How can you justify voting for Obama a second time?

[TurtleDude]

The thing is, most third party candidates haven't been a part of the governing process enough to have any experience to be president. Most of them are third party political activists who haven't had the more radical parts of their ideology tempered by actually having to govern. I refuse to vote for anyone who hasn't been at least a senator, governor, VP, or general.

a third party vote is basically an abdication of having any real say

 

[molten_dragon]

I can easily justify voting for him a second time if the republican candidate offered up is worse.

 

[molten_dragon]

a third party vote is basically an abdication of having any real say

Sad but true.

 

[LuckyDan]

I wish I could pay for a poll entitled "Obama vs. Any Other Democrat."

That's the surest way to be rid of him. Any dem would have better odds than the GOP has. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I just don't think any Republican can beat him.

 

[samsmart]

The man stands by nothing, his stimulus package failed, we're still in the middle east, and still in an economic mess. IMO its ridiculous to think he'll do better in a second term.

I'll be voting for whoever runs against him in 2012(hopefully it will be Ron Paul).

However bad he may be in his second term, it may be better than any of the GOPers' first terms.

 

[samsmart]

I wish I could pay for a poll entitled "Obama vs. Any Other Democrat."

That's the surest way to be rid of him. Any dem would have better odds than the GOP has. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I just don't think any Republican can beat him.

You have a point there, but no Democrats wants the job right now. After all, the President is getting all the blame for what Congress is doing. So why bother with all that bother?

Better to run for a seat in the House or Senate where you can still (get campaign donations to) influence policy without being held responsible for doing so.

 

[Thrilla]

a third party vote is basically an abdication of having any real say

in practical terms.. probably so.... but i think integrity is more important than political parties and I don't think it proper or good to sell it away so cheaply.

in any event i'll continue to vote 3rd party when that 3rd party's candidate is the best choice for me... I'm not going to get sucked into the falsehood that Dems and Reps should be the" end all be all" of governance, no matter how hard those 2 parties try to make it so.

 

[LuckyDan]

You have a point there, but no Democrats wants the job right now. After all, the President is getting all the blame for what Congress is doing. So why bother with all that bother?

Better to run for a seat in the House or Senate where you can still (get campaign donations to) influence policy without being held responsible for doing so.

I think a dem running to his right could beat him before Romney could.

 

[samsmart]

I think a dem running to his right could beat him before Romney could.

Except the GOP would demonize a right Democrat just as much as they're demonizing Obama now.

So what would be the point?

 

[radcen]

a third party vote is basically an abdication of having any real say

As long as we have that mindset it will stay that way. Is it really any better to vote for the "lesser of two evils" knowing that you're still going to be pissed off and dissatisfied anyway? Both are no more or less a "wasted" vote. At least when you vote your conscience you aren't part of the problem by keeping the status quo.

 

[TurtleDude]

in practical terms.. probably so.... but i think integrity is more important than political parties and I don't think it proper or good to sell it away so cheaply.

in any event i'll continue to vote 3rd party when that 3rd party's candidate is the best choice for me... I'm not going to get sucked into the falsehood that Dems and Reps should be the" end all be all" of governance, no matter how hard those 2 parties try to make it so.

I voted libertarian several times

especially after Bush reneged on his no new taxes

and against Dole knowing he had no chance

but when its close, I prefer having Alito and Roberts rather than anti gun whackos like Kagan or Breyer

 

[radcen]

Just saw this on Facebook...

I was an Obama supporter before he was President of the United States. Before he won the Nobel Peace Prize. Before he saved the U.S. Auto Industry, saved millions of homes and jobs. Before he stopped Osama bin Laden and Mommar Gaddafi without a single U.S. casualty. Before he passed Health Care reform, Student Loan reform, and Wall St. Reform. Before he became the most successful and progressive president of the last 100 years. I was a supporter before all of that, and nothing has changed for me except now I know I picked the right guy for the job. #Obama2012

I think we should buy the guy a cape.

 

[radcen]

I voted libertarian several times

especially after Bush reneged on his no new taxes

and against Dole knowing he had no chance

but when its close, I prefer having Alito and Roberts rather than anti gun whackos like Kagan or Breyer

Potential Supreme Court balance would be the only reason I might vote for or against a main party candidate in 2012.

 

[Thrilla]

Just saw this on Facebook...

I think we should buy the guy a cape.

...or a clue.

 

[uncleray]

The problem with most 3rd party candidates is that they have no experience actually working in the political system, and would have no idea how to get things done. Do you really think Nader would have been effective as president?

Actually, it seems that most 3rd party candidates are LOCKED OUT of the political process.
Closed Primaries and high signature requirements ensure that the Dems and Repubs are the only choice available
and remain two sides of the same coin.
Just my $0.02.

 

[RadicalModerate]

How can I justufy voting for Obama again?

Because I've watched the Republican debates.

Scary stuff. I know there are moderate Republicans that I would happily vote for. Unfortunately, the current Republican primary race is pandering to the lowest common denominator.

 

[radcen]

How can I justufy voting for Obama again?

Because I've watched the Republican debates.

While I will most likely NOT be voting for Obama, I can't discount people who will for this reason.

 

[BalmerLiberal]

To answer the original question? Because the alternative will mean the end of America as a world power, the end of the Constitution, rule by the Tea Party, and a return to the Articles of Confederation. The founders wrote the Constitution because they WANTED a large, centralized government. They saw that under the Articles of Confederation a weak central government couldn't even manage 13 states.

 

[the makeout hobo]

I find it humorous that liberals still stand with Obama. He's gone back on just about everything he campaigned on, he campaigned as the peace candidate, we're still over the M.E. and he went to Libya.

We're pulling out of Iraq. Obama never said he'd try to get out of Afghanistan as quickly as possible, so that's not an issue. He also never said he'd never start a new war, or anything like that. He said he was against dumb wars, and as far as I can tell the Libya war has completed its objective.

He kept Gitmo open,

Agreed, this is a problem. But, no Republican will close it.

he extended the Bush tax cuts,

Only because of pressure from Republicans. But I agree, this is a problem. But, no Republican would stop the tax cuts.

he's shown an aptitude for crony capitalism (Solyndra),

Overblown non-issue.

"Fast and Furious" happened under his watch, etc.

I'm waiting for more information on this before I make judgement.

Whether you come at life from the right or the left or other I really don't see how you can support Obama. He's been a failure for the most part and I find him to be in way over his head. Due to the financial collapse in 2008 and our wars in the Middle East we needed a man who was up to the moment. Obama's not measured up. I will fully admit that Obama is not to blame for what happened in 2008, he wasn't in charge then, I admit he inherited a mess. I didn't expect us to be back fully roaring again at this point. However, Obama has done nothing to better the situation and he's compounding the mistakes and failures of previous administrations. I may be a Republican, but I'm mostly a centrist so I'm not completely opposed to voting for a Democrat, so I'd cut Obama slack if he was taking the right steps to remedying the situation. He's not, he's making it worse.

What do you think he should have done that he could have done?

 

[the makeout hobo]

He's trying to turn America into f**cking Sweden.

Sweden is handling this downturn better than anyone who tried austerity measures, like Britain of Ireland.

They have high taxes.
America has to make a few sacrifices for freedom.

Why are higher taxes worse than a broken system that doesn't work? Taxes are worth paying for a working society. You seem to think that a working educational or medical system is less important than low taxes.

 

[the makeout hobo]

yeah the thought of rolling back the welfare state terrifies some

It does, because some of us think the welfare state leads to a more harmonious and better functioning society than one without safety-nets.

 

[TurtleDude]

Just saw this on Facebook...

I think we should buy the guy a cape.

he needs kneepads and a bib

 

[TurtleDude]

It does, because some of us think the welfare state leads to a more harmonious and better functioning society than one without safety-nets.

I think the issue is not a safety net but a system that has created intergenerational welfare addicts and public teat suckers created by the dems to create a guaranteed pool of dem voters

 

[whysoserious]

I think the issue is not a safety net but a system that has created intergenerational welfare addicts and public teat suckers created by the dems to create a guaranteed pool of dem voters

How do you suppose we solve the problem? I know you want to raise taxes on them, and I know you don't think they deserve extra wages, and you also want to cut off any federal aid? What exactly is the plan?

 

[Henrin]

It does, because some of us think the welfare state leads to a more harmonious and better functioning society than one without safety-nets.

What happens when you take them away? People Riot. What do they cause? Debt. So what is the end result? Riots. Pretty harmonious. :lol:

And functioning? Look around yourself sometime.