Dems not supporting Obama?

[Anonymous]

I know several Democrats (or independents who strongly supported Hillary) who are most certainly not racist and are very reluctant to vote for Obama due to his inexperience. They are die-hard voters, however, and so will likely vote for McCain. (As in, just staying at home and sitting on the side lines of such an important vote isn't a possibility.)

[Anonymous]

Long-time (not life-long Democrat) here who will probably vote for McCain. Two reasons: Obama's inexperience. And, more important, his Social Security and tax policies. If he really implements his plans, it will cost my family a great deal of money and harm our small business. It will also altogether change the nature of Social Security.

[Anonymous]

I don't know how people can harp on Obama's lack of experience when W himself had none. W doesn't even have a fully operating brain! Then look at the criminal cabinet he put together. If W and his sidekicks were leaders of a developing country or Eastern Europe, they'd be prosecuted for war crimes and human rights violations.

It was a bad omen during the 2000 presidential elections of things to come. Every segment of government and the economy has been poisoned by W's incompetence and corrupted by him and his cronies on a very large scale: Justice Department (firing of Attys General not sympathetic to the conservative party agenda/not hiring or interviewing those law school students who showed liberal bent on resume), FEMA (Hurricane Katrina), Geneva Conventions (torture, Abu Ghraib), Habeas Corpus (Guantanamo), crumbling sand castle of an economy. Let's not forget the multi-trillion dollar NO BID contract of Halliburton for providing all services to the military! And we should continue to believe that this had nothing to do with Cheney having been the CEO of Halliburton prior to being a VP?

I don't understand the denial instinct of people who continue to vote the status quo despite all the events and evidence of incompetence and corruption of the past 8 years. Can it get any worse? Why is it so bad to want change?

[Anonymous]

Israel. We don't feel he will stand up to world pressure.

[Anonymous]

His lack of experience frightens me. However, I will vote for him because of the Supreme Court if for no other reason.

[Anonymous]

As an ardent pro-choice woman, I am so sick and tired of having the supreme court held over my head. It's like blackmail at this point. When Obama and his surrogates arrogantly announced Hillary supporters would obviously come back to him once I learned McCain was pro-life, he lost my vote. I think Dems have been taking female voters for granted, assuming the need to protect Roe would keep us in line. But I haven't seen any movement from Democratic leaders in a legislative solution to protecting Roe, or in blocking Bush appointees. I think they like the power holding Roe over our heads holds, and i'm done with it.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:As an ardent pro-choice woman, I am so sick and tired of having the supreme court held over my head. It's like blackmail at this point. When Obama and his surrogates arrogantly announced Hillary supporters would obviously come back to him once I learned McCain was pro-life, he lost my vote. I think Dems have been taking female voters for granted, assuming the need to protect Roe would keep us in line. But I haven't seen any movement from Democratic leaders in a legislative solution to protecting Roe, or in blocking Bush appointees. I think they like the power holding Roe over our heads holds, and i'm done with it.

The PP who mentioned the Supreme Court never mentioned Roe. A lot more is at stake than simply the right to choose. Take a look at the current justices and note which ones are old and most likely to retire. McCain has clearly said he will appoint justices like Roberts and Alito. Are you really ready to saddle this country, not to mention your children, with a court dominated by that sort simply because you think Obama is arrogant?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As an ardent pro-choice woman, I am so sick and tired of having the supreme court held over my head. It's like blackmail at this point. When Obama and his surrogates arrogantly announced Hillary supporters would obviously come back to him once I learned McCain was pro-life, he lost my vote. I think Dems have been taking female voters for granted, assuming the need to protect Roe would keep us in line. But I haven't seen any movement from Democratic leaders in a legislative solution to protecting Roe, or in blocking Bush appointees. I think they like the power holding Roe over our heads holds, and i'm done with it.

I don't want this to sound like an attack on you, because what you said is symptomatic of a complaint I have about our campaign system. It tribalizes the electorate and demonizes the opponent and his/her supporters.

I leaned toward Obama over Hillary at the start of their race, but liked both. However, I found myself tending to really dislike Hillary and supporters like Mark Penn and Terry McAuliffe as they unfairly (I thought) attacked Obama. I believe you and I and mililons of others in both parties have had our outlook clouded by such visceral reactions.

I always had a favorable reaction to McCain as a man of integrity, although I differ with him on enough issues that I can't imagine voting for him. I am trying not to let the distortions of campaigning affect my basic respect for him. I am also trying not to let my disappointments with Obama, when he diverges from the path I think he should take on each issue, overpower the basic fact that his views are much closer to mine (as were Hillary's) than McCain's.

I'm grateful to Jeff for setting up this blog so we can vent these feelings. In the end, I hope, airing them will help us sort emotion from issues. For me, the thought of another Alito (or two or three) is enough to give my vote to Obama (just as it is probably enough to ensure McCain the votes of those whose vision of America matches Scalia's).

In case I have muddied my point, it's that the system corrupts both the candidates and the electorate, and to vote against your own interests because of that is self-destructive.

[jsteele]

Anonymous wrote:
In case I have muddied my point, it's that the system corrupts both the candidates and the electorate, and to vote against your own interests because of that is self-destructive.

Not muddied at all. I wish I could have said it as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Israel. We don't feel he will stand up to world pressure.

Why is Israel the end all be all? There are so many other countries in the world and yet the US policy has to bend to the will of Israel? The Israelis continue to reap billions of dollars in aid from the US, as advanced as they are in development, and we have to acquiesce to their needs? You put 98% of the US population at risk to represent the views of 2% of American Jews and the Israeli population?

[Anonymous]

Why is Israel the end all be all? There are so many other countries in the world and yet the US policy has to bend to the will of Israel? The Israelis continue to reap billions of dollars in aid from the US, as advanced as they are in development, and we have to acquiesce to their needs? You put 98% of the US population at risk to represent the views of 2% of American Jews and the Israeli population?

I couldn't agree more. I had the same thought about that previous post, but didn't feel up to the battle of starting THAT topic!

[Anonymous]

Roe poster here. To Jsteele's point, I am a conservative Democrat. There are lots of us, particularly women, who have been staying with the party to protect Roe, when we are more conservative on other issues the court might address. Our husbands already vote Republican. We are the gender gap. Just like there are lots of liberals opposed to abortion who vote Dem despite the platform, there are a growing number of conservatives who will stop voting Dem simply because of Roe.

[Anonymous]

Why is Israel the end all be all? There are so many other countries in the world and yet the US policy has to bend to the will of Israel? The Israelis continue to reap billions of dollars in aid from the US, as advanced as they are in development, and we have to acquiesce to their needs? You put 98% of the US population at risk to represent the views of 2% of American Jews and the Israeli population?

Lots of people have 1 issue that's extremely important to them and vote according to it. (e.g., the PP who said she's been voting Democrat because of abortion rights despite being more in agreement with the Republicans on most issues; vice versa for many Republicans) The PP's highest priority issue is obviously Israel. Nothing wrong with that.

[Anonymous]

Lots of people have 1 issue that's extremely important to them and vote according to it. (e.g., the PP who said she's been voting Democrat because of abortion rights despite being more in agreement with the Republicans on most issues; vice versa for many Republicans) The PP's highest priority issue is obviously Israel. Nothing wrong with that.

I am not the poster of the response you quoted, but I dare say that the poster's objection wasn't really a gripe about that one person's voting issue, but generally about the disproportionately large role that Israel plays in US policy and politics.

[Anonymous]

if not Israel then who is our ally in the middle east? Who else will back the US up, provide intelligence and fight terrorism in that part of the world? The Saudis? No maybe Lebannon, or no, wait, Iran? Egypt? Who? It is a little more complicated than just being a jewish issue.