I don't care who runs in 2008....Why are Some DU'ers Obsessed w/IT?

[KoKo]

post after post....Kerry, Hillary, Clark, Obama, Condi and all the rest...Geeze...we haven't cleaned up 2000, 2002 and 2004 yet...what the hell is all this about?

Four more years...and folks are pushing candidates? With all that we need to do? Don't you understand without voting machines that Tally correctly, and a "platform" that attracts millions more voters (to over-ride the crap voting machines that "some" states who don't have activists will put more of in place) then what the hell does it matter?

Why don't some of you see we need to focus on the "here and now" and not some fantasy candidate way off down the road when who knows what the hell will happen between now and then? What's with this?

Focus, Focus, Focus. We have lots of "housekeeping" work to do right now. The damned cobwebs of the past are hanging from the ceilings and the dust bunnies with Bush faces are all over the floor, and the stove needs cleaning and the refrigerator has "mystery containers," of ghosts of times past. We need to get all of it in order before we even think about elections two to four years out. :shrug:

[punpirate]

1. Maybe nothing more than...

... hope springs eternal?

I agree, though, that simply focusing on the next presidential campaign misses the point--the next election is not 2008, it's 2006.

[boneygrey]

2. Yes

we need to focus on 06 with an eye toward 08.

[eileen from OH]

3. it's the "glam" factor

Presidential elections are exciting. Off-year ones, not so much.

eileen from OH

[fooj]

4. I'm with you. Hell, with all that is going on

I can barely make it from day to day. IMO it doesn't really matter who runs in 2008 if we can't stop these bastards from destroying our country! Peace!

[AP]

5. The voting machines aren't going to change if you don't try to elect...

...good politicians who will change them.

Furthermore, I met more live Democrats in the last two years who used the voting machines as an excuse not to care about who wins the election than Democrats who considered them a reason to get motivated about politics.

In my opinion, if you want to ensure that the voting machines will never change, then say we shouldn't care about candidates until after we take care of the voting machines.

As for candidate advocacy -- the most powerful way to deliver an idea to other human beings is through a narrative vehicle that incorporates easy-to-understand characters with clear motivations and desires. This is why we read novels and go to movies rather than read treatises in obscure academic journals or page through the statute books. It's why Too Kill a Mockingbird is a more powerful statement about race than Section 18 paragraph 10 of the Civil Rights Act 1964.

By all means, anyone who wants to talk about ideas by talking about the actual people who represent those ideas and promise to turn them into policy if elected, HAVE AT IT!!!! Don't bullshit about other Democrats, but don't stop talking about why you think your candidate is right for America.

[eaglenetsupport]

7. thank you

[fujiyama]

9. Well said

2008 is a waste of time, without focusing first on '06. At the minimum we need to have Dems defend those senate seats in their place.

I'm concerned now about MN especially. I hope Dems find a good candidate there, considering Dayton is retiring (he would have had a tough time too but I feel a bit more worried).

I don't know enough about every state. We need to keep good senators like my own (Debbie Stabenaw of MI) in office. We can't afford to lose these seats. Many of the state up in '06 were in swing states (or red states). It'll be tough.

But '08 means nothing yet. We gotta focus on this one at a time.

[applegrove]

6. I would guess that the closest supporters of each Candidate are

trying to 'keep the dream' or their candidate's dream alive - by regularly visiting this board. Could happen :shrug:

[LdyGuique]

8. I agree and find it difficult even bother reading the threads

Not only are there endless topics/threads posted, people are being touted who have no track record to speak of -- they haven't come close to proving themselves as viable representatives of their constituencies, but others are being touted who have no constituency at all. They've never held elective office at all.

True, this hasn't stopped some interesting campaigns in the past such as Pat Buchanan, Ross Perot, Ralph Nader, none of them have proved to be much more than an intense moment of political spin before they've flamed out. We've had multiple "third" parties rise and fall and some old standbys continue to show up on the ballot, such as Peace and Freedom Party, Libertarians, etc. But, we have a well-entrenched 2-party system that garners the majority of funding and power.

All I know for sure is that I'm disgusted with the world of politics and disgusted with the willingness of so many people who are willing to abdicate thinking. I'm disgusted with an educational system that fails to inspire students to WANT to learn. We're into multiple generations of mediocracy, not a meritocracy. Perhaps hard times is the only solution to jar enough people into caring.

I've watched homeschooling become a major force in educating a growing number of young people who are lacking alternative viewpoints, deep thinking, or even social skills. People who lack higher educational skills are condemning their children to medieval thinking. No wonder so many people believe that the earth is only 6,000 years old and are willing to follow leaders who preach nonsense, such as the rapture.

I'm frequently surprised at the number of posters who ask questions that a bit of web searching would answer -- but they want soundbite level answers. It's obvious that many are participating in these forums via cellphones, rather than computers.

I can't even get my own adult kids (in their 30s) and who have internet access with computers to take the time to read my own blog or to conduct their own websearches for answers.

Nevermind, I'm just disgusted.

[JNelson6563]

10. If nothing else

It tells us who isn't out here working for the cause. Those who have nothing to do but speculate about their idols and post nonsense at DU are about useless to the real world effort.

Julie

[reprehensor]

11. Hear! Hear! {{pounds table}}

Fix the fucking voting mechanisms or this country will never see true representation again.

I say, paper ballots, except for people with physical disabilities that require another option.