| Author | Thread |
|
|
07/01/2004 11:17:06 PM · #76 |
politicians lie...and thats the truth
James
|
|
|
|
07/01/2004 11:45:10 PM · #77 |
To answer the original question posed in this forum, I will probably be voting for John Kerry.
My philosophy is as follows, and then I'll wrap it up with some conclusions:
I am a religious man and believe that God created us and all living things (my whole philosophy centers on this, so feel free to stop reading now if you don't want to hear any more about God). I believe that all life is sacred, from the unborn to the spotted owl. All life should be treated with as much dignity and respect as possible, from the snail darter to the factory worker.
I believe that God intends for all of His creations to live as peacefully and as joyfully as possible, and that one of our main tasks is to help Him in this effort. I suppose I could stop here, for the rest of my political philosophy hangs on these tenets. What this means is that I want to elect a president who respects all life and tries hard to have the citizens of the U.S. live as happily and joyfully as possible. It also means that the long term must take as important a role as the short term. Most presidents seem to favor the very short term, and I feel this is why we still have gas-guzzling cars and wasteful energy-creating strategies that show no creativity and that hinder people's (and other living things') means for living happily.
It's pretty obvious that neither presidential candidate meets my philosophy.
However, I will probably vote for John Kerry, because though he favors abortion (to me the killing of life), he does favor some strategies that will help living things, including humans, live more peaceably and happily. He's far from perfect, and it gets very complex from here on out, but I favor his environmental policies (policies that affect life and our health) to Bush's. In fact, in my research, Bush probably has the worst environmental policy of any president in the past 50 years--or more. Has done more to pollute our air and water than any other human being by overturning previous policies and letting big corporations get away with poisoning people and other forms of life. This shows short term thinking as its worst. Why allow a baby to live, only to poison it when it gets older?
I feel that John Kerry will do more for working Americans to help them survive in a more dignified way than Bush will (or has). I don't think he'll be any kind of wonderboy, but he is a step ahead here, in my opinion.
Though I am very patriotic about my country, I also feel that more effort should be spent in being patriotic about the whole World, and Bush to me seems to ignore the needs of the world in general in favor of very short term planning for the U.S. alone. As a pacifist, for example, I feel the two wars he started were unnecessary and that not enough thought went in to trying to prevent them. As most of the world (and half of the country) looked on and tried to persuade Bush to try other strategies, it seemed to me that he rushed into war and the inevitable 'collateral damage' that he knew would occur. In short, I do not want to vote for a war-monger, and that is how I feel about Bush right now (and back when he started the wars). War can be necessary, but I feel that these were not.
I feel that John Kerry will do more to help normal Americans get good jobs, make enough money to survive in a dignified fashion, get good education, and general succeed. I don't think Kerry will be great at these things, but I do feel he will, in the end, have a better track record than Bush.
I do agree with Bush on a few matters, too. Abortion is a strong one, but I also feel that abortion is not as vital an issue today. Roe vs. Wade will not be overturned, and general attitudes put me and others like me, I feel, in the minority in today's world. So although I praise Bush's pro-life stand (in this case), I also don't see any radical things happening with this issue, as important as it is to me.
I kind of rambled here, but I covered a few points that are significant to me. And now I'll end!
|
|
|
|
07/01/2004 11:52:22 PM · #78 |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 12:03:46 AM · #79 |
Well said David, and very articulately phrased as to why you would actually vote for him and not just rhetoric, or Bush hate behind your reasoning.
I certainly appriciate your responce to the original thread. I may not agree all the way, but you make some valid points.
Message edited by author 2004-07-02 00:05:08. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 12:14:32 AM · #80 |
| David...beautifully said and I applaud you for your humanistic approach and philosophy towards politics and life in general. |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 12:20:00 AM · #81 |
Originally posted by Riggs:
Well said David, and very articulately phrased as to why you would actually vote for him and not just rhetoric, or Bush hate behind your reasoning.
I certainly appriciate your responce to the original thread. I may not agree all the way, but you make some valid points. |
I agree, well put as usual. Please note that it is possible to hold similar principles and values to those you describe, without finding it necessary to postulate the existence of God ...
I believe it should be the way people act on those values, not their basis for holding them (nor the fervency with which they declare them), by which we ultimately judge people. As I've mentioned previously, I find the current form of exploitative and runaway capitalism to be about as un-Christian a system as you can find, based as it is on greed as the prime motivating factor.
How's this as a bumper sticker:
"Alms, not Psalms"ΓΆ„ΒΆ |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 12:35:05 AM · #82 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
How's this as a bumper sticker:
"Alms, not Psalms"ΓΆ„ΒΆ |
Are you trademarking that for yourself? Very capitalist of you. ;) |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 01:14:35 AM · #83 |
Originally posted by ScottK:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
How's this as a bumper sticker:
"Alms, not Psalms"ΓΆ„ΒΆ |
Are you trademarking that for yourself? Very capitalist of you. ;) |
Of course, it's the American way, isn't it? :)
But at least that way I'll have control of any profits, Haliburton or Bechtel won't. If I just plop it out there without indicating a claim of original authorship, anyone else is free to profiteer off it. I'll happily grant a royalty-free license to any truly charitable organization ... |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 01:23:41 AM · #84 |
"Anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job."
- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 08:57:52 AM · #85 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I agree, well put as usual. Please note that it is possible to hold similar principles and values to those you describe, without finding it necessary to postulate the existence of God ... |
Hey, I guess that's true!
|
|
|
|
07/02/2004 11:33:10 AM · #86 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Please note that it is possible to hold similar principles and values to those you describe, without finding it necessary to postulate the existence of God ... |
yes indeed!
Originally posted by GeneralE:
How's this as a bumper sticker:
"Alms, not Psalms"ΓΆ„ΒΆ |
thats a good one, i like that, need someone to print them? ;) |
|
|
|
07/02/2004 04:38:02 PM · #87 |
Originally posted by dsidwell:
To answer the original question posed in this forum, I will probably be voting for John Kerry. |
David,
I most appreciate the "tone" of your post. We have differing prioratal views, but your positions are reasoned and forthwright. Well said.
Flash
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/14/2025 01:26:55 PM EDT.
