Release Us From This Dangerous Embrace

For anyone contemplating voting for Mccain, they should know that a vote for Mccain means more of Bush's failed policies.

The photo of Bush and Mccain hugging will be a constant reminder of his decision to tie his political fortunes with perhaps the worst president in memory with a 17% approval rating. They will try to distance themselves from Bush, but this picture will stand in the way.

Mccain used to have the reputation of being more moderate. In 2000, Mccain called out extremists like Farrakan and those on the religious right. He used to fight against torture, be for campaign reform, and used to be a maverick for moderation. Something snapped and he has embraced everything the Bush and the religious right wants him to.

If you like how the last seven years have gone, then voting for Mccain guarantees a continuation of the same old Bush policies.

“I’d be honored to have President George Bush’s support, his endorsement,” McCain responded. “And I’d be honored to be anywhere with him under any circumstances.” He added, “I am proud of this president’s strategy in Iraq.”

It is not just Iraq, but a dedication to appoint far right Supreme Court Justices, overturn privacy laws that protect the individual and the government via Roe v. Wade and Greenwald v. Connecticut.

Mccain would continue the unsustainable tax cuts for the very rich, who refuse to come to our country's aid during times of war, global warming, crumbling infrastructure, lack of affordable health care, and a declining economy. Instead recipients of these huge tax breaks are supporting American jobs being shipped overseas. These very rich who are sucking wealth from what was the working and middle class, who are the engines of productivity in this country and Mccain isn't serving those interests. If you are part of the working and middle class, he is not on your side just like Bush.

It is these tax cuts that have run up our National Debt and made us vulnerable in the world because we depend on the Chinese to keep us going, and it only serves to lessen our respect in the world. How will we be able to keep our nation compatible if we allow our roads and infrastructure business depends to crumble for lack of funds? How can we invest in green technology to deal with global warming if we keep giving tax breaks to the very rich who do not care about investing in America and Americans. They do not care about global warming because they have enough wealth accumulated to not let the effects of global warming harm them.

These tax cuts will keep us from paying down the National Debt that effects the Dollar and the average American's purchasing power. I know that the republicans will always refer to repealing these tax cuts as tax increases, but it is really IRRESPONSIBLE FISCAL POLICY. It is reckless to accumulate obligations like the repayment of the Debt and war in Iraq and Afghanistan that are hemorrhaging funds from the public coffer and reduce the means of balancing the budget especially when it means asking the richest Americans to act like real Americans.

Long ago, republicans used to be the vanguard of fiscal responsibility. They lost that mantle when the religious right and the neo-conservatives took over the republican party. These forces pushed out moderates and fiscal conservatives. They pushed out the Eisenhower republicans who believed that investment in infrastructure was a prudent investment for business and national security. Republicans like Bush and Mccain have abandoned the what made republicans a necessary foil to make American governance work. Oddly enough for the past 25 years Democrats have become the guardians of fiscal responsibility fighting reckless spending without the necessary income to sustain that spending. The first balanced budget was under the leadership of a democrat.

Mccain thinks that NAFTA is just great and leads presidential candidates in taking contributions from Subprime Lenders.

While I myself support reasonable gun regulation, those who are against gun regulation and 2nd Amendment rights probably wouldn't like Mccain.

For all the huffing and puffing over the whole FISA fight, allowing the legislation to run out isn't going to endanger America. Without FISA there are plenty of mechanisms where law enforcement and intelligence agencies can obtain the means to track terrorists. What is really at stake about the whole FISA thing is that it is unreasonable to expect Congress to give retroactive immunity to telecommunications companies without knowing what they would be giving immunity to. It is important that our representatives provide oversight to make sure they are not abusing the powers congress grants. Telecommunications companies have access to the communications of every American citizen and abuse of that access can ruin innocent citizen not just catch criminals. John Mccain doesn't believe in proper Congressional oversight in areas that can be abused against American citizens. Obama voted against granting retroactive immunity without knowing what that immunity would involve, and Clinton has expressed having the same concerns.

The Bush administration's past handling of wiretapping has even bothered ex-attorney general Ashcroft, so it is not unreasonable for Congress to demand to be given proper oversight. Mccain wants to protect Bush, and If you think that is right then vote for Mccain.

Mccain backing Bush in so many ways doesn't demonstrate good judgement needed. It does nothing to improve our image in the world to have another cowboy in the US presidency. Remember his song, "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran"?

Dear Mr. Nader

Mr. Nader:

I voted for you in 1996 and registered with the Green Party in the early 90s so Greens could get on the ballot in California. I had real respect for you and truly believe in the goals of the Green Party. In 1996, you passed up a real opportunity to grow the party when it was safe that the republicans wouldn't take the presidency. You were hesitant and spent more time saying you didn't want to run. I was disappointed that you wasted the opportunity to deliver the progressive message to middle America.

Your run and how you ran in 2000 was inexcusable. Your campaign stated repeatedly that there was NO DIFFERENCE between Gore and Bush. That was the most irresponsible statement. Do you really think that Gore would have appointed Alito? Do you really believe that Bush would do anything for the environment? How could you guys be so incredibly naive? You are complicit in contributing to 8 years of complete hell in this country.


You are the reason I had left the Green Party and will never return. You never bothered to earn any leverage with the Democratic Party because you never delivered votes to the party consistently. The religious right earned the right to co-opt the party by patiently and consistently delivering votes to the republican party for 30 years. What have you guys done?

You are around six years and whine when you didn't get all you wanted from the democrats, but didn't deliver for them. Instead, you have alienated the Democrats, who you could have influenced if you could mobilize votes and make the case for ideals. Great move for the movement guys. So now you are just a spoiler, who will be responsible for allowing John "100 Year War" Mccain into the presidency.

Mr. Nader you have shown yourself unconcerned about our country and the progressive movement. This is why I will actively oppose your candidacy as vigorously as Mccain's. You make me ashamed that I ever supported this party.

Sincerely,
Formerly of the Green Party


This is what I just sent to his website. I am sure that they will not take it seriously and do not care what I think or anyone who used to be a member. They do not care that we have a candidate in Obama that has a track record in government transparency issues and lots of the reforms that Greens supposedly care about. They never cared about women's reproductive rights, as I had been on numerous progressive green boards in 2000 arguing about his candidacy and no one cared about Roe v. Wade being overturned. I got so disturbed by their lack of concern for reproductive rights and the danger of the religious right I became a Green for Gore.

The argument goes that they want republicans to completely gut this country to teach democrats a lesson and somehow make their policies more persuasive. I never figured out how that was supposed to work.

The Greens have been unsuccessful not because the evil corporate media is keeping their message away from the people. It is because they don't want to do real work to build a grassroots movement in this country, and they are so disorganized and all over the place. Trying to plan a rally for a Florida Recount in 2000 was very frustrating because no one was willing to keep the message simple and focused. We also had to protest Mumia, Nepal, the WTO, and a whole bunch of leftist causes. I didnt necessarily disagree that Mumia and Nepal needed to be free, but not when we were supposed to be sending a message about voting in Florida.

It will be easy to fight both Nader and Mccain, because they are one and the same. A vote for Nader is no different that embracing the 100 year war and republican ideals.