It's interesting to hear that two people and watch and listen to the same thing and come away with completely different views on it. Ain't politics great!
Let me give a quick run down of my thoughts...
1) Michael Moore - Over the top? Of course. Does he go too far sometimes? Yep. But much like G. Dubya himself, he's got a point of view, and whether you love it or hate it he's sticking to it.
2) Barak Obama - Can you say "First black President"?
3) Hillary Clinton - To say that she hopes Kerry loses is obsurd. Of course she wants to run. But her time will come. 2008 isn't it.
4) Bill Clinton - Hot damn that boy can speak. Republicans and Dems alike agree his speach was amazing. It's got to kill him to know that if he could run again he's win in a landslide.
5) "I'm a uniter not a divider"...those words are clearly going to be G. Dubya's "Read my lips..." I think the Dems are on the right track to talk of uniting the nation again. The country is so split right now it makes both sides feel uneasy. I truly believe we're a stronger nation when we're united as one. I'll go a step further and say we're a stronger nation when we're united with the world. I think the current administrations policy of "it's our way or the highway" is terribly dangerous. Just because we can bully the world doesn't mean we should.
6) Howard Dean - Howard's scream heard around the world was so completely blown out of proportion. I'm so sick of hearing about it. He had just finished third in a primary that going into he was considered an easy winner. His supporters needed their spirits lifted. He was simply trying to rally his troups.
7)WMD - I hate stating the obvious, but clearly no WMD have been found in Iraq. But that's not really the issue that bothers me the most. The fact that we're agressively, VERY agressively, trying to stop all nations of the world from developing their own WMD, while at the same time developing NEW nuclear weapons ourselves is EXTEMELY disturbing. What happened to the axiom "lead by example?" Our country likely has more WMD then the rest of the world combined. Can you blame the world for calling us hypocrites?
8) Dick Cheney - If dumping him as VP wouldn't look like a complete act of desperation, it would be the right thing to do. He's about as popular in as Jesse Jackson at a KKK rally. From his oil men deciding the future of our country's energy policy, to his ties with the incredibly immoral Haliburton, to dropping the F bomb on the Senate floor...what else could he do to help sink G. Dubya's ship?
9)Smaller Government? - I thought Republicans wanted smaller government? I thought they were the "hands off" party? Since George took office the federal government has been sticking it's nose into our personal lives more than ever before. Checking library records? Withholding money from medical clinics if they offer obortions? (Regardless of all the other medical assistance they also offer?) Rounding up people, holding them without legal representation - and with no charges against them? He's even gone so far as to try and write descrimination into our Constitution! (Bravo to the six republicans who dared cross the party line and vote against the ammendment.) This is smaller government? This is compassionate conservatism? Give me a break. It boils down to George's simplistic view of the world again. He believes he is right, and if he's right, and you disagree with him, that must mean you're wrong. If you're wrong, then what does it matter what you think? He loves to force his view of the world on others. He's pro-life, so if you're not, you get no funds. He believes homosexuality is a sin, so let's write that into the constitution. You disagree with the war in Iraq? Well you must simply be un-American.
10) John Kerry - John Kerry and G. Dubya look at the world very, very differently. From what I've witnessed in the past four years, and from what I've seen/heard/read about Kerry, it boils down to a fundamental difference in how they think. To George, the world is very simple. It's black or it's white. It's right or wrong, good or evil. He looks at an issue, decides what his stance is, and then digs in his heels, and won't budge. Why should he? His view is clearly the only one that is right. That's the beauty of seeing the world in black and white. There's no room for discussion. That's both George's greatest strength but I believe also his biggest weakness. He takes a stand and "leads", but at the same time his blind faith in what he believes leaves him a very stubborn man going through the world with blinders on. John Kerry on the other hand sees very little black and white. He sees shades of gray. He sees issues from every angle. This gives him a much better understanding of the issues at hand, but also gives him the appearance of never taking a firm stand on things. Again this "seeing gray" is both Kerry's strength and also his weakness.
The bottom line is which view of the world do you feel more comfortable voting for? I personally see the world in shades of gray myself. While I may have a personal opinion on an issue, I understand it's my opinion, and that there are other ways of seeing things. I too will very often give indirect answers. Things are simply too complicated for yes or no, right and wrong, good and evil. But does that mean I cannot make a stand? Does that mean I cannot make important decisions. No of course not. It simply means when I do make a decision, it's one that has been pondered, picked apart, looked at inside and out, and understood. I rarely make a decision without serious thought and understanding. I don't want my President doing it either.
FYI...I'm NOT a registered Democrat. I'm an independent, because I don't blindly subscribe to any one party. I voted for Reagan, I voted for Perot, I voted for Clinton, I voted for Gore, and this year I'll vote for Kerry. Nothing drives me more crazy than people who vote strictly by party. Many people don't even look into the candidates or the issues. They simply vote straight down the line one party of the other. Grrrrrr...makes my blood boil. Get off your lazy asses and educate yourselves on the issues and the candidates and make your own decision. If you're a Dem and REALLY don't like Kerry, look at the other candidates. If you're a Republican and really dislike Bush...take a look at Nader or Michael Badnarik. It's not throwing away your vote. The only wasted vote is one that's cast for someone you don't agree with.
