9 thoughts on “Should progressives vote for Obama?”
I voted for Jill Stein (Green party).
It was a no-brainer, because I live in California, and Obama is several million votes ahead there.
If I lived in a close state, I’d hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two weasels.
Not me – i could care less whether either of the two corporate tools wins. i too am voting for Jill Stein – a TRUE progressive who is brave enough to get arrested for her beliefs!
I’m still grateful for everyone who voted Nader in 2000. Putting Bus the White House really advance the progressive agenda. Especially on the SCOTUS.
Actually, Brendan, the majority of the Nader voters were Republicans. So no, Nader didn’t cost Gore the election.
I wish I lived in a state in play (Ryan’s sudden appearance in Minnesota smacks more of desparation than strategy). I would still vote Stein without hesitation because at some point the Democrats are going to have to figure that progressives will bolt. The steep downward trend established by this election after election cycle vote for the “lesser” is unmistakeable. Your Obama vote this time mainstreams the Defense Authorization Act, Executive Courts and Due Process, Guantanamo, special ops in 70 countries, drone war all over the globe, rubber stamping Israeli settlements, austerity cuts, eviseration of entitlements and trashing foodstamps. We are on a war trigger with Iran pushed by both parties. You will learn after the election that Obamacare is an unfunded false front operation. We are going to get neo-liberal legacy action on trade agreements that will hasten the middle class collapse. Those are all the new political center when liberals get rolled again.
I cannot believe the intense rage being leveled by many Obama supporters at those of us who have decided not to support either Obama or Romney. Really. It is unbelievable. None of us disagrees on the issues (unless these rage-filled commenters are Republican plants)- and yet Obama (with the aid of Donna Brazile and Rahm and Timmy ad nauseum) has managed to divide us. It’s like it’s my fault if Obama doesn’t win, because I’m voting my conscience. Say what?
Point still stands. I find myself equally perplexed at the intense rage of the “where’s my pony” (WMP) crowd. Presidents aren’t perfect, they all do bad things. So many of the WMP crowd seem to lionize Bill Clinton, forgetting that he “ended welfare as we know it”, passed DADT, and sent jobs overseas via NAFTA. Yet somehow he’s a Golden God.
Shit, look at LBJ: dude passed civil rights and voting rights, passed Medicare and Medicaid, while sending thousands to die in Viet Nam. So is it fuck LBJ, the worst president ever, or is it thank you LBJ for the Great Society? In WMP land, it has to be one or the other.
Obama hasn’t “divided us”. There were divisions to begin with. But anyone who thinks Obama is as bad as Romney need to back away from the crackpipe.
See, right away, the name-calling. I am part of the “Where’s my pony” crowd? I smoke crack? Who knew? I thought I was a 68-year-old female attorney.
Surely, you cannot be comparing Obama to LBJ? Obama has done next to nothing to help the 99%. The financial health care for insurance companies act? The Catfood Commission? The bailout of the Wall St. crooks while simultaneously screwing over the conned, struggling homeowners? Helping minorities whose unemployment figures remain sky-high? Yeah, strong comparison.
Obama has divided us. There are plenty of us who think that Obama supporters are now supporting policies that they once despised under Bush. It is perplexing. Perhaps, for many, some form of tribalism, being on the winning team. Or maybe it’s the LOTE rationale. I don’t know. All I know is that I am voting FOR someone. And I am not going to be scared or intimidated into doing otherwise.
thanks for proving my point. And yes, i am 100% comparing him to LBJ, another underappreciated president who did some great things and some truly shitty things.
You’re right, nothing for the 99%. well, except health care reform, as imprefect as it may be for now. And credit card reform. Oh, and saving unemployment etc in the debt showdown. Oh, and lily ledbetter. Oh, and appointing two fairly progressive women to a SCOTUS dominated by Alito, Scalia, Roberts, and Thomas. Oh and saving the auto industry and the thousands of jobs related to it. expanding student loan forgiveness and income based repayment. That awful terrible no-good Obama.
He didn’t do everything I wanted (really, he didn’t: I’m pissed off about a lot of stuff he has and hasn’t done). But on balance, this progressive is pleased as punch to vote FOR Obama.
I voted for Jill Stein (Green party).
It was a no-brainer, because I live in California, and Obama is several million votes ahead there.
If I lived in a close state, I’d hold my nose and vote for the lesser of two weasels.
Not me – i could care less whether either of the two corporate tools wins. i too am voting for Jill Stein – a TRUE progressive who is brave enough to get arrested for her beliefs!
I’m still grateful for everyone who voted Nader in 2000. Putting Bus the White House really advance the progressive agenda. Especially on the SCOTUS.
Actually, Brendan, the majority of the Nader voters were Republicans. So no, Nader didn’t cost Gore the election.
I wish I lived in a state in play (Ryan’s sudden appearance in Minnesota smacks more of desparation than strategy). I would still vote Stein without hesitation because at some point the Democrats are going to have to figure that progressives will bolt. The steep downward trend established by this election after election cycle vote for the “lesser” is unmistakeable. Your Obama vote this time mainstreams the Defense Authorization Act, Executive Courts and Due Process, Guantanamo, special ops in 70 countries, drone war all over the globe, rubber stamping Israeli settlements, austerity cuts, eviseration of entitlements and trashing foodstamps. We are on a war trigger with Iran pushed by both parties. You will learn after the election that Obamacare is an unfunded false front operation. We are going to get neo-liberal legacy action on trade agreements that will hasten the middle class collapse. Those are all the new political center when liberals get rolled again.
I cannot believe the intense rage being leveled by many Obama supporters at those of us who have decided not to support either Obama or Romney. Really. It is unbelievable. None of us disagrees on the issues (unless these rage-filled commenters are Republican plants)- and yet Obama (with the aid of Donna Brazile and Rahm and Timmy ad nauseum) has managed to divide us. It’s like it’s my fault if Obama doesn’t win, because I’m voting my conscience. Say what?
Point still stands. I find myself equally perplexed at the intense rage of the “where’s my pony” (WMP) crowd. Presidents aren’t perfect, they all do bad things. So many of the WMP crowd seem to lionize Bill Clinton, forgetting that he “ended welfare as we know it”, passed DADT, and sent jobs overseas via NAFTA. Yet somehow he’s a Golden God.
Shit, look at LBJ: dude passed civil rights and voting rights, passed Medicare and Medicaid, while sending thousands to die in Viet Nam. So is it fuck LBJ, the worst president ever, or is it thank you LBJ for the Great Society? In WMP land, it has to be one or the other.
Obama hasn’t “divided us”. There were divisions to begin with. But anyone who thinks Obama is as bad as Romney need to back away from the crackpipe.
See, right away, the name-calling. I am part of the “Where’s my pony” crowd? I smoke crack? Who knew? I thought I was a 68-year-old female attorney.
Surely, you cannot be comparing Obama to LBJ? Obama has done next to nothing to help the 99%. The financial health care for insurance companies act? The Catfood Commission? The bailout of the Wall St. crooks while simultaneously screwing over the conned, struggling homeowners? Helping minorities whose unemployment figures remain sky-high? Yeah, strong comparison.
Obama has divided us. There are plenty of us who think that Obama supporters are now supporting policies that they once despised under Bush. It is perplexing. Perhaps, for many, some form of tribalism, being on the winning team. Or maybe it’s the LOTE rationale. I don’t know. All I know is that I am voting FOR someone. And I am not going to be scared or intimidated into doing otherwise.
thanks for proving my point. And yes, i am 100% comparing him to LBJ, another underappreciated president who did some great things and some truly shitty things.
You’re right, nothing for the 99%. well, except health care reform, as imprefect as it may be for now. And credit card reform. Oh, and saving unemployment etc in the debt showdown. Oh, and lily ledbetter. Oh, and appointing two fairly progressive women to a SCOTUS dominated by Alito, Scalia, Roberts, and Thomas. Oh and saving the auto industry and the thousands of jobs related to it. expanding student loan forgiveness and income based repayment. That awful terrible no-good Obama.
He didn’t do everything I wanted (really, he didn’t: I’m pissed off about a lot of stuff he has and hasn’t done). But on balance, this progressive is pleased as punch to vote FOR Obama.