Latest posts for the thread "From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar"

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Hubertg — GMT

I am not a Republican, Democrat, Independent, or any other thing of that sort.
I am a Human Being...and I vote. I think this 'party stuff' is unnecessary and promotes the childish antics of politics...although it might make a great ongoing 'movie', I am not in favor of 'Parties'. I think candidates should run on the positions they personally take and they can have a 'Party' if they win. I also believe the Electoral College is an antique that needs to be retired from service and it should be that the person who gets the most votes wins.
Period.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

jebhollabaugh — GMT

This is Jeb from St Paul, allow me to clarify what i intended to say earlier. I am a first time voter, 19 yrs. old. I live in a town of 320. Although i have spent over a year abroad, in Italy, and across Europe and japan. I have also spent a year traveling Oregon and teaching to high school kids. I am an independent voter. It is often times said that ours is an apathetic generation, which i can attest to. But what this translates to in this election is a weariness of promises. After listening to both major speeches, I am more weary of hearing a promise of lower taxes and more spending for things like health care, and education; particularly with a 9 trillion deficit at hand. I'm not sure either candidate is the realist we hope for. For topics at hand, was the choice of Governor Palin a pandering one? Yes. But did it work to a degree yes? Although i don't believe that's what the election should be about, it should be about positions. However it would be wrong of me to say that i would not be more comfortable with two western representatives in the white house. As an independent I am leaning to the McCain side for the reason of executive experience and past positions in Washington, across party lines. The host asked me if Obama's reach to young voters appealed to me. The answer simply is no. I felt there was more push for young voters media wide in the last election, and it shouldn't be forgotten. If we truly love democracy we first have to convince voters of the necessity of doing their part.

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

tpohara — GMT

I can only speak for myself: no symbolism needed here, Scott.

I wish we could have the debate without pushing the emotional buttons, but there are too many facts that are interpreted through our conflicting basic assumptions about the value (or reality) of life before breath.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

scottmil — GMT

I wonder where this country would be if there was no anti-abortion versus pro-choice issue. I realize for many it is murder, but generally, even they don't accurately treat it this way, by their actions. I almost feel like this issue is symbolism for something bigger then the issue itself. That we are in love with this issue and we love it's divisiveness---the us and them.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Salem woman — GMT

I am registered as independent, own a tree farm, and am pro-life - however, I am always disappointed in how mean the Republicans come off. Sarah Palin seems like a female pit bull to me (not an image I like to see as a woman), and from what I've read, she seems potentially "corruptable". I like John McCain as a person, but compared to the opportunity to elect a truly intelligent candidate, Obama, my tendency this time is to adhere to the adage "If you want to live like a Republican, vote for Democrats". To this end, I encourage all to read Alan Binder's article in the Sunday NYT about the 50 year trends showing that more people do better under Democrat economic policies.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

CompelledRegistrant — GMT

I am a member of a third party and have found the major candidates unappealing because none of them appear to value liberty or transparency in government. Obama caved, much to the chagrin of his supporters, on the issue of telecom immunity. McCain has attempted to style himself a maverick, but supported Bush in allowing such execrable practices as torture and secret prisons. The Libertarian candidate would ordinarily be a conscientious alternative, but leans more to the right than is palatable for my taste. By contrast, Biden opposed telecom immunity, and Palin actually cleaned up the corrupt Alaskan political machine. This leaves me in a quandary: Frankly, I'd rather vote for the VP's. A reluctant vote for Obama will probably be my uninspired concession.

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

trackmanatISU — GMT

If you think the convention was bad, read the policy positions. The New England Journal of Medicine compared the healthcare proposals and McCain's were scary (de facto deregulation of the insurance industry).

Additionally, he has no ideas for the economy beyond Bush tax cuts which have resulted in a $2K drop in the median income of the middle class despite the economic expansion we just had. Obama's ideas are largely based on the analysis (a word McCain & Bush are apparently not familiar with) of the New Deal and Reaganomics. It's an interesting mix, but most importantly, is based on evidence.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

martineh — GMT

I was open to the republican point of view before the convention. After listening to the republicans slam the democratic party for being unpatriotic, trying to scare Americans into voting for them and present little in the way of real solutions, yeah, I guess I now consider myself a member f the 'angry left.'

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

scottmil — GMT

During the Republican convention, they again presented themselves as being an underdog which couldn't be further from the truth. I'm not sure why they get away with this irony, and the irony of presenting Democrats as elitists. It is completely the opposite in a technical sense. A party based largely on a religious base cannot possibly be inclusive---if you are not inclusive, you're exclusive, and if you're exclusive you're in the elitist camp.

Mr. Obama (as I've said before) made a big mistake not choosing Mrs. Clinton as his running mate. I have to think Mrs. Palin would not be on the McCain ticket if Mr. Obama had chosen Mrs. Clinton. I kind of think he blew it with Mr. Biden. Mrs. Palin is going to attract a lot of people and Mr.Obama should be worried. I think he let appearances get the best of him and made a bad decision to appear powerful---and it ended up making him weaker.

There is a big problem in America with this support the underdog 'thing', in an aesthetic sense and a social sense. This affects not only Republicans but even the most extreme Democrats. Look at Portland and the hipster dive bar, if your not in a dive bar your allegedly pretentious and not the underdog---even if the prices are the same. If this stupidity effects the entire population of liberals and conservatives alike, then Mr. Obama now has a problem. Originally, Mr. Obama rode the underdog ticket to the nomination, now he is trumped by Mrs. Palin. She successfully presented herself as more of an underdog then a black American first time nominee.

I guess the problem is---it really is this superficial on all sides. It is a superficial popularity contest, with no one sticking to principles or ideas. Both sides are trying so hard to appeal to everyone, that they end up appealing to no one.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

alohaor — GMT

How can MmcCain be the vote for CHANGE & REFORM when he is a sheep in BUSH CLOTHING?

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Dell Herreid — GMT

If military heroism and character are so important to the republicans why didn't they speak out when John Kerry's commitment and sacrifice were "swiftboated" in 2004?

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Tom D Ford — GMT

I got a big laugh out of McCain saying Republicans should help their fellow man; the Republican idea of that is to create grinding poverty through Cheap-Labor Conservative economic policies and then donate a little money to some charity to assuage their guilt and feel good.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Tom D Ford — GMT

I noticed the distinct absence of the wealthy "white shoe" Republicans who run, and benefit from the policies of, the Republican Party.

They just put on their "common man" lipstick for four days.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Chad Balcom — GMT

I don't know who came up with the idea to have only 2 parties, but that dude needs shot.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Tom D Ford — GMT

I noticed those "politically correct" Republican chants shouting down and preventing the free speech of dissenters, no change there, no reform there.

Re: Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

tpohara — GMT

Please thank your brother for me for his service. I'm glad he is coming home safe.

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

trackmanatISU — GMT

I completely agree with the sentiment that the Republican convention had no substance. Ok, I get it, John McCain served his country. So does my brother (coming home tomorrow!). McCain endured horrible things for our country, and he definitely deserves our admiration for that. However, he never offered any new ideas on what he would do now. Worse yet has no realistic long term plans for the country's energy problems, economy, or foreign policy.

For all the posturing about how Obama has no substance (which is completely false if you read their policy positions), it seems to me that the Republicans lost their opportunity to supply their own. (define: irony)

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

erinerin — GMT

It's impossible to compare the conventions on a policy basis. The Republican convention was one big contradiction, with personal attack after vicious personal attack on Barack Obama, followed by John McCain calling for bipartisanship. Where's the substance? Where's the policy?

My pet cause, the environment, was almost forgotten at both conventions.

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Tom D Ford — GMT

That's the sense of it that I get also.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Naseem — GMT

My eight year old son tells me some kids at his school consider it fun to spit on people while riding the Ferris Wheel. We talk. Who told you this? How did you respond? Do you think it would be fun? And then a new question comes to my mind: what would Barack Obama say?

For the first time in what seems like decades, we have the potential to elect someone whose sense of duty, fairness, and honor is a role model. And not just for our children.

Last Sunday, when news broke about Sarah Palin’s pregnant daughter, it was Barack who told people that her family and children were off limits.

By contrast, the woman he defended, decided the best way to introduce herself to the American public was to take catty, cynical, and mean-spirited pot-shots at the Democratic candidate. Immediately, I recognized her for who she was. A spitter. Part of a hard-hitting group of bullies that believe the best way to win votes is to forego truth and integrity and hurl invectives at anyone that may try to pass them by. My advise to my son: keep your eyes on people like Barack, and don't go anywhere near the Ferris Wheel.

Naseem Rakha

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

trackmanatISU — GMT

You should check out the movie "American Blackout." Along with describing how the African-American vote is consistently suppressed (e.g. Ohio), it chronicles how republicans in her home state crossed party lines in the primary to vote for her Democratic competitor.

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

cascadian — GMT

I think both conventions, and our politics in general, took place in a bubble. Americans know so little about the rest of the world, and what we do get is greatly filtered. If America didn't have such destructive military power, the world would laugh our leaders off the stage. As the cliche goes, America is a big hammer looking for nails.

I plan to vote for Cynthia McKinney. Last year I had a chance to talk to her for a long time, and she has a lot of knowledge and courage.

But it's still two months to election day. By then we may be at war with Iran or some other country. A lot of other bad things could happen. If the Oregon race looks close I might vote for Obama, but otherwise it's Cynthia McKinney.

Re: Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

trackmanatISU — GMT

It's not tossing away your vote if that's who you want! This country needs more mainstream parties...

Re: From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

tpohara — GMT

I'm an independent... not the party here, but what the word actually means. Yes, anyone who visits here regularly can tell you I'm pro-life, but I'm at least a wee bit cynical about how those who have flaunted the title to get my vote have behaved once in office over the past couple of decades.

The conventions have at least confirmed that I'm undecided. Sen. Obama's speech, as a good friend of mine put it, almost had “echos of Camelot.” Had Sen. McCain not chosen as he did, Sen. Obama might have gotten me solidly on his side. By the same token, Alaska's Governor acquitted herself well when the lights were on and really has kept me in play. Indeed, if the campaign hadn’t put her so quickly into the attack dog role, she would probably have won me over on hopes for the future.

Other than tossing my vote away on a write-in for Alan Keyes, I’m not tempted by any other person or party; I really don’t see them representing any improvement on what the two mainline choices offer.

I've heard much about the different proposals (or lack there-of) and am considering the platforms and whether the candidates are likely to even consider acting on them. I like some of what each side brings, by the same token, I have serious concerns about other stuff I've learned.

If Sen. Obama were pro-life, it would be an easy choice... I could write off the rest of what I find objectionable in his party and his candidacy over something so big combined with what I do like. As it is, I'm stuck and I will have to wait until a tie breaker presents itself.

From the Conventions: The Parties From Afar

Emily Harris — GMT

[Posted by Emily Harris on September 4, 2008]

LISTEN TO "Parties From Afar" (24MB MP3)

It's been quite a two weeks for political junkies! Historic White House tickets for both the Democrats and the Republicans, plenty of speeches to celebrate or critique, whole new sets of political souvenirs and swag, plus protests and arrests.

But what if you're not part of the majority parties? You're in good company around the Pacific Northwest. If you're an independent or support a third party, did you hear anything the past two weeks that brought you into the camp of either leading candidate? Would attention to any particular Northwest issues gain your vote? Will Northwest voters have any traction in the rest of the campaign?

It's two months until the election. What is your overall reaction to the past two weeks? Are you ready for the next act?

GUESTS:

Marc Lucca: Service station owner from Salem, delegate to the Republican National Convention and chairman of the Oregon Young Republicans
Gary Nelson: Editorial page editor for the Mail Tribune
Jackman Wilson: Editorial page editor for the Register-Guard
Melissa Mona: Public benefits paralegal and undecided voter
Dave Brownlow: Vice-chairman for the Oregon Constitution Party and Constitution Party candidate for U.S. Senate

Photo credit: thorinside / Flickr / Creative Commons