My husband says that while he does not share the fundamental ideology and basic values, beliefs and views with George Bush, he does respect and support his commitment to ridding the world of those who wish to crush our spirit, and reduce Americans to quivering wusses.

It's hard to challenge that when you think about it.

Dawn, you put my feelings of Bush into concise words on many issues. Anything I could add in a comment would only be reiterating what you already said, but I would like to take this 'challenge' you mention above. I want to point out what I see wrong with this ideology that many people hold, rather than singling out one person though.

Kerry has a detailed plan on his website explaining how he will work with the international community (note to conservatives, that does not mean slave to U.N. inefficiency), and he is far more qualified to do so than Bush, you have to agree with that, just the last 4 years have shown us so.

With that said, the biggest argument I've heard against Kerry's war on terror, is that it is generalized, vague and doesn't contain specifics. Okay, that's one perception, but then let's put that criteria against Bush and see if it is still applicable.

The conservative/Bush plan for the war on terror:

Democratize the Middle East.

If it's not WMD, if it's not freeing oppressed Iraqi's, then it's to democratize the middle east and give the Arabs an example of what freedom is like.

I don't think we can get more generalized than 'democratize the middle east'. Are there specific other countries on the list to invade? How will reshaping the world take place in 4 years? Will the constitution be amended to ensure that this long term plan is in place when Bush leaves office and the next President doesn't have his own plan, based on 4 more years of terrorism changing it's face? We can't begin democratizing a hemisphere and then quit when it's no longer relevant, we have to 'stay the course'. How many years has Afghanistan been 'freed'? And in that many years, where is it now? So where will Iraq be in 4 years? The commercialized equivalent of L.A.? No, democratizing the middle east will build resentment in the short term, and will take generations to achieve with the possibility of faltering anywhere along the way.

What exactly is Bush's plan beyond the generalized 'democratize the middle east'? Any recommendations from the 9/11 commission that he undertakes, ANY president in office would do the same, so he doesn't get credit for that, right? Because that would happen regardless.

So the big difference between Bush and Kerry is determination rather than actual game plan? Bush has unwavering resolution in accomplishing his task? So did Napoleon and Hitler. Determination doesn't mean correct path.

If Bush gets relected, where does everybody see the war on terror in 2008?

If Kerry gets elected, where does everybody see the war in 2008?

(It's be great if everybody offered their serious opinions, rather than slams and rhetoric, but I think I'm more likely to win the lottery than see that happen).

It's really sad when your only choice seems to be what will do the least damage to the citizens.

I don't see it that way at all Jim. I guess the factor is because we make under 200k, but we've always prospered economically under a Democratic President and have always gone through financial hardship under a Republican President.

The only thing worse than Bush's record as President is his record as Governor of Texas.

As a Texan (and alternative mag journalist), I've watched this guy for years-- and he really is just an air-headed, goofy little frat boy at heart.

So what's he done? He's knows nothing of history, ran a few companies into the ground during his "oil drilling days", and weaseled his way into riches by acting as a figurehead for a bunch of investors of the Texas Rangers baseball team.

Your inventory above includes what he's done as President, which is one long path of destruction and dismantling.

It's amazing that this guy has gotten as far as he has, which is an indication of the powers behind him. (anti-environmentalists, anti-regulation, pro-oil)

A vote for Bush is a vote against your childrens' safe and healthy future.

boomcrashbaby : in Tonto-speak, what do you mean, "we" white-man?

I don't live in the States, I'm not a citizen, but I get threatened by your government which has been subverted by politics instead of governance or trade or relationships.

Essentially, we, in the rest of the world have to watch, what to all appearances, is a "slow" (originally, I typed "retarded" but that would be cruel to the retarded) child struggle with some sort of container with a child-proof cap, and a bunch of guys are betting on it like it was a cock-fight.

Real encouraging.

boomcrashbaby : in Tonto-speak, what do you mean, "we" white-man?

Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant my family. It's not a lesser of two evils for us, it's a choice between good and bad.

Kerry on abortion:

-I oppose it on moral grounds (it's a human life), but still support it (it's NOT a human life)

Kerry on taxes:

I'll cut taxes on "working families" and RAISE taxes on the "rich" (high-income earners who apparently don't work in my world, because after all I'm a billionaire and I don't even bother to show up for work at the Senate, I just married some crazy old broad who was previously married to a Republican Senator who died horribly)

Kerry on the war in Iraq:

I supported the war, no, wait, I supported threatening to go to war, but I opposed funding it, but I voted to support funding it before I voted to oppose funding it, and I think it was all a mistake, but I'm glad Saddam is no longer in power, and I will stay the course there, except I'll bring our troops home. Oh, and Bush misled everyone with the same information that I had that led me to vote for the war. Except I didn't vote for the actual war, I voted for a different war, in which people are not killed and it doesn't cost any money that could be better spent on more firemen and Heinz ketchup

Kerry on the Death Penalty:

I oppose it, because I feel life in prison is worse than a quick and painless death, except I support it in the case of terrorists, which means that in my world, where a full life lived at taxpayers expense watching cable, lifting weights, and having gay sex is better than the gas chamber or electric chair, I actually am coddling terrorists, because I don't wish that awful fate on them

Kerry on Vietnam:

I served in Vietnam, with a band of brothers, who I later told the Senate were really a bunch of monsters, and I called myself a war criminal, but I still deserve to be Commander-In-Chief, because I won three purple hearts, though two were for self-inflicted wounds, and none required surgery, and I won more decorations for dispatching with the enemy, who happened to be a wounded Viet Cong teenager running away who I shot in the back, but I won those medals fair and square, and then pretended to throw them away at an anti-war rally supported by Jane Fonda, who once manned anti-aircraft guns aimed at my "band of brothers" but that's okay because they really weren't MY medals, they were some other guys' medals, and you shouldn't even be asking me about anything that I did after I left a boarding school in Switzerland because BUSH LIED

You're still voting for this scumbag, Dawn?

yes, Dawn, let us know. Doesn't the threat of an increase in gay prison sex change your vote to Bush? Teresa has just been defined as some crazy old broad, and we've even thrown Fonda into the mix. Isn't that proof you should vote for Bush?
Kerry supports the war on terror, but doesn't blindly support a misguided strategy, isn't that further proof you should vote for Bush?

Geez.

This is another take on comment 7, rather than the right-wing twist.

"Kerry on abortion:"

He opposes it but recognizes your right to have a different opinion.

"Kerry on taxes:"

Kerry will roll back the Bush tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefited the rich, and instead institute policies and programs that will benefit those who need the help. This will raise his taxes, too.

"Kerry on the war in Iraq:"

I thought I had clearly explained this in BUSH FLOPPED ON TERRORISM AND SECURITY, KERRY DIDN'T FLIP, but apparently not.

Kerry didn't vote for the invasion of Iraq, and he didn't vote against supporting the troops.

You might want to print my piece out and spend some time reading and thinking about it.



Etc., except that "BUSH LIED" is true.

RJ, I have to be honest about your depiction - it's complete crap.

Not even those who hate Bush could convince me to follow that line of logic were is applied to him rather than Kerry.

Here's how I feel about Kerry and why I am 75% inclined to vote for (and I would say 100% but I have two factors to consider a.) Eric's views and beliefs hold a vast amount of weight with me as I respect his judgement and b.) November 2 isn't here yet and I won't make my final decision until then.

Kerry is intellectually curious and in many ways makes decision the way I do: by considering all the facts.

Some call this waffling - I call it prudence.

I don't hate Bush, I don't think he is an evil man or even stupid (inarticulate maybe, but hell so am I much of the time.) But he has some highly suspect people helping him make his decisions (Cheney and Ashcroft) and his idea of conservativism is juxtaposed to what I call democracy.

His tunnelvision is disturbing and his unwillingness to be accountable for this country's actions to our global neighbors is reckless.

I feel strongly that Kerry is a more principled person with the WHOLE country and its citizens best interests at heart.

I have small children and I want to live in a world where they aren't just safe from terror, but also from unemployment, freedom of choice in religious beliefs, basic access to affordable healthcare, education, and clean, safe environment.

I also would like them to be able to travel outside of this country without fear of death just for being American.

Wow.

Dawn writes:

"I have small children and I want to live in a world where they aren't just safe from terror, but also from unemployment, freedom of choice in religious beliefs, basic access to affordable healthcare, education, and clean, safe environment.

I also would like them to be able to travel outside of this country without fear of death just for being American."

Well said. Pretty much sums up the issues in this election.

Now Dawn, it's time to pull a "Lysistrada" month or two with Eric. He'll be marching for Kerry in no time!

"Lysistrada"? Hell, no, I want Beyond the Thunderdome cage match.

Dawn gets the Tina Turner wig and outfits, and well, Eric gets to roll around in pig slop, and the chainsaw with no gas.

Sounds fair to me.

Kerry will roll back the Bush tax cuts that overwhelmingly benefited the rich

This isn't true. Bush's tax cut benefitted, percentage-wise, lower-income people more than higher-income people.

15% being reduced to 10% is a 5% decrease.

39.6% being reduced to 35% is a 4.6% decrease.

QED

"and instead institute policies and programs that will benefit those who need the help. This will raise his taxes, too."

Kerry wants to raise the INCOME tax, not create a WEALTH tax.

Kerry makes less than 200,000 dollars per year in his Senate gig that he never shows up for. He wants to raise taxes on people making MORE than 200,000 dollars a year.

Kerry is worth over 1,000,000,000 dollars. But this is income already earned, and therefore not subject to an income tax increase.

In other words, you aren't right.

"RJ, I have to be honest about your depiction - it's complete crap."

Refute a single point.