We'd be better off if the 2000 election result were different

[jdl22]

No, not the general election between Gore and Bush, but the Republican primary election between McCain and Bush.

I'm a liberal democrat and the choice between McCain and Gore would have been a simple one - I wouldn't have voted for the guy I voted for in the actual election. McCain would have easily defeated Gore imo.

We would be better off with McCain in the white house because:
- he's actually fiscally conservative
- he's willing to listen to opinions other than his own
- he's willing to be held accountable for his actions
- he's actually able to work with both Democrats and Republicans

I think McCain's conduct in the recent hearings has made it pretty clear that he's the guy most qualified of all the candidates of both parties in the previous election.

any thoughts?

[ThaSaltCracka]

I agree, if he runs in 2008, I think he would be elected. I still can't you stupid republicans voted for Bush in the primaries.

[MMMMMM]

McCain seemed OK at least.

From what little I watched of the debates, Alan Keyes impressed me the most. Don't recall specifics though; it was just a couple times, briefly.

[ThaSaltCracka]

[ QUOTE ]
McCain seemed OK at least.

[/ QUOTE ]
He may have seemed okay then, but now, seriously how does he look? I find myself agreeing with him on just about every topic. I really didn't even think it was going to be close between McCain and Bush, but unfortunetly, McCain didn't have the king of smear, Karl Rove, in his corner.

[GWB]

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I agree, if he runs in 2008, I think he would be elected. I still can't you stupid republicans voted for Bush in the primaries.

[/ QUOTE ]
Republicans voted for me because I was a solid standard GOP candidate, while McCain was a maverick. Remember, without crossover votes from Independents and Democrats, McCain would not have gotten as far as he did.

Republicans like Republicans, and so they still like me. We don't change our core values to suit non-Republicans, although we will appeal to Independents' commonalities with the GOP.

If you really don't like me, then in your heart of hearts, you probably aren't a staunch Republican.

It's the same way among staunch Democrats, right? They stayed with Clinton despite everything, because the party was more important than the man.

[ThaSaltCracka]

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Republicans voted for me because I was a solid standard GOP candidate, while McCain was a maverick.

[/ QUOTE ]
It may have seemed that way at the time, but I think now most people would probably say McCain looks more like a Republican now then you.

[ QUOTE ]
If you really don't like me, then in your heart of hearts, you probably aren't a staunch Republican.


[/ QUOTE ]
lets get one thing straight. I don't dislike Bush, he seems like a genuine person. I don't like his admin or his party. Your right, I am not a republican, but I am also not a democrat. I have a brain and I like to use it, so I choose to not join a party.

[CORed]

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I have a brain and I like to use it, so I choose to not join a party.

[/ QUOTE ]

In general, I agree with your sentiment. I have never liked either of the two major parties well enough to join. However, there is a cost to taking this position. By not being a member of a party, we disqualifiy ourselves from participation in primaries and caucuses, and are relegated to choosing the lesser of two evils in the general election. I chose wrong (voted for Bush) in the last general election. If I had been a Republican, I could have voted for McCain. If, as I believe and sincerely hope, Bush loses by a landslide, perhaps the Republican party will move closer to the mainstream. The extreme positions the Republicans have taken since the 1994 elections make it very difficult for me to support that party, much as I dislike liberal Democrats.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I agree with you CORed, and it makes me seriously think about voting for Nader, even though I am essentially throwing the vote away. Its to bad he is not with the Green Party. It would be nice to see the emergence of a new political party.

[GWB]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Republicans voted for me because I was a solid standard GOP candidate, while McCain was a maverick.

[/ QUOTE ]
It may have seemed that way at the time, but I think now most people would probably say McCain looks more like a Republican now then you.

[/ QUOTE ]
In what way does he look so? Seriously.
BTW, no Republican likes bigger budgets, but will stomach them for national security - this won't divide the GOP.


[ QUOTE ]


[ QUOTE ]
If you really don't like me, then in your heart of hearts, you probably aren't a staunch Republican.


[/ QUOTE ]
lets get one thing straight. I don't dislike Bush, he seems like a genuine person. I don't like his admin or his party. Your right, I am not a republican, but I am also not a democrat. I have a brain and I like to use it, so I choose to not join a party.

[/ QUOTE ]
My comments were general in nature (not about you). My point is that if there is a Party that you agree with 85% of the time, a smart person recognizes that it is in his interest to align with that party. Being independent means you don't share the major values of either party, not that you are showing any more discernment.

[andyfox]

In the Kerry administration.

[ThaSaltCracka]

I would vote for Kerry for sure then

[Losing all]

As a liberal democrat, I can understand why you'd like John McCain. As a conservative, I'd like to cast my vote against all 3 P'sOS. That being said I'll take any of the 3, even the robot, over Kerry.

[jdl22]

Who's the robot, Cheney?