campaigning

[newyorkstreetdean]

Steven, for the two weeks or so that you and I were in the same city, we spent maybe eight minutes getting along. Now I want to thank you for the work you are doing and have done for our country. I also want to distract a very tall man (sometimes) with very dangerous limbs from having new legs built for him that are long enough to reach a man in Vienna who is constrained by chains that he apparently has no escape of. Come on Martin, I really want to hear you take the piss out of Bush.

[Chance]

Please dude, don't try doing me any favors. Martin is welcome to bring his long legs to Vienna at any time.

A factoid that Martin has probably kept to himself, is that last year (2003) I actually invited Martin to Vienna in a private email, when I read here at p.net that he was considering work at a local festival.

I offered to show him around, find a place to sleep, etc. In short, everything he has never offered to me along with the back of his hand. It was an honest and open attempt to reach past all his characteristic bullshit and see him for the man he is.

Do I have to mention how quickly he bailed?...

There is only one of us afraid meeting the other in the flesh, and it isn't Yours Truly.

As I said, Martin is welcome here any time.

[worldwidese]

World Of difference

I watched Tony Blair on CSpan TV. He laid out in clear terms what he intended to accomplish in the next term of office, He had 10 different categories in his plan of action, from health care, to job creation to aid to developing nations, to the European Community, to Iraq. In short he covered the whole span, He also apologised that he had been wrong, knowing what we know now, in going in to Iraq.

My point is that he actually has taken the time to formulate a plan, and to let people know what that plan is! Here in the US we are given no hint of what is in store for us, except that it is going to be some time before we get out of Iraq.

The campaign here has degenerated into a popularity contest which is being used as a smoke screen to cover up the real issues, and the fact that neither candisate seems to have a platform.

[Peter Voice]

As I suggested before, I don't think democracy is a realistic form of government.
The entire process dilutes purpose and power by reducing it to the lowest common denominator. This is why we end up with morons like Bush and Howard puppeting as leaders.
Real power has long moved from nationalistic to economic and democracy is simply lip-service to the fodder of multinational interests.
Anyone with a simple interest in history and a basic sense of perspective has to wonder what the future holds. Stupid rich arseholes elected by stupid poor people, is certainly not encouraging.

PS, chance, in 2003 I invited George Bush to a BBQ at my house while he was in Aust., he didn't come. I figure some-one in the idiot's office understood that my invitation was as specious as yours is to Martin.

[Chance]

Peter, unlike yourself, nothing I do is insincere. Duplicity is just not something I can live with. I am a very good Boy Scout. I open doors, guide little old ladies across the street, take out the trash without my lady reminding me, only tell the truth about my used car for sale, and I offer my sofa to jesters and clowns. Even evil, wicked, nasty, mean ole clowns.

Just ask Rumple.

Besides, Bush knew you were just playing around, because every American knows that Down Under it's Barbie, not BBQ.

Oh yeah, lest Martin accuse me of playing to the masses again, or that I'm just trying very hard to make you like me: Fuck You.

[Peter Voice]

Isn't a Barbie some sort of plastic doll, chance?

We don't have that sort of thing at our picnics.

[Peter Voice]

Etienne, it's about moving forward.

Go for it.

[Woofnah]

Democracy in the US

After having quite a lively discussion with a gent I know about the platforms of the 2 major candidates running for US Presidency in 2004, I cannot, in all good conscience vote for either of them.

Last election was easy. There was obviously a lesser of 2 evils ... and idiots. This time, I do not see the distinction of the evil. Obviously Kerry is the lesser of the 2 idiots, anyone would be. Other than his verbal coherency, I don't see much of a difference between the platforms of the 2. This is something which frightens me. I don't want my vote to be thrown away on a 3rd party player, like Ralph Nader; but when he is the obvious best choice, I see no other option at this time.

I would hope that, like me, all voting USians would see this as well and we would overthrow the, in my opinion, dictatorial "2 party" system.

Luckily, here in Washington, we are attempting to put Run-Off voting in place. This means that one can vote for one's actual preference 3rd party person, and have one's vote redirected to the 2-party player of one's choice when the 3rd party candidate vote fails. It seems rather odd, considering that it may entirely change the way the Electoral College functions.

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

Re: Democracy in the US

Originally posted by Woofnah
Other than his verbal coherency, I don't see much of a difference between the platforms of the 2.

To quote my dad, "You've gotta be shitting me".

What about
1) Iraq war a needed thing, stay the course.

and

2) Iraq war a mistake and misleading diversion from Afghanistan. Get out.

strikes you as similar?

[martin ewen]

Someone wanted bush jabs

Whats the difference between Bush and a Goldfish?
The Goldfish might have an 8 second memory but it knows its own mind.

How does GW change a light bulb?
He has someone spell out a 'mission accomplished' sign and sits in the dark waiting.

What do you call someone who used to be able to fly fighterjets and now cannot fathom a Segway, cannot negotiate a pretzil without choking, has difficulty speaking, gets instructions from God and needs full concentration to blink.
The leader of the free world.

[le pire]

are you crazy??!!?!?

Woofnah,

Jesus, where to begin.

First, realize that when electing a president, you are not just voting for one man, but his ENTIRE administration of APPOINTEES.

Who will Kerry pick? We don't know for certain, but we do know who Bush picked:

Cheney - frmr CEO of big Energy company that was awarded BILLIONS in no-bid contracts. Also held closed door hearings with worlds biggest polluters to set policies.

Ashcroft - Attoney General who's SO far to the religious right wing that his policies are compared to Calvinist doctrine's of the 1600's

Condi Rice - INCOMPETANT National Security advisor who's speciatly is Eastern Europe & frmr Soviet Union

Karl Rove - The Spin King

Rumsfeld - Incompetent neo-con that places ideology ahead of realistic policy

Powell - The man who sold his soul to the devil. Everyone loved Colin Powell, but now he's just a tool that does his masters bidding...


I could go on, but really, you can find all this info and more out there on the internet with far more detail and annotations than I could just rattle off the top of my head here.

Martin put up some good links in the "link a day forum"

Yes, there are HUGE similarities between both parties. Greed being the most obvious. If you don't see any difference, however, then please get your head out of the sand.

Did you not notice that 1,000,000 people protested the RNC and something like 5,000 at the DNC. That's a pretty big difference if you ask me.

reprint of the endorsement for Kerry by the newspaper of Bush's hometown of Crawford TX:

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=178

etienne

[martin ewen]

Right now, the divide between the parties is greater than ever before. There is not a single Senator or Congressman from the Democratic Party whose view would be considered to the right of a single Republican. Not one.

[Chance]

Bush's folly A to Z

http://www.buzzflash.com/farrell/04/10/far04033.html

[Mr.Taxi Trix]

This in from Harper's Index...

Number of Congress members who have signed a letter asking the U.N. to monitor this year’s U.S. presidential election : 12

[Woofnah]

not so different as you might think

What about
1) Iraq war a needed thing, stay the course. ...
2) Iraq war a mistake and misleading diversion from Afghanistan. Get out.
strikes you as similar?

Funny you should bring that up. Depending on when and where Kerry capaigned, his opinions on the war in Iraq varied, greatly. And THAT is precisely my point. Kerry claims that his national stance on the Iraq war is negative, but it wasn't always, depending on where he spoke. Can a man who is willing to present diametrically opposing opinions to differing people in order to secure votes be trusted as to the truth? And if so, which one? Bush does it too, but we know *he* does and everyone is upset about him doing it. It's hard to determine *exactly* what is intended, other than to get the most number of people on their sides.

Dean would have been a better candidate than Kerry for so many reasons.