Re: If Kerry is elected...
From: Fred Bloggs (nospam_at_nospam.com)
Date: 10/16/04
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Date: Sat, 16 Oct 2004 03:00:58 GMT
Rich Grise wrote:
> On Fri, 15 Oct 2004 19:20:03 +0200, Frank Bemelman wrote:
>
>
>>"Julie" <julie@nospam.com> schreef in bericht
>>news:416FE738.CDEE3700@nospam.com...
>>
>>>If Kerry is elected and the state of the nation stays the same or worsens
>>
>>(high
>>
>>>oil prices, mess in Iraq, no UBL, etc.), are the anti-Bushers just going
>>
>>to
>>
>>>blame it all on the previous Bush administration?
>>>
>>>I've hardly decided my vote, but I'm almost tempted to hope/vote Kerry
>>
>>just to
>>
>>>see what magic he will have to perform to pull off all of his promises...
>>
>>Don't expect miracles from Kerry. The state of the nation is ruled by
>>other forces than just the administration. But the alternative, voting
>>for a proven war criminal, is totally immoral, so what choice do you have?
>
>
> Michael Badnarik.
> http://www.lp.org/campaigns/pres
>
> And everybody knows one vote doesn't make any difference - So vote Libertarian
> just for the fun of it! Just to do that one little rebellious thing that
> nobody knows about - Or announce proudly, "I voted against BOTH of them!"
> In your heart you can know that you have contributed to the impetus to correct
> what's wrong with America. Little things like that really do make a difference,
> you know.
>
> Cheers!
> Rich
>
>
Wrong answer- this is pure selfishness. Even the Green Party in Maine is
urging its members to vote for John Kerry because Maine is a state where
the race is so close and the responsible course of action is to make
their vote count.
*************************
Published on Thursday, October 14, 2004 by the Portland Press Herald (Maine)
Green Officials Urge Voters to Back Kerry
by Rep. John Eder and Stephen Spring
George W. Bush's sister, Doro Bush Koch, traveled to Maine last weekend,
following on the heels of the president's recent visit to the state.
Several weeks ago, first lady Laura Bush also rallied here.
Three Bushes in such a short period of time? While it might seem that
the first family might be searching for a new vacation spot, political
scientist Christian Potholm had a better answer: "I don't think they
would be sending the president to Bangor if they didn't think they had a
shot at all four (electoral) votes."
The Bushes clearly understand that this year, Maine's residents may be
decisive in selecting the next president. Luckily, these visits from the
Bush family have helped clarify how Mainers should vote this November.
Laura Bush declared that "W stands for women" during her swing through
Maine last month. It is our understanding that the first lady reads the
newspapers for her husband, but it seems she missed the articles where
George W. Bush declared himself a "war president."
That seems to accurately describe our president - but we give credit to
Laura Bush for trying to help her husband. In fact, we'll say that her
"L" stands for loyalty. Unfortunately for residents of Maine, loyalty
won't give us health care, livable wages or a woman's right to choose,
and it won't save our environment. Our self-proclaimed "war president"
has lived up to that description, declaring war on women's rights, equal
civil rights, working people and the environment.
Both of us are elected officials and members of the Green Party, but
given the destructive record of the Bush administration and the threat
posed by a four-year continuance thereof, we are compelled to break with
tradition and, at grave risk to our party status in Maine, ask voters in
battleground states such as Maine to support Democrat John Kerry.
TIPPING THE BALANCE IN CLOSE STATES
Though we are pulled by loyalty to our party, unlike Mrs. Bush, we won't
allow blind allegiance to come before the interests of Maine residents.
For four years, we have watched an unchallenged right-wing cabal allow
corporations to pollute our air and water, while diverting funds from
our schools so that the Bush administration can play G.I. Joe with the
lives of Maine's servicemen and women. As Green Party officials, we
won't stand by and watch this happen.
Even as Maine Democrats have waged a relentless war against our highest
elected official, John Eder, by redistricting him out of his seat, we
ask our supporters to vote for John Kerry in the state. We do this
because it is the right thing to do. We are not scared to do so, as we
know that Mainers take pride in their independence, and are wise to the
severe failings of, and the dirty tricks played by, the two corporate
parties.
President Bush has pulled even with John Kerry in polls tracking the
preferences of Maine voters, and now is not the time for Greens and
Democrats to allow their differences to better Bush's chances of
re-election.
Because November's election is likely to be so close, progressives can
play kingmaker and tip its outcome. Progressive solidarity is especially
important in Maine, given its formidable liberal presence, its history
of environmental activism and its many Green elected officials.
NADER DIVIDES THE LEFT
But despite the mainstream media's characterization of Democrats as
unified and progressives as mobilized, former consumer advocate Ralph
Nader continues to divide the left, bashing Democrats for shifting to
the right and attacking the Greens for challenging his monopoly on the
progressive vote.
The overwhelming majority of those who share our values, including the
many constituents of elected Greens who live in Portland, believe the
differences between Bush and Kerry are vast, making it imperative that
Bush lose his re-election bid. We agree, and that's why we've formed the
committee GreensforImpact.com to mobilize progressives against the Bush
administration.
To foster a more cooperative political environment, we encourage the
citizens of Maine to focus energy on implementing Instant Runoff Voting.
Under IRV, voters rank candidates rather than choose just one.
Candidates with the fewest first-choice votes are eliminated from the
race, and the second-choice votes are transferred to the other
candidates. This process is repeated until a candidate achieves a majority.
IRV allows voters to vote their consciences without the unintended
consequence of aiding their political adversaries, diminishing the
so-called "spoiler" problem. John Eder has introduced a bill to
implement IRV. The reform is being studied by Maine's secretary of state.
Please continue to support Greens for local office, and vote for John
Kerry for president this Nov. 2.
Rep. John Eder of Portland serves in the Maine Legislature and Stephen
Spring of Portland is a member of the Portland School Committee.
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