All the SMART people will be voting against Bush, anyways.
I can’t imagine anyone who hasn’t recently been smacked upside the head with an aluminum baseball bat voting for Bush. He’s done a thoroughly crummy job at everything he’s touched.
Can we hear how job creation that doesn’t keep up with the increase in the work force and more people living in poverty and/or without healthcare insurance are signs of a blossoming economy again? Or how increased terrorist activity is proof that you’re winning the fight against terrorism that it turns out can’t be won anyway? I’m out of Kool-Aid.
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| Originally Posted by Werbal_Kint All the SMART people will be voting against Bush, anyways. |
Verbal, I like you, but I had to pop in and say that this is just plain stupid. I could give you a thousand examples of extremely smart Republicans, but I’ll just leave it that broad cheap stuff like this is just plain dumb.
I haven’t been in this forum pre-Army. Have all the halfway moderate posters given up?
Who said that all Republicans are neccesarily voting for Bush? Maybe they’re smart.
I’m a Republican. I’m smart. I will vote for Bush.
And if the election were today, so would a little more or less than half the country. But while we’re being superior, I’ll head you off and say, “Well, most Americans are stupid”. Its getting old.
No smart conservative would vote for Bush. He’s center-right socially, but WAAAAY to the left on virtually everything else. In the worst possible way.
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| Originally Posted by Stew I’m a Republican. I’m smart. I will vote for Bush. And if the election were today, so would a little more or less than half the country. |
Important distinction to make here.
The vast majority of voters won’t be voting FOR anyone. Most Democrats are simply voting AGAINST Bush, and most Republicans are simply voting against Kerry.
Over time I’ve found that there is a enormous disparity between people’s general intelligence and their political intelligence. Though both may be lacking, the latter is usually much lower.
Of course, just because someone is voting against Bush doesn’t mean they’re smart, but their heart is in the right place.
So conservatives should vote for John Kerry? How does that make any sense?
In that vein, all you anti-war types should vote for Nader. He’s the only one with the balls to actually say he’s anti-war. The official Democratic platform as it pertains to the war is virtually identical to the Republicans.
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| Originally Posted by Werbal_Kint Over time I’ve found that there is a enormous disparity between people’s general intelligence and their political intelligence. Though both may be lacking, the latter is usually much lower. Of course, just because someone is voting against Bush doesn’t mean they’re smart, but their heart is in the right place. |
So where is my heart Verbal?
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| Originally Posted by Micah Robinson Important distinction to make here. The vast majority of voters won’t be voting FOR anyone. Most Democrats are simply voting AGAINST Bush, and most Republicans are simply voting against Kerry. |
I agree with half that. With very few exceptions, Republicans support the President and his policies. Poll after poll shows vast differences between Republicans and Democrats opinion of the war, economy, etc. and extremely high job approval ratings among Republicans.
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| Originally Posted by Stew So conservatives should vote for John Kerry? How does that make any sense? |
He’s slightly more right-leaning than Bush, but a true conservative wouldn’t vote for either. Neither major party is conservative. They’re both for more government control of your life, more entitlements, and more administrative bloat.
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| In that vein, all you anti-war types should vote for Nader. He’s the only one with the balls to actually say he’s anti-war. The official Democratic platform as it pertains to the war is virtually identical to the Republicans. |
True enough, but I’m not anti-war. I am anti-THIS war at THIS particular time. I’m all for a strong commander-in-chief taking the fight to Islamic extremist terrorists and using America’s forces wisely, efficiently, and effectively.
Since Bush has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is incapable of this, my vote goes to Kerry by default, though due to the electoral college, I’m voting for Bush whether I want to or not.
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| Originally Posted by Stew I agree with half that. With very few exceptions, Republicans support the President and his policies. |
Huge increases in government spending? Nation building? The consolidation of power at the federal level? Proposed constitutional amendments in lieu of self-determination on the part of the states?
How exactly are these the same Republicans who voted in the “Contract for America” people? Talk about cognitive dissonance.
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| Originally Posted by Stew I’m a Republican. I’m smart. I will vote for Bush. And if the election were today, so would a little more or less than half the country. But while we’re being superior, I’ll head you off and say, “Well, most Americans are stupid”. Its getting old. |
Rewarding failure is not smart. Why do you consider yourself smart if you’re going to reward failure?
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| Originally Posted by Stew And if the election were today, so would a little more or less than half the country. But while we’re being superior, I’ll head you off and say, “Well, most Americans are stupid”. Its getting old. |
Bush couldn’t even win the popular vote in his last election, and he’s much less popular now.
And being in the military and voting for Bush is simply masochistic.
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| Originally Posted by Stew I agree with half that. With very few exceptions, Republicans support the President and his policies. Poll after poll shows vast differences between Republicans and Democrats opinion of the war, economy, etc. and extremely high job approval ratings among Republicans. |
Ummm, no. They’re closing ranks against Kerry, just as Democrats are against Bush. Don’t confuse lockstep defense with genuine support and/or enthusiasm.
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| Originally Posted by Micah Robinson Ummm, no. They’re closing ranks against Kerry, just as Democrats are against Bush. Don’t confuse lockstep defense with genuine support and/or enthusiasm. |
I do think there’s genuine enthusiasm for Bush amongst many fundamentalist Christians.
But, you know, if I believed the end of the world was a good thing, I’d probably be all about Bush, too.
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| Originally Posted by PodBayDoor I do think there’s genuine enthusiasm for Bush amongst many fundamentalist Christians. |
Not until he jumped on, first, faith-based organizations, and then the gay marriage amendment. He supports some abortion exceptions. Even his weak-kneed pseudo-support of Stem Cell research is dubious to them. They stand behind Bush because of a lack of choices.
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| Originally Posted by Micah Robinson He’s slightly more right-leaning than Bush, but a true conservative wouldn’t vote for either. Neither major party is conservative. They’re both for more government control of your life, more entitlements, and more administrative bloat. |
He’s to the left of Bush on every social issue, taxes, and despite his flip flops and poor attempts to disguise it, on national defense. If you think that conservatives, or the American public for that matter, are voting in this election on “administrative bloat” and “entitlements” then you, like the Democrats, just don’t get it.
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| Originally Posted by PodBayDoor Huge increases in government spending? Nation building? The consolidation of power at the federal level? Proposed constitutional amendments in lieu of self-determination on the part of the states? How exactly are these the same Republicans who voted in the “Contract for America” people? Talk about cognitive dissonance. |
Again, 1996 was an election that could be about those things. 2000 was an election that could be about those things. 2004 is about the War on Terror. There is no rift in the Republican Party because that is the #1 issue and it trumps everything else.