Mid-Term Election Predictions

[thesightless]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

not US, the middle east should be isolated since at every step the people themselves prove they arent even close to being in the same book, let alone the same page, as every other tolerant culture on this planet.

my only US isolationary thoughts come from when i see european and latin american fucknuts on stupid websites trying to tell the proto typical american how to vote. its our country, they have zero say on what goes on in the 50+ unless GW turns out to be saddam circa 85 (i.e. killing the opposition or innocents). and you know what, if the next few votes lead us to a further right wing government, too bad. even to ppl like me and you who clearly disagree with certain policies, that is what democracy is all about. majority rules. and adding to that thought, my opinion.... im actuallly scared if we suddenly see more ppl voting republican who didnt vote before as much as i am scared about going to the far left..... i can see it happening, you know, tons of people coming out of the woodworks to ensure the republicans maintain control.....

[toasty]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

"God" holding back Science...really gets me in a fit of rage man.

you and me both -- if I lived in Kansas, I would have immediately moved after the school board voted to delete references to evolution in school textbooks back in '99. They still haven't completely unfucked that. Could you imagine growing up in Kansas and going to college somewhere else and having that be your first exposure to the idea that the earth is more than a few thousand years old? Indefensible, IMO.

[thesightless]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

at that above.... word. dumbest thing ever.,.... how about teaching them all the options, and allowing them to make the educated decisions themselves...

""this is how religion views what happened, this is how science says it happened.. you pick one and keep it to yourself." EDIT:: i went to a very good catholic highschool, one of the best in the states actually, and they were strict catholic, but they had the common sense that while enforcing faith and religion, they also made it clear what science was up to and they openly encouraged us to understand both, and why....

again, if the people agreed to it there, no one has the right to complain about them.

[superdave]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

Even if the Democrats win whatever, I don't see much getting done. It wouldn't surprise me if the Republicans retained both houses. They have a strong Christian base to support them. Unfortunately, Americans still see Democrats as weak on terrorism. The Democrats have no strategy for Iraq or a vision for the country. Their thing is that we're not Bush and change is necessary. Who cares what we believe.

And what about statements like Kerry made today inferring that people in the military are stupid. His own crowd that he was speaking to seemed offended after he said it. He's still been painted and probably correct as a liberal elitist.

I agree with the comment that everyone should be removed from office and start over again. Both sides suck.

[KinKyJ]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

not US, the middle east should be isolated since at every step the people themselves prove they arent even close to being in the same book, let alone the same page, as every other tolerant culture on this planet.

I agree on that when you're talking about the regimes. However, I think that the war in Iraq has shown that the solution to the ME problem is a little more complicated than just installing a "cordon sanitaire" or dropping bombs. Top down solutions only hurt the civilian population, which is the best way to drive them right in the arms of the fundies. But hey, let's discuss that in another thread, right?

my only US isolationary thoughts come from when i see european and latin american fucknuts on stupid websites trying to tell the proto typical american how to vote. its our country, they have zero say on what goes on in the 50+ unless GW turns out to be saddam circa 85 (i.e. killing the opposition or innocents). and you know what, if the next few votes lead us to a further right wing government, too bad. even to ppl like me and you who clearly disagree with certain policies, that is what democracy is all about. majority rules. and adding to that thought, my opinion.... im actuallly scared if we suddenly see more ppl voting republican who didnt vote before as much as i am scared about going to the far left..... i can see it happening, you know, tons of people coming out of the woodworks to ensure the republicans maintain control.....

Completely agree on that first point. The arrogance of some people here (Europe that is) to stigmatize Americans and to pretend that they should teach the US a lesson in democracy really ticks me off as well. First of all it's not their place and they're doing nothing else than what they accuse Bush of: generalizing a population and forcing a perspective/way of life down someone's throat. Secondly, it's thanks to those morons that you get burnt at the stake as a biased US hater when you voice a critical thought about the US foreign policy. Maybe the US brought that attitude upon itself by taking a rather arrogant position on the international scene, but on the other hand I can't blame Americans being fed up with those smart ass remarks. Anyway, that's why you won't hear me making bold statements in this thread. I'm just standing by the side lines watching the game here...

That said, I think these elections are pretty interesting. During the past few months I've been getting the impression that a lot of Americans have begun questioning the way the Bush administration is running the country as well as the way they approach international problems. I wonder whether and to what extent that's going to influence these elections.

By the way, why is Amendement 2 suddenly popping up in this debate? What's the link with the elections? If you guys could do us Euro trash a favor and include some links to background info in this thread, it would help us a lot to understand the situation and events, thx!

[toasty]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

It wouldn't surprise me if the Republicans retained both houses. They have a strong Christian base to support them.

This has definitely carried the day for them in the past -- question is to what extent those folks that vote strictly on religious grounds are turned off by Foley-esque behavior and the fact that despite having a stranglehold on things for the last 2 years, the Republicans haven't really done their bidding on some issues like they said they would. They did ultimately put Alito on the bench, but that was after Roberts and the Harriet Meirs debacle, neither of which were viewed as being conservative enough by the Religious Right.

Their thing is that we're not Bush and change is necessary. Who cares what we believe.

Works for me, unfortunately. It's not great, but it will have to do. I can't imagine them being any worse.

[superdave]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

This has definitely carried the day for them in the past -- question is to what extent those folks that vote strictly on religious grounds are turned off by Foley-esque behavior and the fact that despite having a stranglehold on things for the last 2 years, the Republicans haven't really done their bidding on some issues like they said they would. They did ultimately put Alito on the bench, but that was after Roberts and the Harriet Meirs debacle, neither of which were viewed as being conservative enough by the Religious Right.



Works for me, unfortunately. It's not great, but it will have to do. I can't imagine them being any worse.

It can always get worse, but I wouldn't mind seeing the Democrats win. The Republicans have grown arrogant, complacent, fat, and corrupt. They deserve to lose. I think the Democrats won't make a difference either if victorious, but one can only hope.

[KinKyJ]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

I agree with the comment that everyone should be removed from office and start over again. Both sides suck.

That's actually something I've been wondering a lot about lately: even though the Democrats seem to be dribbeling the ball towards an open goal (at least, that's how it looks like from this side of the Atlantic), they don't seem to have any players on their team that actually are capable of playing the game. On the other side you have a team of Republicans that are piling up fouls like brick layers...

Why is it that a country which is almost a continent on its own seems incapable of producing talented statesmen? When I compare the candidates I know to the members of the political corps of my little shit country, the difference in quality, leadership and above all strategical insight and vision is almost surreal...

[Jenks]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

By the way, why is Amendement 2 suddenly popping up in this debate? What's the link with the elections? If you guys could do us Euro trash a favor and include some links to background info in this thread, it would help us a lot to understand the situation and events, thx!

Constitutional Amendment 2 A "yes" vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to allow and set limitations on stem cell research, therapies, and cures which will:

• ensure Missouri patients have access to any therapies and cures, and allow Missouri researchers to conduct any research, permitted under federal law;
• ban human cloning or attempted cloning;
• require expert medical and public oversight and annual reports on the nature and purpose of any stem cell research;
• impose criminal and civil penalties for any violations; and
• prohibit state or local governments from preventing or discouraging lawful research, therapies and cures.

A "no" vote would not ensure that stem cell research permitted under federal law is allowed to be conducted in Missouri and that Missouri patients have access to stem cell therapies and cures permitted under federal law.

[toasty]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

By the way, why is Amendement 2 suddenly popping up in this debate? What's the link with the elections? If you guys could do us Euro trash a favor and include some links to background info in this thread, it would help us a lot to understand the situation and events, thx!

Sorry, Amendment 2 is a Missouri race regarding embryonic stem cell research. If you listen to the two sides of the debate, the bill has wildly different effects, from promoting such research to killing babies and starting a black market in female eggs, so I'll just post the text of the proposition and let you draw your own conclusions:

?Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to allow and set limitations on stem cell research, therapies, and cures which will:
? ensure Missouri patients have access to any therapies and cures, and allow Missouri researchers to conduct any research, permitted under federal law;
? ban human cloning or attempted cloning;
? require expert medical and public oversight and annual reports on the nature and purpose of stem cell research;
? impose criminal and civil penalties for any violations; and
? prohibit state or local governments from preventing or discouraging lawful stem cell research, therapies and cures??

[toasty]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

looks like Jenks beat me to the punch on that one.

[Lorn]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

I agree with the comment that everyone should be removed from office and start over again. Both sides suck.

That would be great. Only problem we face is no decent fellow would want to run for public office in todays day and age. How to clean out the festering wounds and cover with clean bandages is beyond me.

[KinKyJ]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

Thanks for the update on Amendment 2 guys! So I take it this is one of the hot topics of these elections then (probably with Dem pro and Rep contra)? Or is there a seperate referendum about it?

[toasty]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

Thanks for the update on Amendment 2 guys! So I take it this is one of the hot topics of these elections then (probably with Dem pro and Rep contra)? Or is there a seperate referendum about it?

That's basically correct about it being favored by dems, although it is a separate ballot measure and there are a lot of republicans that support embryonic stem cell research as well. Not purely a cause for the dems at all.

I don't know if you know who Michael J. Fox is (and forgive me if I'm telling you something you already know), but he was a popular actor during the 1980's and 90's here in the states. Anyway, he came down with Parkinson's and has been a vocal supporter of stem cell research ever since. He ran an ad here in Missouri in favor of the Democratic challenger to the Republican-held senate seat that is up for grabs that focuses on stem cell research that has caused some controversy -- he was suffering from the side-effects of his medication at the time he did the ad, so he's shaking from side to side throughout the whole thing. Check it out here:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=6519714054634112418&q=michael+j+fox

[Jenks]

Re: Mid-Term Election Predictions

I watched MJ Fox on Inside the Actors Studio last night (love that show btw). He had to take a break for about 5 minutes during the show to go take medicine and let it kick in, and still, his outlook on life is so amazing. After i watched that show, it just made me angry how this is even an issue wether to allow stem cell research or not. WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE (non supporters) ??? Ugh, pisses me right off Loyd.