We conservatives are so disheartened that we have to vote for Senator McCain, even if he is a heroic American.

 

I think you are right. But it is more than a little disappointing to see how so many more people want to tear down an opposition candidate, rather than build up a candidate he/she supports.

I think you are right. But it is more than a little disappointing to see how so many more people want to tear down an opposition candidate, rather than build up a candidate he/she supports.

 

 

And the reason I get so frustrated in many of these discussions.

And the reason I get so frustrated in many of these discussions.

 

I agree. :thumb: I just think some people are "happier" always being negative.

I think you are right. But it is more than a little disappointing to see how so many more people want to tear down an opposition candidate, rather than build up a candidate he/she supports.

You are blaming the victim. Those of us who criticize the two candidates are the victims of circumstance. We bear no responsibility for selecting two bad candidates. I look forward to the day that I will feel good enough about a candidate to sing his or her praises but it is not going to happen this year.

Obama and McCain aren't Washington and Jefferson by any means(though John knew them both), but I don't they are bad candidates.

You are blaming the victim. Those of us who criticize the two candidates are the victims of circumstance. We bear no responsibility for selecting two bad candidates. I look forward to the day that I will feel good enough about a candidate to sing his or her praises but it is not going to happen this year.

 

I'm not so sure you should be considered the victim in this case. Blaming the victim would be blaming a poor person for being poor. Or a sick person for being sick. Saying it's their fault.

 

What people are saying here is that some people would rather destroy one candidate rather than building up their own. This happens on this website during each and every election. The current presidential election is no different.

I'm not so sure you should be considered the victim in this case. Blaming the victim would be blaming a poor person for being poor. Or a sick person for being sick. Saying it's their fault.

 

What people are saying here is that some people would rather destroy one candidate rather than building up their own. This happens on this website during each and every election. The current presidential election is no different.

 

Good post, HB. :thumb: I would add that the word "victim" is a subjective term. Two different people given the same circumstances may end up with different results. The difference? The mindset of the one that chooses NOT to be a victim. I like to tell my students - life is not about excuses, it is about choices.

Barack's thread going on nearly three pages; McCain's with a dozen posts. Even on BGP, Barack has rock star status and poor John cannot get any attention. .

 

That, or it took 3 pages for someone to come up with Obama's qualifications, if then.

I'm not so sure you should be considered the victim in this case. Blaming the victim would be blaming a poor person for being poor. Or a sick person for being sick. Saying it's their fault.

 

What people are saying here is that some people would rather destroy one candidate rather than building up their own. This happens on this website during each and every election. The current presidential election is no different.

I have no candidate. If I did, then I would be defending him and highlighting his good points - but I would not be blindly defending him or taking offense at others criticizing him.

 

Most conservatives feel the way that I do (but I do not purport to speak for all conservatives), and I believe that is why McCain has had such a tough time raising money. Moderates and independents are generally not party activists, so although McCain may get their votes, not many of them are going to be enthusiastically campaigning for him.

 

My views on Obama are pretty well known, so I will not list his many shortcomings here.

 

My point is, there is nothing wrong with criticizing either or both candidates if one is genuinely not satisfied with the choices. I can go to the GOP or DNC websites if I want to know what each candidate is promising and what they believe to be the candidates' strong points. If I wanted to parrot a party line and cheerlead for a candidate, then I would just subscribe to the party newsletters.

Good post, HB. :thumb: I would add that the word "victim" is a subjective term. Two different people given the same circumstances may end up with different results. The difference? The mindset of the one that chooses NOT to be a victim. I like to tell my students - life is not about excuses, it is about choices.

If I really felt like I was a victim, then I would be a Democrat. :lol: (Or as Larry Elder calls them, a "Victicrat.")

If I really felt like I was a victim, then I would be a Democrat. :lol: (Or as Larry Elder calls them, a "Victicrat.")

 

Hey, you are the one that said that you were a victim, not me or HB.

 

I have been a democrat all of my voting life. However, I have never once used the word "victim" to describe myself or my circumstances.

Hey, you are the one that said that you were a victim, not me or HB.

 

I have been a democrat all of my voting life. However, I have never once used the word "victim" to describe myself or my circumstances.

It was a figure of speech. Lighten up.

I think you are right. But it is more than a little disappointing to see how so many more people want to tear down an opposition candidate, rather than build up a candidate he/she supports.

 

Agreed. FWIW, I stay out of the Obama bashing thread as much as possible, but I do get in it too much

You are blaming the victim. Those of us who criticize the two candidates are the victims of circumstance. We bear no responsibility for selecting two bad candidates. I look forward to the day that I will feel good enough about a candidate to sing his or her praises but it is not going to happen this year.

 

What victim? It's called the Democratic process. It's the best we've got at the time. Just because your guy is not the winner in the democratically held elections doesn't mean we are victims. It is what it is, the voice of the people. Like a marriage, for better or for worse. But I don't see any victims here.

What victim? It's called the Democratic process. It's the best we've got at the time. Just because your guy is not the winner in the democratically held elections doesn't mean we are victims. It is what it is, the voice of the people. Like a marriage, for better or for worse. But I don't see any victims here.

Thanks for ignoring the posts that followed my apparently unfortunate choice of the word "victim." It's always great when people focus on the little things in a post rather than try to grasp the larger point made. That point being some of us are not satisified with either choice, so it should not be surprising that we offer more criticism than praise of the candidates. The complaint about people not praising "their candidate" instead of criticizing the "other candidate" does not apply in all cases.

 

I am not here to campaign for either candidate and I am more interested in discussing their conflicts of interest, voting records, and other past actions than reading about what what they are going to do for me or reading about they plan to do for me.

 

I understand that we live in a representative democracy but that does not mean I have to be happy about the results. I am not advocating a coup or a recount of every vote. I am just hoping that voters select two better candidates in 2012.

 

Like stocks, a candidate's past performance is the best indicator of future performance, despite statements to the contrary. Now, feel free to critique my use of stocks as a simile for candidates.