Election 2004: The Bottom Line

Journal Trolling4Dollars's Journal: Election 2004: The Bottom Line 4

Journal by Trolling4Dollars on Wednesday September 22, 2004 @09:57AM

This has to be the worst presidential campaign year I've witnessed to date. People are so heavily polarized that it ensures that no third party has a prayer of winning. The two candidates are complete jackasses. Bush will surely lead us further down the wrong path. Kerry will probably just be ineffective. It's a complete travesty. What to do, what to do?

Putting aside any partisan feelings you may have. Sit down and ask yourself some important questions. The answers don't have to add up to any particular candidate as these questions will have different answers for everyone:

1. What has the current administration personally done to make my life harder/easier? Will I benefit from this administration staying or going?
2. Since both parties have nothing to offer but duds, which one do I think will do the least damage to the quality of life for me and my loved ones? What, exactly, do I define as "quality of life"? Living in a gated community? Putting food on the table? Improving my condition?
3. IMPORTANT: How has my life changed during this administration? Is it better? Worse? Same as it ever was? If it did change, how did it change exactly and how is the current administration responsible for this change? How do I think a Kerry administration would fare?
4. IMPORTANT: What services has the current administration provided that have personally helped/harmed me? How do I think a Kerry administration would perform in this arena compared to Bush?
5. Considering that by some accounts both Kerry and Bush supported the operations in Iraq, how do I think the operations have gone? Does the current state there reflect something that we should hold ANYONE (yes even Kerry) who supported the action accountable, or are the problems there soley the responsibility of the new free government of Iraq? Can it even be considered that there is a free government in Iraq?
6. Comparing American media on Sept. 11th 1999 with Sept. 11th 2004, has there been a chilling effect on truth in media caused by the Bush administration? Will Kerry do the same? (Oddly, if you think about it, the media as a whole are creidted with bring ultra -conservative liberal whackos.)
7. IMPORTANT: Regarding dissent; Since the Bush administration have created the concept of "free speech" zones and most conservatives seem to be OK with this. Let me put this question to conservatives: Would you like to see the practice continued if Kerry were to win the election and he was running again in 2008? Would you feel that being kept a little over a mile away from the candidate and his followers would be an effective way of voicing your dissent? For the liberals: Would you like to see Free Speech zones continued if Kerry were to win the election? Do you think tit-for-tat is a good policy?
8. IMPORTANT: How do you make the distinction regarding which "moral" aspects of the private life of a candidate are important to that candidate's suitability to office? Is sexual preference an issue that would make a candidate unfit for office? What about extramarital affairs? Would a history of drinking or drug problems concern you? Which of these selected topics would have a stronger influence on how the president governs you personally? Is Bush's past with drinking and cocaine an issue? What about any possible affairs? Kerry? And the big question: why?
9. Specifically for the christian conservative: Do you think religion should have any impact on the governing of the U.S? If so, do you think that Bush has exemplified the image of a godly man? Are you willing to look away from some of the possible issues with Bush since he talks the talk?

Sit down and ask yourself these questions. If you want, post your answers here. But whatever you do, forget all the partisan crap and look at facts. There are serious issues with both major candidates and a third party is now more than ever not an option. Not unless some third party candidate with a hell of a lot of charisma can sweep the country and sway the majority of voters. Honestly, I don't think [insert your chosen savior here] could make it as a third party candidate this year.

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