Comments on: Obama reminds us he’s a politician http://radicalatheist.com/2008/07/01/obama-reminds-us-hes-a-politician/ think about it Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:56:47 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Jack Carlson http://radicalatheist.com/2008/07/01/obama-reminds-us-hes-a-politician/comment-page-1/#comment-36 Jack Carlson Sun, 13 Jul 2008 07:38:16 +0000 http://radicalatheist.com/?p=71#comment-36 Fallingleaf, there's a not-so-serious answer and a serious one. The not-so-serious answer is that the very first time I voted, for various reasons I won't go into, I voted for Richard Nixon. My humiliation is only deepened by the fact that he won that election. If someone's learning to drive and on their first time out they crash the car into a building, perhaps they ought not to dive anymore. If you're that bad at something, maybe you'd better not do it again. I obviously, by my own standards, suck at voting. The serious answer is that I refuse to be hamstrung into voting for the lesser of two evils. In no election have I been convinced of the overall quality of any candidate. To have my choices limited by others and to be forced into deciding which of the candidates (I didn't ask for) would be the least bad president is a violation of my freedom of choice (not a freedom assured by the Constitution or Bill of Rights, but still...). As George Carlin has said, if you vote, you're to blame for bad government. You elected those crooks, it's the voter's fault that they're in that position. If you don't vote, you have a clear conscience when criticizing the government. Fallingleaf, there’s a not-so-serious answer and a serious one.

The not-so-serious answer is that the very first time I voted, for various reasons I won’t go into, I voted for Richard Nixon. My humiliation is only deepened by the fact that he won that election. If someone’s learning to drive and on their first time out they crash the car into a building, perhaps they ought not to dive anymore. If you’re that bad at something, maybe you’d better not do it again. I obviously, by my own standards, suck at voting.

The serious answer is that I refuse to be hamstrung into voting for the lesser of two evils. In no election have I been convinced of the overall quality of any candidate. To have my choices limited by others and to be forced into deciding which of the candidates (I didn’t ask for) would be the least bad president is a violation of my freedom of choice (not a freedom assured by the Constitution or Bill of Rights, but still…).

As George Carlin has said, if you vote, you’re to blame for bad government. You elected those crooks, it’s the voter’s fault that they’re in that position. If you don’t vote, you have a clear conscience when criticizing the government.

]]> By: librehombre http://radicalatheist.com/2008/07/01/obama-reminds-us-hes-a-politician/comment-page-1/#comment-35 librehombre Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:34:29 +0000 http://radicalatheist.com/?p=71#comment-35 People who go after Obama on this point need to do more study. Before the corrupt Bush administration started using federal money to buy right wing Christian votes, which worked, by the way. Before Rove/Bush there were strict rules in place to determine eligibility and continued participation. Funding for community programs run by faith groups had a long history of valuable service to their communities and they were free of prejudice. There is nothing wrong with funding groups that want to help people if they are brought back to the pre-Bush conditions that he blithely, nay criminally waved aside. 1. You have to show results 2. You have to hire qualified people 3. You cannot discriminate in hiring or promotion 4. You cannot proselytize. Note Obama's plan includes education in how to apply for funds. You may be sure that education will stress the four points I call out. But, he is smart enough not to elaborate on this at this sensitive moment in time. Why get all over him for being a politician? He is a politician. This is like blaming a robin for having a red breast. People who go after Obama on this point need to do more study. Before the corrupt Bush administration started using federal money to buy right wing Christian votes, which worked, by the way. Before Rove/Bush there were strict rules in place to determine eligibility and continued participation. Funding for community programs run by faith groups had a long history of valuable service to their communities and they were free of prejudice. There is nothing wrong with funding groups that want to help people if they are brought back to the pre-Bush conditions that he blithely, nay criminally waved aside.

1. You have to show results
2. You have to hire qualified people
3. You cannot discriminate in hiring or promotion
4. You cannot proselytize.

Note Obama’s plan includes education in how to apply for funds. You may be sure that education will stress the four points I call out. But, he is smart enough not to elaborate on this at this sensitive moment in time.

Why get all over him for being a politician? He is a politician. This is like blaming a robin for having a red breast.

]]> By: fallingleaf http://radicalatheist.com/2008/07/01/obama-reminds-us-hes-a-politician/comment-page-1/#comment-34 fallingleaf Thu, 10 Jul 2008 15:33:41 +0000 http://radicalatheist.com/?p=71#comment-34 I'm very curious why you don't vote. I have never heard a good rationale for this from people who don't vote. I’m very curious why you don’t vote. I have never heard a good rationale for this from people who don’t vote.

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