Third Party & Independents:

Time to Play the Game

In two days America will experience a presidential election that could affect the direction of the world for the next four years, and beyond. The only problem is the election is so close that the outcome is merely a game- not an indication of which candidate can marshal the best argument to convince the American people that he should be our leader. The rules of the game are: convince the few “swing” voters in “close” states that their particular interests will be served by voting for you, thus gathering 270 electoral votes.

IS IT TOO MUCH TO ASK?

Can both parties create a unified front in response to Bin Ladin's videotape?

Maybe it is too much to ask, but I think it's worth asking anyway. I'll be the first to admit, I'm suffering from political OD and have pulled away from the television and the blogs a bit because my head will explode if I don't. I'm trying to focus on everything but voting on my own blog. Then came this tape and I saw an epiphany; an opportunity for us to get some sense of civility just four days before D-Day.

The War at Home

The wars abroad, the elections, the economy, and fears of threats to our Constitutional liberties, are all coming together to create a war amongst Americans here at home in the U.S.A. CNN News today has video clips of folks punching others in the face at political rallies, threatening gestures with vehicles, acts of vandalism toward others who post a political support sign, and even the use of those signs as weapons against political opposites at demonstrations and rallies.

Slant-o-meter: policy issues, personalities and leadership qualities

This week, the Slant-o-meter shows not only where the TV networks and Fox news stand regarding each one of the candidates, but also regarding the most important subjects likely to influence voters in the election.

Bush Blamed for Lunar Eclipse

October 28, 2004 -- John F. Kerry today blamed President Bush for allowing the lunar eclipse to occur last night. After spending the first fifteen minutes of his speech in Boston today celebrating the Red Sox win in the World Series, Senator Kerry launched into an attack on President Bush for failing to do anything about the terror created by the lunar eclipse.

Swing State: Arkansas

So where does one begin with talking about Arkansas politics this close to November 2nd? It seems as if my area is the abandoned undecided state at this point in the presidential election. I guess our six electoral votes are just peanuts compared to other places like California.

Fear Factor

The presidential election is upon us now and appropriately enough it will be within days of Halloween. That's because the major parties are using fear to drive people to the polls, towards their candidate and away from their opponents. Perhaps we should have Joe Rogan doing a special 'Fear Factor, Election Night' show for us next Tuesday night?

Boo who?

Ed Koch was on Comedy Central last week and made a comment that really struck a nerve with me. He made some comment about Bush and some of the audience booed. Koch responded in all seriousness "How come only liberals ever boo?". This struck me at the time as being disingenuous. I've seen plenty of political events in my day, and attended quite a few as well. Everyone boos.

Clinton as Secretary General of the U.N.

A vote for Bush is a vote for Koffi Annan remaining the head of the U.N. or his being replaced by another nation's nominee. A vote for Kerry is a vote that opens the potential of former President Bill Clinton being nominated to lead the United Nations as its new Secretary General. I have had a hard time finding any really important reason for supporting Kerry aside from sending Bush back to Crawford. But, now that there is some reliable scuttlebutt from United Press International about Clinton going for the U.N. position, supporting Kerry just got a whole lot more palatable.

State of the Election

One helluva mess appears to be on the way. This election is going to be unprecedented in many ways. Dirty tricks, hostile and distorted rhetoric have been commonplace in American elections since we began having them. Even splits between the Electoral College and the popular vote have occurred in our history. But this election will be unique as it builds upon the 2000 election in its inclusion of the courts, and the general public awareness of voting irregularities which went largely unnoticed by the national electorate in the past.

Why All African Americans Should Register Independent

Honestly, this is the only way we can level the playing field and put an end to this nonsense. It's the only way we're going to get Republicans to campaign for our vote by other means than convincing us we're idiots otherwise. It's the only way we're going to get Democrats to stop taking advantage of our vote and stop using racism as a tool to fear us into voting for the left.

On Fear and Flip-Flops

Fear -- While many Americans are fearful of another terrorist attack, there may be a much larger bogeyman casting its shadow over Americans cloaked in new data from the Treasury Department. And while Pres. Bush focuses on reelection calling his rival a flip-flopper, it would appear he does not notice how like a fish out of water he is acting as a result of his speech writing ventriloquists.

Wasted Votes

Most everyone has heard the argument before. “If you are going to vote for a third party candidate, you’re just throwing your vote away!” I’ve heard it over and over again, usually by partisans who are worried that their candidate will lose and are trying to win you over to ‘their side’. But who is really wasting their votes?

Why I Endorse John F. Kerry for President

Every four years We the People of the United States of America are called upon to choose our national leader, the man, or woman who will represent us on the world stage. Four years ago through Supreme Court intervention, George W. Bush became our 43th President. He did not come to the Office of the Presidency of the United States with a clear popular mandate from the We the People, and yet there he was, this vastly unqualified man who would be President.

Lets Agree to Agree

A political science professor once taught me that if there are only two candidates with a realistic chance to win an election, the laws of self-interest will inexorably push both toward the center. This theory was on grand display during the Wednesday night President Debate, with John Kerry and George W. Bush squabbling about details while being unwilling to make serious principled distinctions.

The Unspoken Answer

Jeff Jacoby brought up an interesting point in an article that he wrote this morning. In the article he writes the answer that you didn't hear in this year’s debates but SHOULD have at least one time or another.

Call me a cranky libertarian conservative, but just once I would like to hear a candidate for president answer a question by saying, "Sorry, the Constitution limits the role of the federal government -- the issue you're asking about is one for the states or the private sector, not Washington."

Hard issues missing in post-debate talk

With the exception of NBC, the networks, both cable and broadcast, ignored hard issues in their post debate analyses. Although almost 90% of the statements by the candidates during the three debates concerned policy-related issues, none of the networks topped NBC’s 45% share of issue-oriented comments in their post debate analyses. Instead, the experts focused on the candidates’ appearance or their personal lives and history.

Korbach: A Commendable Agenda

Kris Kobach (R) has come out in support of a policy I have advocated since before the invasion of Iraq. Kobach is calling for putting troops on our borders and shutting out potential terrorists and a huge drain on the American economy through illegal immigration. Finally, a Republican who has taken up the right side of an issue which I can wholeheartedly support.

America Asks: Who is John Kerry?

Who is John Kerry is a question that many voters are asking. According to a recent Rasmussen Reports survey, performed between the second and third debates:

* 77% of voters say that they have a clear idea of where President Bush stands on key issues and 16% do not.

* 56% of voters say that they have a clear idea where Senator Kerry stands on key issues and 34% do not.

Final Debate - Clear Choice - No Clear Choice!

This debate was largely a draw. If the intent by either candidate was to overwhelmingly win over swing voters, they failed. Largely, this debate was a success for both candidates in regards to playing to their base. For swing voters however, they were left with a clear choice. Senator John Kerry was more effective in driving home his commitment to domestic issues and continued to stress women and children as priorities on his agenda in terms of health care, wages, jobs, and education.

Why Kerry's not doing so well in polls

While polls differ as to the question which candidate would be elected president if the elections were held today, Media Tenor's data shows that Kerry's coverage in the context of hard issues, such as the economy, healthcare or education, is mostly negative on TV news.

The Enemy Bush Fails To Understand

President Bush says we are at war against terrorists, people who hate, people who know no values, morals, and who have no desire but to kill Americans. It is a simple definition which has 30 second sound bite appeal. But, it is also a simple understanding of a situation America faces which is anything but simple. President Bush has not demonstrated an ability to understand or identify the real enemy behind such labels. And this portends a very dangerous situation for America.

Kerry to Bush: Yes I am a Liberal and Wear It Proudly

Lib�er�al�politics; progressive politically or socially: favoring gradual reform, especially political reforms that extend democracy, distribute wealth more evenly, and protect the personal freedom of the individual.

Here we go, when all else fails trot out the label, Liberal, and suddenly the issues don�t matter anymore. When all else fails and you can beat your opponent on the issues, label him a Liberal, because we all know how bad they are. I say Kerry should embrace his Liberal leanings and give speech to that effect.

Presidential Debate 2 - Bush Loses on Iraq

It was a great debate. The President performed far better than his last debate in terms of composure and body language. His confidence however, stood loudly as a weakness in his defense of his decision to invade Iraq. But, many other topics were discussed, and both candidates were on top of their game on those issues. Both hammered each other's positions effectively, both misled on their opponents records, and both held their own with their constituents.

Political News Under the Radar

So much focus on 'Kerry said, No, Bush said', it is easy to lose sight of a huge number of other political events taking place as we move closer to Election Day. It seemed appropriate to address some of the news that is falling under voter's radar. Libertarian presidential candidate Badnarik is on the ballot in Texas I discovered last night. Texas is a heavy Republican state, and Badnarik is a very conservative candidate. Given Bush's far less conservative actions on many issues, it will be interesting to see if Badnarik picks up a Republican protest vote in Texas.

VP Debate - 'Don't Mean A Thang'

It was a very good debate, more evenly performed than the previous one in both style and content. Both V.P. Cheney and Sen. Edwards remained composed, on message, and unflustered. Both appeared confident and very well prepared. Both sides scored points on purely technical debate issues and both lost points, mainly from not directly addressing the questions posed. But, as far as altering base or swing voters minds, this debate was a wash and 'don't mean a thang'.

Post-debate panels: Soft issues more prominent in post-debate discussion

The candidates’ appearance during the debate as well as their personalities were of much greater prominence in the discussions following the debate than in the debate itself.

American Confusion vs. Common Sense

In these days of great change, challenge, and tumult, it is understandable that Americans are confused by the dizzying amount of news and counter-news, legislation and counter-amendments, and the too often complete disconnect between what we expect of government and what we get from government. A great deal of this confusion stems from our incredible degree of dependence upon what others tell us about what to think and how to think about it.

Sen. Kerry Could Be Sorry!

Apparently, Pres. Bush is hopping mad at Kerry for besting him in their first debate. The Toronto Star carried an Assoc. Press story entitled, Bush Rips Kerry In Post-Debate Attack, which states Bush took "a more aggressive approach than he had in the previous night's debate". However, on the campaign trail, Bush plays to loyal supporters only, so it appears he hasn't the same constraints on the campaign trail that he did in the debate to appear rational and calm.

The Debate and the Flip-flop Issue

These different strategies were clearly reflected in the breakdown of which one of the two was more frequently the subject of criticism: In Bush‘s comments and replies, 75.7% of his statements where about himself and his administration's actions and achievements, while 24.3% were on Kerry. Conversely, Kerry criticized Bush in 71.9% of his statements and promoted his ideas in 28.1%. Charts can be found here.

We Don't Need No Education

One of my top 3 issues is always education. It has been since I was a teenager, and is even more so now that I am a parent. "Leave No Child Behind" has been a non-started since day one. Schools have been under funded and increasingly forced to indoctrinate 'loyal consumers' rather than actually educate children.

First Debate - Kerry Slight Edge

The first debate between Sen. John Kerry and President George W. Bush is now history and CNN has the transcript. Who won? They both did. However, a post debate poll indicates Kerry had the edge. Overall, Sen. Kerry and Pres. Bush held their own regarding their loyal constituencies. That is to say, there were no major gaffs, no unruly behaviors, and no zingers to harm the support of their base voters. In fact, the only noticeable event outside answer content was one occurrence of Bush's "deer in the headlights" stare and pregnant pause as he collected his thoughts. But it was not significant in context.