February 10, 2004

John Kerry

Its funny, before Bush and the neocons took power I never associated myself with the Left. I'm straight independent and have serious problems with the political orthodoxy on both sides. But its clear that Bush needs to go and that means backing the left for a spell.

But then sometimes I remember just how annoying the left can be. Last night some nutjob left a comment on my site calling Mr John Kerry a "Bush clone", before ranting a bit about the "New World Order".

Say what?

Now Kerry's got as many problems as any other politician with enough ego to think they should be president, no doubt. But I'm trying not to be negative on the Dem candidates, so we'll skip that for now. But to call him a Bush clone, that's just absurd. But oddly enough I need to go the the site of the conservative ProfessorBainbridge in order to learn that:

He (Kerry) has a lifetime ADA (Americans for Democratic Action, a liberal group) rating of 92 (two points higher than Ted Kennedy). Kerry's lifetime ACU (American Conservative Union) rating is a mere 5. Between 1992 and 2000, the average ADA rating for US senators was 42, while senators averaged 56 on the ACU's scale.

Bainbridge's conclusion? "In sum, Kerry is so far to the left that he can't even see the mainstream from where he's standing."

Now I disagree with the rhetoric in that last line, but it's damn clear that Kerry is about as far from a Bush clone as you'll get in DC. Well in the white parts of DC at least...

So please, lighten up on the self hating on the left please? Kerry's got leftist credentials from hear to Vietnam, a leader of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, arrested in demonstrations, had Nixon looking for dirt on him...

I'm not endorsing any of these Democrats until one wins the nomination, so go on and pick the best one. But don't hate on the frontrunner without looking at the facts, OK? Please? They all have their strengths and credentials, go pick a winner.

Posted by Abe at February 10, 2004 10:19 AM

Comments

"So please, lighten up on the self hating on the left please?" Hallelujah! I'd bet there are a statistically significant number of independents and republicans who in reality, if asked issue-by-issue, are democrats but would never associate themselves with all the self-defeatist in-fighting, so much of which is totally off the mark.

And Kerry has a higher rating than the other senators running: http://www.adaction.org/Campaign2004/VotingHistory/votinghistory.html

I've been wondering why Dean got labeled as outragously liberal even though it seems to me Kerry is more liberal.

Abe, I'm not one for conspiracy theories myself, but this article (http://www.commondreams.org/headlines04/0122-10.htm) describes the Yale University secret society to which both John Kerry and GWB belong (among many others who have had significant influence in the shaping of your country. If nothing else, it poses an interesting alternative view of both politics in general and the upcoming election.

The main conclusion that one could draw is that it doesn't really matter who wins the next go-round.

Mark,

I'm well aware of the Skull and Bones connection and not 100% sure of what to make of it. I kept it off the front page because I'm trying hard not to go negative on any candidate. I kept mum my anti Joe Trippi thoughts when he was still with Dean and I'm trying to give Kerry the same benefit of the doubt.

But does the Bonesman connect disturb me? Yes. But would I extrapolate to say "it doesn't really matter who wins"? No, not at all.

There is a tacit assumption that because Bush is a Bonesman that the organization is right wing. I've only done a few hours of research, but from what I can tell this is incorrect. Skull and Bones doesn't seem to be particularly ideological at all. What they are is obsessed with power. But there is no evidence they care if that power goes to any particular ideological cause. Check Kerry's voting record for starters.

The ideological forces in the Bush admin aren't coming from Skull and Bones at all. Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perl, etc. These are an entirely different power structure entirely. If anything they are exploiting Bush's Bones connection.

But yeah its still scary the way both Bush and Kerry have mysteriously slipped into front runner positions in various campaigns...

Yes, I'm not sure what to make of Kerry's connection to Skull and Bones either. . .But, where as in the past I thought that it didn't matter who was actually the president, with our current president, I've come to believe that it actually matters more than I thought. . .I think it's all the little policies, and budget cuts, that are going to get us average folk.

Let's just think about what Kerry said about having a discussion about Vietnam with George Bush. He said if Bush wants to talk, then, "BRING IT ON!!" I just don't understand how these "fighting" words are going to be looked at favorably in America today!! How can one that wants to lead America out of the war in Iraq be setting up a war on our own turf with our leader? Not that his statement is to be taken literally or anything, but come on. Let's tone it down a little. Hasn't America taken enough blows so far? Not that anyone may ever care to read this or not, but I just heard about it on the news tonight, and once again I am drawn to Bush's side. *Stop the hate Kerry.*

My Comment about John Kerry Is that his name and him-- himself reminds me of a BIG Joke=*JO*hn *KE*rry

SO Do right in the 2004 Voting & Vote George W. Bush!!!

My Comment about John Kerry Is that his name and him-- himself reminds me of a BIG Joke=*JO*hn *KE*rry

SO Do right in the 2004 Voting & Vote George W. Bush!!!

My Comment about John Kerry Is that his name and him-- himself reminds me of a BIG Joke=*JO*hn *KE*rry

SO Do right in the 2004 Voting & Vote George W. Bush!!!

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