he would do. Do I think it's standard for politicians to overpromise during election season? Yes. Do I think it's Obama's fault that he hasn't/can't do a lot of what he hoped? Not entirely.
I wanted him to be the next great president of the United States, and well, that's probably just a fantasy at this point. I can't figure out what that person would look like, or who that person would be. Mostly because, as you've all noted--the system is so completely f-ed up and on some level, all politicians are the same. Not to mention, our country is so seemingly messed up right now that it is hard to picture a day when things will be "good" again.
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Yeah this is the biggest reason he won't get my vote, but I do think he has good ideas economically, but he won't have the support to get anything through so it would be in vain. And I have a really hard time sacrificing my social ideals for economic ones. It would be very very difficult for me to vote for a candidate who is pro-life/anti-gay marriage, even if I liked a lot of their other policy ideas. Maybe it's silly, but I feel like we are going to reflect on those ideas in 20 years like we do now about slavery.
Oh, that's a beautiful idea.
Has it always been this hard to get things passed and to make decisions? I guess I didn't follow politics as closely as I do now when I was on college so I don't remember a lot about gov't operations under different presidents. I feel like DH said it was somewhere around 11 times that they've threatened to shut the gov't down this year due to budget disagreements.
The government has shut down a total of 11 times since we were born - how many times it was threatened I don't know.
As a Fed the -govt's shutting down if we don't reach a deal/oh my we can't let the govt shutdown/let's just put it off another month thing is getting really annoying. Maybe if they actually shut everything down, the folks on the Hill would have to actually reach a decision on something. At this point, I think they're just trying to put off all of the hard decisions on what to cut until after the election.
I think part of the problem is that neither party has all that much power. No one can just ram things down the other party's throat anymore. The balance is too close and the splits within the Republican party are not helping. So nothing gets done.
And while we're talking about wearing a lapel pin - can we just agree to stop robocalls? I HATE robocalls.
WHAT?!?! I like when P-Diddy calls my house during breakfast.
I'm an Obama supporter and will support him this time.
As for the Republicans I think Romney is the strongest contender among Repubs. I think Obama has a better chance of getting re-elected against Romney. I don't think any of the GOP candidates are better than Obama. I hate Newt ( sorry to offend his supporters) and Ron Paul and his "comments" on the Civil Rights Act as well as his refusal to vote symbolically on it and other things makes me terrified of him becoming president.
I actually liked Ron Paul in 08, but the more I read about him the more I moved in the other direction. Bachman doesn't seem like a strong contender either IMO.
No one I wish was running. I just wish this country wasn't so hung up on parties and fighting and would concentrate making this country better.
I absolutely LOVE this idea!!
Pretty much all of this.
In the same boat. It has been super annoying, and I just wish Congress would make a decision, but I agree it won't happen until after the election. We will continue to remain on CRs until then...