(no subject)

[vicarz]

Dear Washington DC:
Howard Dean 17,584 43%
Al Sharpton 14,090 34% from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A13061-2004Jan13.html (before you click the link - be warned that the Post's ads are really annoying)

If you want to be taken seriously and given the 'right' to vote, you have to demonstrate a little responsibility. The country might have been willing to forgive the whole crackhead Barry episode, though you would face ribbing for the rest of your existence. Chalk it up to passed-on Seniors stuck in the civil rights era, but now...although you select the very predictable Dean for your choice, you pick the "rev" Al Sharpton as a close 2nd runner up.

DC, if you ever want to be given responsibility, you have to show you are ready for it. You've shown some improvement, but with a report card like this, I simply cannot let you drive.

On another political note, this one totally ganked from wabmart
http://www.bushin30seconds.org/
Guess who pays for Bush's insane deficit spending?

Comments

[wabmart.livejournal.com]

Come on, now. Be fair. Yes, Sharpton is completely inelectable and has a history of eccentric/erratic behavior, but his stated positions are actually very good. In many cases, if I had to pick a candidate on a given issue without having to moderate my position for electability---I'm in favor of legalizing and taxing marijuana, if not other drugs, but a candidate who comes out and says so will definitely not get elected---it would be Sharpton. Yes, there's an undercurrent of people picking Sharpton because he's seen as the Black Man's Candidate. You must admit that there are sensible, if unrealistic, reasons for siding with him as well.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Sigh...yes, but those realistic positions only soften my joke!

I'm all about the suicidal legalization stands, but I tend to quote Baltimore's Schmoke on that one.

Now I have to edit my gank of bushin30secs to show you name...still having trouble with that lj-user= thing.

[wabmart.livejournal.com]

Fuck Schmoke. I liked Schmoke until he, as an alumnus, sided with the Yale administration. I mean, I'm pretty sick of the pre-union we have here, but backing the corporation that makes it a policy to seek real estate liens for hospital patients barely able to afford care (patient: Look, I finally have the money for the bill and all the exorbitant late fees. Don't take my house. Yale-New Haven: Screw you, we're not taking your payment. We want your house) and that failed to discourage its security officers from beating up (and threatening more) janitors trying to organize a union is beyond the pale for anyone of his party affiliation.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Was not aware - ick!

[lilkender.livejournal.com]

Regarding Rev. Al Sharpton, (as you already know): 1. He's a reverend; 2. He's black. Unfortunately I think that'll be enough for some people and they won't even look at the issues.
He actually did a a phone interview on DC101 the other morning, and very patiently and cordially put up with Elliott. Sharpton himself said Dean appears to be the favorite for the primaries.

I'm not jumping into this convo - I actally hate politics. I just registered to vote this year because I finally found a candidate I feel I can back.

[vicar.livejournal.com]

I hate to say/push it, but voting matters a lot. Unfortunately, you have to pick the least evil rather than someone you like - but with an evil like Bush it's really hard to ignore the consequences of not acting.

My highly biased opinion...

[mkblack.livejournal.com]

Vernon Dahmer Sr. was a civil rights leader who's main focus was to get blacks to vote. His motto was "if you don't vote, you don't count". He was right... but there's one thing he forgot: if you don't vote you DO count - to the opposition!

my 2 cents.

[lilkender.livejournal.com]

Still, picking the least evil includes trying to decide whose stand on the issues agrees with yours AND who is likely to keep those campaign promises you like. That can be a difficult decision to make, especially if you don't especially agree with anyone in the first place.

I think it's been reading my friends' debates on issues and politics on LJ, and all the links they posted, that got me motivated this year.