Talk Elections

This is pretty much the most disgusting recent American election I can think of, for the quality (or lack thereof) of candidates and for the outcome. :P

Tom Coburn (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Coburn) crushed the right-wing mayor of Oklahoma City in the GOP primary with 65 percent of the vote in a three-way race, carrying 76 of 77 counties. He backed the death penalty for doctors who perform abortions, decried "rampant lesbianism" in Oklahoma public schools, and attacked gays as the biggest threat to the US.

Brad Carson (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brad_Carson)- a member of the Cherokee Nation- was one of the most conservative Blue Dogs in the House. He backed the war in Iraq, the Bush tax cuts (and favored making them permanent), ANWR drilling, suggested that the IRS could be abolished, and refused to endorse John Kerry. After the election, he wrote an article explaining that

for the vast majority of Oklahomans--and, I would suspect, voters in other red states--these transcendent cultural concerns are more important than universal health care or raising the minimum wage or preserving farm subsidies. Pace Thomas Frank, the voters aren't deluded or uneducated. They simply reject the notion that material concerns are more real than spiritual or cultural ones.

Sheila Bilyeu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_Bilyeu) was an independent candidate (and onetime candidate for the Green presidential nomination) who openly favored same-sex marriage and opposed the war in Iraq. She also sued the government, because they planted a tracking device in her skull.

in the end, of course, crazy Coburn demolished crazy Carson with 53 percent to 41 percent of the vote. 86,663 Oklahomans- 6 percent of voters- went with the lady with the bug in her head.

So, pick your poison. Who would you have voted for?

Tom Coburn...

Sadly, someone who believes there's a tracking device in her head is more sane than Coburn or your average Oklahoma "Democrat." So, Sheila Bilyeu.

Coburn.

Other (D) - Never live in Oklahoma.

Carson's the least of all evils, but I'd still vote:

Carson.

Sheila Bilyeu is, of the three, the most in touch with mainstream America.

But I would choose death over living in Oklahoma.

I was happy with both Coburn and Carson. I would have voted for the former.

Coburn. He rocks!!

Coburn 2020!!!

"Suicide is painless".

In a absence of a gun, sword, or noose, I'll go with the crazy, skull-tracking lady.  She'd be in good company with the rest of D.C.

Very true.......it's very sad but true. The rampant homophobia and abortophobia (if you will) in this state is crazy. This state is so socially conservative that the phrase "tattoo decriminalization" exists! I would've voted Shelia Bilyeu hands down. Too bad the OKLP can hardly ever make a ticket because of insane ballot access laws. Bilyeu gets my respect for getting enough signatures to be on there and getting 6% of the vote in this insane state. I think she got that much because of social progressives (libertarians and greens) coming out in a protest vote. Yes I do think the libertarians in this state are more liberal than the Democrats here.

Almost certainly Bilyeu. I was more partisan in 2004 though and maybe would have tried to force myself to go for the "Democrat".

This

carson.

Well I'd initially avoid living in Oklahoma, but if I did I'd go for Bilyeu, though only just.  It's not like the other two are any better anyway.

I would vote for Tom Coburn against almost any one else.

:D AMEN DUDE!!!

Carson.

I agree that spiritual and cultural concerns are of equal, and sometimes greater, importance than material ones. However, politics revolves around material concerns, and so called "social issues" are primarily meant to distract attention away from economic issues (by special interest groups on both sides, admittedly).

The best way to fix most of the problems of concern in social issues, such as crime, abortion, drug use, etc. is to have a thriving economy, especially in terms of equality of opportunity for those in the lower and middle classes.

Why can't people just accept that social issues (I have no idea why they're "so called 'social issues'" by the way) mean as much or more to some people? Why do economic issues have to be everyone's top priority? Why are we just "distracted" into believing they are more important?

Well it doesn't include things like marriage equality.....but quite often, social problems are a direct result of economical standing. The two are connected more closely than people like to think.

That's exactly what I hate about American politics.  Carson is a dangerous man.