[Vision2020] Tim's feminism/what's wrong withour political system

[Dick Schmidt]

Amy,

I made the mistake last election in voting for Bush. I wrongly based my
decision on Cheney being much brighter than Lieberman, because Bush and Gore
were both on about the same mentality level,  and both had been born with a
silver spoon in their mouths. I now think we would have been better off with
Gore. We may have not had a 9/11 incident.

I watched the 60 Minutes interview last night of John Kerry. When the
campaign started I had Kerry on the bottom as I thought he was a pompous
ass. I sure learned different last night. He is another man scarred by the
Vietnam war. He gave a very good explanation of why he voted to go to war
and that Bush did not do the three things he had promised before starting a
war. He sounds like a man who can be trusted.

Dick Schmidt



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "amy smoucha" <asmoucha@hotmail.com>
To: <timlohr@yahoo.com>
Cc: <vision2020@moscow.com>
Sent: Sunday, January 25, 2004 10:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Tim's feminism/what's wrong withour political
system


> I completely agree, Tim.  It's a shame that we have to make decisions
about
> "wasting" our votes on candidates who truly represent our views.  It's
also
> far too tempting not to participate in a political system that has only
two
> unsatisfying parties.  I voted Nader last time for many reasons, and I
> really wanted the Democratic party to get a message.  I think they got the
> message.  Women & people of color didn't turn out for Gore/Lieberman.  And
> enough of us voted Nader to make a difference.  Do I regret it?  I regret
> Bush being in the White House, and so many things he's done.  Those who
told
> me not to vote Nader correctly predicted all the atrocities I'm seeing,
> except, thank goodness, there have been no vacancies on the Supreme Court.
>
> This year, I will participate in the party system and vote (and-gulp-give
> money to) any Democrat  who can beat Bush, in large part because of the
> likelihood of a vacancy on the Court.  O'Connor has been the swing vote in
> too many decisions, and the world looks scarier if Bush gets to appoint a
SC
> Justice, especially after his Pickering stunt.
>
> It's sad business, but really a huge ethical decision--whether to support
> someone who is offensive, but who is *closest* to my values, or to hold
high
> standards and place myself outside of the process by doing so.
>
> I think both stances, however flawed, are reasonable ways to participate
in
> our system.  Me, I'm a waffler.
>
> Amy
>