Quantum Leap.

[The Ancient Enemy]

I try to stay out of debating politics online, because all you do is frustrate yourself while you try to explain things, rationally, to rednecks and meatheads.

Unfortunately, those are the people who vote in elections. It's not the people who are educated, rational, and level-headed. Those are not the people who tip the scales. The uneducated, white-trash vote is how you win elections in this country.

Unfortunately, we are approaching an election that will more than likely prove this correct yet again. For the first time in our history, we have a woman and a black guy running for the Presidency. Both of them have legitimate shots, on their own, to win the election. They are up against another rich, old white man with another sense of entitlement. He's the same guy that will follow in the footsteps of the current president, whom we all supposedly despise, yet keep electing. There's a theory out there that Americans secretly want to be pushed around and ruled by a dictator or a king, but we won't get into that right now.

I do not endorse McCain, Clinton, or Obama, but I guarantee you that with McCain nothing will change and things we supposedly hate will only perpetuate. There's a slim chance things would change a little with Clinton, and maybe a slightly bigger chance they'd change with Obama. But I digress. I don't like any of them, and really do not want to vote for any of them.

We have a viable candidate in a woman, and a black guy. I really do not want to see how much longer it is going to take for us to take a step forward if we elect John McCain. There are already emails out there that claim that Obama is related to Saddamn Hussein. The Republicans are trying their best to take advantage of the white-trash, uneducated minds and prey upon their stupidity. They are very good at doing this.

We have a chance to change the way things are going, and make a quantum leap. As we are seeing already with these insane accusations against Obama, not much progress has been made in this country since its conception. If you like John McCain, vote for him. But don't default on McCain because you think Barack Obama is in bed with terrorists. Don't let other people make your mind up for you. And especially don't let blowhards sway your vote with cheap email forwards and unfounded accusations.

If you are so gung-ho about America, then you are gung-ho about equality and rights. Not establishment. Let this country take a step forward instead of allowing criminals to control your reason.

[RidgeDad]

How is voting for a guy just because he's black taking a step forward?

There are things you said that I agree with. I don't like any of these guys and there are a lot of stupid votes out there. But how can you in one sentence say about stupid votes, then in another say we should vote for a guy just because he's black, or a woman just because she's a woman? You're encouraging uneducated, stupid votes.

I don't let chain emails effect my vote. Obama's policies scare the crap out of me. Higher taxes (for everyone), unilateral disarmament (came straight from his mouth), unconditional talks with rogue government leaders, more government handouts, etc. etc.

I will be voting for McCain. Not because I'm an uneducated rich white guy. I am a college grad and a working, middle class professional. McCain certainly wasn't my first choice, but for the things I believe in, he's the best available right now.

And if you want to talk about scare tactics, every time someone disagrees with Obama throughout this election, they will be branded a racists because of it. It's already happening. The Democrats and liberals don't want unity, they want division.

[once a runner]

How is voting for a guy just because he's black taking a step forward?

Please point out the line of TAE's post where he said we should vote for him because he is black? Pointing out that someone is black, a women or a rich white guy doesn't mean we should vote for them for this reason.

I'm sure there are many like you who do not allow the chain emails to sway your vote. However, there are many uneducated who do not know any better and believe these emails. How else would you explain the number of times these emails are passed on? Certainly an educated person would know better than to pass on a email that contains lies, right?

[southpaw]

Barrack is the affirmative action candidate. If you don't vote for him then your undeducated white trash without any creativity or mental capacity, oh and a racist redneck. Call me white Bedford County trash but I am highly educated but what really does education have to do with it? TAE elistist liberal rant is what turns people off to Barack among other things (Rev Wright, Weather Underground, Father Phleger, Farrakhan, etc.) I would have no problem voting for a Black man for president...if Colin Powell was running I could cast a vote for him in a heartbeat.

BTW I don't know who BHO is going to pick for VP. But how can the "change" candidate pick the most polictica DC insider to run with him? If he is a true idealist he won't, if he is a political opportunist from the South side of Chicago which I think he is he'll pick her to win and the hell with "change".

[southpaw]

p

oint out the line of TAE's post where he said we should vote for him
because he is black? Pointing out that someone is black, a women or a
rich white guy doesn't mean we should vote for them for this reason.

Hillary isn't rich? BHO isn't rich? Tony Rezco saw to that. Why sterotype McCain as the evil rich "white" guy? C'mon they are all in it together. R or D they are all crooks. Wanna make a difference vote for Nader or Barr. I hope Pat Buchanan runs so I can vote for him. Pat is the last true conservative patriot left.

Just what is Barack going to change besides the tax rates, Hiliary care, and more Bolshevik Ginsburgs on the SC. Do you really think he's going to pull out of Iraq? Is he really going to change NAFTA and the WTO?

[RidgeDad]

Please point out the line of TAE's post where he said we should vote for him because he is black? Pointing out that someone is black, a women or a rich white guy doesn't mean we should vote for them for this reason.

You have to put the context of the post in perspective, and I'll point out several parts of the post that do in fact say we should vote for him because he's black, or if the candidate was Hillary, we should vote for her because she's a woman.

First, this part

I do not endorse McCain, Clinton, or Obama, but I guarantee you that with McCain nothing will change and things we supposedly hate will only perpetuate. There's a slim chance things would change a little with Clinton, and maybe a slightly bigger chance they'd change with Obama. But I digress. I don't like any of them, and really do not want to vote for any of them.

As you can see, the poster does not support any of the 3 candidates.

Now this part

We have a viable candidate in a woman, and a black guy. I really do not want to see how much longer it is going to take for us to take a step forward if we elect John McCain.

And if that's not enough, then this

If you are so gung-ho about America, then you are gung-ho about equality and rights. Not establishment. Let this country take a step forward instead of allowing criminals to control your reason.

Maybe I'm reading it wrong, and I'd love for you or the original poster to explain the intent of the post. The way I read it, he's telling us to vote for the minority or the woman because that alone would be a step forward for our country. I couldn't disagree more.

And I agree with Southpaw - if Colin Powell (or JC Watts) were running, he'd get my vote in a heartbeat!

[RidgeDad]

And one more thing.

I am strongly against affirmative action. Affirmative action in itself is telling a minority that they aren't good enough on their own to get a job, that the government needs to help them get a job. Voting for POTUS because he is black and only because he is black is the same thing.

Many better candidates for jobs have been turned down because they are not a minority - that is wrong.

If liberals loose the "fear factor" with minorities, they loose their effectiveness with minorities. Continuously telling minorities they won't get jobs because of the color of their skin is fear politics, and it has no place in today's society. We are well beyond the point where people are not hired because of the color of their skin or their gender. But to admit that would not be in the Democrats best interest, so they continue to keep the divisions in place - while preaching about unity.

[once a runner]

I guess we are reading that statement completely different. Saying that you are going to vote for someone because they are black is not the same as saying that you are going to vote for the black man because he's the best candidate (or in this case, the lesser of the evils). TAE clearly states that he believes Obama is the candidate with best chance to change things in America and that is why he is voting for him. I still fail to see how you spun this into an issue of race.

[southpaw]

#1 TAE stated that we have "viable candidates in a woman and a black guy" he didn't say Clinton and Obama but chose to use thier gender and race.

#2 What will Obama change? The war?...he can't get out of Iraq. The economy?...tax and spend to prosperity the holy grail of the liberal mantra from FDR to LBJ to Jimmy. Been there done that. So what is he going to change that we haven't seen before.

#3 I don't think McCain is any better. He's an idiot.

#4 Are these two guys the best America has to offer?

[Bball]

We are a country founded on equality and diversity.
Take a look at the pictures of all the presidents. See any diversity there??