Mad Hatter said:
man... their views seem so diametrically opposed... Why vote for Nader?
their views only seem that way if you see a 2-party/2-view/liberal-conservative/left-right view to everything, but I just look for what I like, and I don't like Kerry, and to be honest, I don't even know where he stands because of all the flip-flopping
I like Nader because:
-against corporate welfare (like bailing out the airlines)
-against the government regulating people's behavior
-against tax shelters for corporations
-stong support for the environment (animals and rainforests) and supports Kyoto
-supports better vehicle and fuel regulation (pollution and safety-related)
-supports affirmative action
-would genuinely support renewable energy
I like Bush because:
-I'm against abortion
-I support the war on terror
-I support flat-tax system (not that he does, but he is a tax-cutter)
-I support the State of Israel's right to exist
-sympathetic to the toils of Mexican immigrants (having lived on the border while he was governor of Texas)
-doesn't render to much control of US policy/affairs to the UN
I DON'T like Kerry because:
-the way he would steal Dean's speeches and methods outright without any guilt
-his flip-flopping makes me wary of anything he says, especially if it's a totally different position than he had before
-could't stop mentioning Vietnam during the primaries...
-I don't support partial-birth abortions
so basically, this is just a small example, my views on different issues lie all over the map (for example, I don't like Ralph Nader's support of a woman's right to choose), but basically I average everything out and basically, Kerry was a douchebag during the primaries, I doubt that has changed now that he isn't going up against Dean... I'm sure I agree with something genuinely with Kerry, but I don't know if he is something I particulary like leading our country...
My support for Ralph Nader is more of an admitted protest vote because I think the environment should be a major issue (as can be seen in The Day After Tomorrow) and I'm a fan of his consumer-advocate ways. Actually, if Kerry were to make a big deal out of the environment, commit to Kyoto 100%, and say that he can guarantee using Alaska's oil as we work to cut our dependence on foreign oil by 10-15% under him, maybe by giving MAJOR incentives to hybrid manufacturers or something, I'd vote for him in a heart-beat, but basically I see him as the same as Bush on this issue, any difference is negligable that I don't notice it...
It's not a black and white world, and it's not a Kerry/Bush world, or a Democrat/Republican world, I think Bill Clinton did a good job as President (with the exception of the terror issue), I'm usually a big supporter of Democrats (in fact my whole town is basically a Democratic strong-hold), I always vote in the Democratic primary (so I guess I'm technically a registered Democrat), but I just call it as I see it...
edit: BTW, I'm not a Mexican immigrant (my parents are, though) or have it hard compared to others or anything like that, but considering they are the people in the community I live in and certainly to be considered "brothers" in a sense, I supportive of Bush initiatives for a guest worker program...
