Democratic Candidates

[dwightfry]

Here you can discuss the candidates, give the pros and cons of each, and ask questions.

YOU ONLY GET ONE VOTE , TRY TO MAKE IT AN EDUCATED ONE.

Candidates
-------------------------
Howard Dean
Wes Clark
John Edwards
Joe Leiberman
Al Sharpton
John Kerry


Here are a few of the views for each of the candidates

Howard Dean www.deanforamerica.com (http://www.deanforamerica.com)
-------------------------
-Supports Affirmative Action
-Pro Choice
-Expand equal rights to same sex couples
-Pro death penelaty for extreme and heinous crimes, such as terrorism or the killing of police officers or young children

Wes Clark www.clark04.com (http://www.clark04.com)
-------------------------
-Abolish federal taxes for incomes less then $50,000 and tax cuts for $50,000 to $100,000
-Pro Choice, against Bush's late term abortion ban due because it held no exceptions when it came to the mother's health
-supports tougher air polution standards
-Raise minimum wage to $7.00

John Edwards www.johnedwards2004.com (http://www.johnedwards2004.com)
-------------------------
-10% tax cut to business that stay in the U.S. Bush's actions are pushing these companies to move over seas, this would keep jobs here.
-Create very affordable healthcare for children, tax breaks for people with health insurance. Incomes under $36,000 won't have to pay any more then $.30 a day for there childrens health care, incomes up to $60,000 won't have to pay any more then $1 a day
-One year free tuition for public colleges, students have to work just 10 hours a week in community service
-Student loans through competitive contracts, saving billions
-Can talk to dead people..... :P

Joe Leiberman www.joe2004.com (http://www.joe2004.com)
-------------------------
-Increase tuition assistance (Pell Grants) from a maximum of $4050 to $6150 by 2008-2009
-pro affirmative action


Al Sharpton www.al2004.org (http://www.al2004.org)
-------------------------
-Turn healthcare into a constitutional right. The constitution states that anything not mentioned is up the the states, Health care is never mentioned
-same goes for voting rights and public education

John Kerry www.johnkerry.com (http://www.johnkerry.com)
-------------------------
-Believes colleges need a better support system for students, better counclers, and exchange programs with other colleges for students who need classes that are filled.
-Polluters, not tax payers, should have to pay to clean up the nations most toxic sites
-Gov't would pay for childrens healthcare while in school.
-Pro gun laws, would fight to get rid of the Gunshow loop wish allows criminals to buy guns without a backround check.


So, tell us who you like, who you don't like, and why.

[j2k4]

I'm afraid I must pass on this until someone else.....Oh, never mind.

I can't talk about Democrats without giggling, so I, uh....(hehehe) won't.

[dwightfry]

If it was 100% guarunteed that a democrat was going to be elected, there isn't a candidate that you would prefer over the others? Or explain who you definitly wouldn't want in office and why. You don't need to actually support the candidates, it's just to educate others on why you think there ideas would or would not work.

Well, here are my thoughts so far.

Howard Dean
---------------------
Too controversial, he would never be able to get anything done. I also don't agree with affirmative action. It seems to me, the only way to abolish racism is to stop acting on it.

Wes Clark
---------------------
His idea to raise the minimum wage would just cause inflation.
I do like the idea of abolishing taxes to incomes less then $50,000

John Edwards
---------------------
I really like his free college idea, but I'm wondering if that may end up cutting jobs to others. But if you put this with lower tuition plans I think it would work well.

Joe Leiberman
---------------------
Don't know much about him, but like I said, I am against affirmative action

Al Sharpton
---------------------
It's about time that african americans start running for president. I was disappointed when Powell dropped out of the race last election. Unfortunatly, I really don't know much about his views.

John Kerry
---------------------
Seems like an alright candidate. He, and a couple of others, supported the war. I don't agree with that, but I won't hold it against as long as he doesn't support it now. People make mistakes. But none of his plans seemed to fantastic, I like the free healthcare for children in schools though.

[mogadishu]

KUCINICH!

why isnt he on the poll?


1. Kucinich
2. Edwards
3. Kerry
4. Clark
5. Dean
7. Sharpton
8. Lieberman


Kucinich - He has the best stance on all the issues. Hes the only candidate that opposed the war where it couted. Dean might have, but he was the governor of Vermont. Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Edwards.. they all voted for the war. Clark can say he was anti-war but he wasn't holding office at the time. Kucinich supports national healthcare.. it would cost less and insure everyone. It is amazing that people havn't thought of endorsing it sooner. I mean just look at canada and UK. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you guys up there and across the pond have much better healthcare systems for less money. We defenitely need to lower the defence budget.. i dont have the figures but if we cut it like 90 percent or something it would still be the biggest in the world. Kucinich is only proposing a 15 percent decrease and a 'department of peace'. This may sound idealistic etc, but if we had had a department of peace before 9-11 i wouldnt be suprised if it had been diverted... and then we wouldnt have needed more money for 'the war on terror'.

Edwards - I really don't know that much about him but he seems really down to earth and besides Kucinich is the most likeable. He really feel what he is saying at the debates. I loved it during the fox debate when after he was asked for the 100th time about gay marriages he told the guy to start asking real questions. He said that the fact that 35 mil americans live in poverty is more important than gay marriage and they didnt ask any questions about that. His only downfalls are his initial vote for the war and the fact that he didnt serve in the military... but he didnt dodge it like some of the other candidates (he was just young).

Kerry - The only reason I would support him is because he has a good chance of beating bush. His face looks like something from a zombie movie and his monotone is boring to say the least. But it seems that patriotism and the military have become more important than healthcare and jobs in this country so if we could have someone that actual served outside the country go against bush, I think he could rip him to shreads.

Clark - Eh.. He voted for nixon and reagan. He would still be better than bush, but thats about it. Oh and his healthcare plan isn't that bad. I don't really know enough about the economic results of raising the minimum wage so I cant comment on that.

Dean - He is unelectable. He would crumble if he ran as the democratic candidate.

Sharpton - I dont care if he has good policies, hes still a jackass.

Lieberman - I saw someone on the street witha tshirt that said:

"Lieberman, A New Kind of Democrat"

Then on the Back

"The Republican Kind"

I think that sums up my feelings about him. Only good issue is the enviornment.

[<TROUBLE^MAKER>]

Kerry because he&#39;s a Skull & Bones good ol boy just like GW. :ghostface:

[dwightfry]

Sorry, I completely forgot about Kucinich. I&#39;ve heard next to nothing about him.

[mogadishu]

Originally posted by dwightfry@28 January 2004 - 18:14
Sorry, I completely forgot about Kucinich. I&#39;ve heard next to nothing about him.
meh.. its too late i already voted for edwards

[MagicNakor]

Originally posted by mogadishu@28 January 2004 - 19:11
...Kucinich is only proposing a 15 percent decrease and a &#39;department of peace&#39;. This may sound idealistic etc, but if we had had a department of peace before 9-11 i wouldnt be suprised if it had been diverted...
Anyone else think that&#39;s rather Orwellian?

:ninja:

[junkyardking]

Howard Dean www.deanforamerica.com
-------------------------

I like him he&#39;s willing to try for real change, unlike alot of others...

But I don’t think he&#39;s going to win

Wes Clark www.clark04.com
-------------------------

I like this guy also and alot of policies I agree with,

In Australia, we don’t have a minimum wage, we have an award system for different areas of employment, this
Is administered by the IRC (Industrial relations commission) which is separate from the government, unions make an application usually for the lowest Awards
Once the raise is granted it tends to filter though to all other awards no matter were they are on the scale.

The argument that wage rises cause inflation to rise is an out right lie which always comes from employers, over the last three years in Australia employer groups made the same arguments, the IRC awarded on average about &#036;AU15 dollar a week rise each year over the three year period equaling about &#036;AU45, funny that Australia&#39;s inflation rate is at it&#39;s slowest in four years http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1033489.htm

The pay rise is way over due for people on minimum wage and should be supported or isn’t America the richest country on earth.

John Edwards www.johnedwards2004.com
--------------------------------------


I seen this guy seems like a car salesman to me.....


Joe Leiberman www.joe2004.com
-------------------------

meh this guy&#39;s been in politics for ages, nothing great.


Al Sharpton www.al2004.org
------------------------------------

Got alot of polices that I agree with, but hasn’t got a hope in hell.


John Kerry www.johnkerry.com
-------------------------

Meh

To be totally honest I believe Americans would be better off if it just adopted
The same structures as Australia has.
:D

[j2k4]

Originally posted by MagicNakor+28 January 2004 - 22:35--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (MagicNakor @ 28 January 2004 - 22:35)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-mogadishu@28 January 2004 - 19:11
...Kucinich is only proposing a 15 percent decrease and a &#39;department of peace&#39;. This may sound idealistic etc, but if we had had a department of peace before 9-11 i wouldnt be suprised if it had been diverted...
Anyone else think that&#39;s rather Orwellian?

:ninja: [/b][/quote]
Uh, yupper&#33;

[[B][O][T]]

Added Kucinich to the poll.

BOT

[dwightfry]

The argument that wage rises cause inflation to rise is an out right lie which always comes from employers

How can it not? Minimum wage is &#036;5.15 right now, if business had to raise wages to &#036;7.00 they would have to raise prices to keep the same profits. Plus, what about the people who have spent the last years building up to &#036;7.00. Everyone would need raises.

Is the theory that people will get paid more, and in turn spend more, which prevents the businesses from raising prices because they sell more products?

[Askjeevesbot]

sharpton has good views but he has no experence

[dwightfry]

Sharpton&#39;s site has a top 10 list of what he wants to accomplish, but I haven&#39;t heard anything on how he plans to accomplish them.

[kAb]

dean&#39;s the only true democrat.

kerry voted for the iraq war.

dean was against it from the start.

[supersonic]

I vote for Michael Jackson :unsure: :blink:
I actually vote for kerry because he is the 1 who will replace GWB.
I also think that edwards is...
overall thet are all the same. They will do some of thier promises (if any), but all of them are better than the current presedent IMO.