I don't understand why anybody even cares about the popular vote.  The popular vote does not matter.  The popular vote is completely worthless.

Yeah, that stupid thing called democracy is compltely worthless...

Well.. you know how I feel about it..

Is that you, P. J.?  Well with PJ, you get the feeling at least that he may be joking.

Lots of incredibly rich folks in New England and the middle atlantic Rightwingnut.  Hard to imagine that the Dems will hold sway over that region en mass, without some a priori notion of how the two major parties will evolve.  

Pro-fiscal responsibility-  How this became liberal I'll never know, but the Republican Congressional Caucus is a bunch of drunken sailors when it comes to weilding the "power of the purse".  I think they got rid of the purse strings when Bush was elected.

Hear, hear.

As I recall, Libertarian Senate Candidate (and gun nut) Carla Howell received as much popular support as did the Republican Senate candidate for Massachusetts senator in November 2000.  That is, Kennedy received something like 3/4 of the vote and the remainder was split evenly between L and R.  Boston is the college town.  But the numbers I just gave were statewide, so you'd need to compare, say, Lowell and Fitchburg, to Boston and Cambridge.  Nevertheless, since more than half of the population of that state live in or near the College Town, it's a pretty good bit of evidence that Libertarians received, in that particular race, as much as the Republican in the nation's premier college town.

Look, I started that.  On behalf of only myself I do not think you're full of hatred; just letting off steam over all the bs thought-police emotional brutality of the new authoritarian Left.  Don't go away or invite me to.  Or others.  An who may follow my poor example of immediately attacking all Democrats.  This was a civil forum, as has been pointed out, but on stomping grounds such as Minnesota, people sometimes get nasty.  Expect more negativity as the months progress.

Angus, I just wanted to tell you that I forwarded your apologies to Michael, and he accepted them and also apoligized for his overreaction and asked me to forward that. Just so you know...

Spread the love, man.  

know it well my friend.  that deserves its own thread, but not here.

how's life back in the USA.

Thanks for asking.. I have to admit its a difficult adjustment.  Though I like being American, I generally don't like living here that much.  I don't like being one of those people who go abroad and then complain when they get home... but I will there's too much driving to be done here (driving makes me tense), I really can't stand the food, and everything's expensive.  

But it is interesting to see how things are going back home.  I was surprised to see 'Help Wanted' signs everywhere in the St. Louis and eastern Missouri area, even in small towns.. of course these were for below-subsistence $7-10 an hour type jobs, but still not a bad sign for the economy.

Full faith and credit in whatever papers you carry are what cause '...noble kings and princes to bow when'eer they come...'  Let's hope that your observations speak for your state.  

Look, I started that.  On behalf of only myself I do not think you're full of hatred; just letting off steam over all the bs thought-police emotional brutality of the new authoritarian Left.  Don't go away or invite me to.  Or others.  An who may follow my poor example of immediately attacking all Democrats.  This was a civil forum, as has been pointed out, but on stomping grounds such as Minnesota, people sometimes get nasty.  Expect more negativity as the months progress.

know it well my friend.  that deserves its own thread, but not here.

how's life back in the USA.

good to hear you chime in on this.  been waiting for rightwingnut.

Primaries gave him a good buzz.  That ended, for all practical purposes, on March 2.  Expect not to see greater than about 53 on a serious poll for either candidate from here on out.

 Nice Miami.  Thanks!  are the red/blue/green, respespectively, dem/rep/?  (as in, a difference of less than X percent, or outside moe?)

CaliforniaDreamer,
Okay, I'm in Alameda County, about 6 hours northwest of you.  Houston/Gerber was the nastiest campaign I'd ever seen  For the first time ever, I just left it blank.  Yes, it's a cheesey copout, but I swear they were the worst candidates ever.  R won.  Barely.  oh, check it.  Yeah, just looked at a map.  I know that place.  sort of.  Manhattan beach was the first time I ever put my pale white ass in the Pacific, many lifetimes ago.  HUGE waves!  

Suppressing voter turnout is a very expensive business.  That's the whole point of negative campaigning.  But I certainly don't envy them either CaliforniaDreamer.  Are you in Guy Houston's assembly district, by any chance?

Thank you.  I have saying just that, as you well know from my previous posts.  

But don't go around calling me a 'liberal' as it is a very pejorative term in some circles    

I have to admit I have a little trouble with this.  I keep thinking about the terms Left and Right.  Which we get from France.  (I have no problems with the most of the French people whom I've met.)  The aristocracy sat to the right (droit) of the king and the unwashed masses sat to the left (gauche) of the king.  So, if you're poor you probably support socialized medicine, etc.  If you're rich, you probably say, "let them eat cake."  But, on non-economic issues, how do we define liberal?  Can you give me a succint definition, so that I might consider whether my positions on non-economic issues are 'liberal' or 'conservative'.

Thanks for the history lesson, though I was aware of the hitory of left and right...

I link conservatism to Hobbes and Golding, the belief that man is evil and has to be controlled by a strong state, i.e. a strong law and order. I also link it to Burke and the concept of pragmatism, not being to interested in moral principles. Liberals, in the classic sense, which I THINK is appliable even in the US on social issues, value the individual and want to keep the state out of people's lives. With that base I find it easy to characterize opposition to capital punishment as liberal.

Given Burke, I am extremely conservative.  Given Hobbes and Golding, I am extremely liberal.  Take your pick.  I support decriminalization of prostitution, marijuana, and all forms of gambling.  I also support the right to keep and bear arms and the right to terminate a pregnancy and the right to keep your hard-earned paycheck.  I'm a strong believer in questioning all authority as well.  For me, those come from the same place.  Limited government.  Yet some of those positions are rather arbitrarily labelled liberal while others are arbitrarily labelled conservative.  

I think NickG hit the nail on the head when he said that the unfortunate language used by many 'liberals' in opposition to abortion restrictions is insulting to individuals who come to their Pro-Life positions from deeply held moral beliefs.  Teresa Heinz Kerry gave a wonderful interview to the NYT, a few weeks ago, in which she excoriated those who use such offensive (and rather unsophisticated) language as 'keep your laws offa my body' in defense of abortion rights.  I appreciated her insight.

In any case, I can't imagine that a candidate's position on such trivial matters as abortion rights and homosexual marriage would affect something important as the selection of our Commander-in-Chief.

I have to admit I have a little trouble with this.  I keep thinking about the terms Left and Right.  Which we get from France.  (I have no problems with the most of the French people whom I've met.)  The aristocracy sat to the right (droit) of the king and the unwashed masses sat to the left (gauche) of the king.  So, if you're poor you probably support socialized medicine, etc.  If you're rich, you probably say, "let them eat cake."  But, on non-economic issues, how do we define liberal?  Can you give me a succint definition, so that I might consider whether my positions on non-economic issues are 'liberal' or 'conservative'.

My most liberal stance on an issue is...... ::drum roll::


I'm against the death penalty.

This is not a liberal position, and it is one that you and I share, along with only about 20% of all Republicans and 35% of all Democrats.  

To my understanding, he wanted to consolidate school districts with fewer than 350 students.  This would save the state money.  But it would create inconvenience.  Bottom line in that debate, right?

Don't really know Michigan, but on a slightly unrelated topic I heard some results of a poll today on public radio station KQED.  A survey of workers 'happiness' was taken in the 20 most populous markets and Detroit ranked lowest on the scale of general worker contentment.  By comparison, Boston was highest, followed by Los Angeles (oddly).  I'll call the unhappy Michigan workers for Kerry, your results notwithstanding.   I also think most of the happy workers in MA and CA will vote for Kerry.  Excepting me.  

I did not vote for a republican in 88, 92, 96, or 2000.  I was Declined-to-State, and had been so since moving to California in the summer of 2001, but became a registered Republican about 4 months ago, and voted in my first Republican primary two weeks ago.  But till then I was what is called 'independent' in some states:  

George Bush is forthright and realistic.  George Bush is also a major F-up, but not as big as I perceive John Kerry will be as president.  I'll tell you that I bear Senator Kerry no grudge; in fact I voted to re-elect him to the sentate in 96 and am not ashamed of that.  He is a fine senator, and generally has about a 70ish percent voting record as to how I'd vote, if I were a Senator.  But we are in an unusual and unfortunate situation in which national security has come to the forefront.  And foreign policy has been the issue since 09-11-01.  The alacrity with which Bush expressed his resolve to answer to the tragedy (which 40 years of misguided US foreign policy brought) was unmistakible.  He urged us to go on with our lives, and described '...the liberal democracy which we enjoy is under attack...'  Shortly thereafter, he initiated a campaign began to take the perpetrators head-on.  And a valiant effort it was, and is.  I am speaking, of course, about the Afghan campaign, in which the United States armed services have acquitted themselves with honor and dignity, minimizing civilian casualties and arresting, one-by-one, those responsible for planning attacks against US nationals and US interests.  

I must admit that making about 7 times as much money as I did in 2000 may be a factor in my newfound appreciation for the president, but it goes much deeper than that.  The weaknesses in John Kerry's voting record are there for all to see and to judge.  And all are invited to do so.  While, on the one hand, he has been an advocate for civil liberties and social progressivism that I admire, he has not shown a commitment for national defense, the education of our youth, and limited government.  I challenge you to view his record for youself, either at the somewhat user-unfriendly US congress' website, or at some public-interest group's site such as http://www.vote-smart.org/

Vorlon, What is it with Zogby?  

Is it their consistent findings in support of the propaganda of various rightist groups.  Or is there a methodological problem.  I know the NYT has described them as 'creative'  but what does that mean?

I can give your Democrat Primary polls, but you probably already have those and have compared them to the actual results.  I have no current Arizona polls, but I'll have my eye out for a more serious one.  There is only one poll that matters.

 Huckabee is rough, I'll allow.  How do you explain his reelection, given economic conditions?  I agree that his race might have been more competitive, if that's what you're suggesting.  Is it his style that is popular?

http://www.arkansasnews.com/archive/2004/01/25/DavidJSanders/110003.html

The new ARG Poll (ARG is a marginal polling firm BTW - not god awful but not great) had a 157 to 130 ratio of Republicans to Democrats (1.21 to 1 ratio) so they are at least roughly in the game....but still quite a bit out..

A sample size of 463...? (+/- 4.6%) - For $%%$@#! sake put a crowbar in your wallet and do these thing right people!!

Thanks.  That's what I thought, but I'm no expert.  It was a serious question.

Lewis, I notice, perhaps belatedly, you're German and in India.  Goa?  Way cool.  Where are you from?  I have lived in Niedersachsen and in Bremerhaven.  Plattdeutsch is more like Nederlands, I suppose, than true Hochdeutsch, but I find it fascinating that people are posting from everywhere.  Sind sie grün?  If you are, I bet you can't wait to be rid of GWB.  What a stain on humanity, right?  just kidding.  

 I can sleep now, because I was very worried about Bush losing arizona.  Yeah, right.  I was utterly dumbfounded when I noticed so many maps on this forum showing Kerry winning Arizona, till I realized that most people putting those maps up there had not even finished high school yet.  I don't think the BC04 campaign needs to spend a dime in Arizona.  It's not quite Utah or Wyoming, but I don't think that it's North Korea either.  Arizona is safe.  He ought to be pouring money into Ohio.