Decided

[gotterdamerung]

GD's last official post as this entity will be to proclaim that I have decided to vote for John Kerry. Bush is too much of a total knob to represent the USA. I don't believe he has the countries best interests in mind, I believe that he has lied, and I believe that he and his cronies will lead the US into a larger war with little or no gain for the American people. Might as well let someone else try.

 

Don't expect me to become a bleeding heart liberal however. I'll still be killing Arabs while you're debating the shit you eat. Liberal pussies.

 

ZDFG

[AaronB]

while you're debating the shit you eat.

ZDFG

 

 

or

Liberal pussies.

[Jim]

Do you have your absentee ballot yet?

[gotterdamerung]

Yes, I am ready to cast the vote and send the man packing.

[foraker]

"If it is necessary that I should fall on the battlefield for my country, I am ready. I have no misgivings about, or lack of confidence in, the cause in which I am engaged, and my courage does not halt or falter. I know how strongly American Civilization now leans upon the triumph of the Government, and how great a debt we owe to those who went before us through the blood and suffering of the Revolution. And I am willing -- perfectly willing -- to lay down all my joys in this life, to help maintain this Government, and to pay that debt."

 

Maj Sullivan Ballou

Letter to his wife Sarah

July 14, 1861

[JGowans]

Stunning development. Perhaps there's a chance afterall that we might see a regime change in the U.S? I haven't been holding out much hope for that bloke Kerry. This could be the pivotal point in the whole election...

[Dru]

In Yui Shosetsu's military instructions, "The Way of the Three Ultimates," there is a passage on the

character of karma.' He received an oral teaching of about eighteen chapters concerning the

Greater Bravery and the Lesser Bravery. He neither wrote them down nor committed them to

memory but rather forgot them completely. Then, in facing real situations, he acted on impulse and

the things that he had learned became wisdom of his own. This is the character of karma.

[Doug]

Damn! And here I thought that you and I might not agree on the war! I really appreciate the insightfulness you bring to this forum. Good to hear unedited news from the front.

 

I feel like it's a bad choice when we are forced to choose between the lesser of two evils (Bush/Kerry). While I've always believed Bush (or those in his party)had a hidden agenda in Iraq, I'm not sure that Kerry could get us out cleanly.

[rbw1966]

We're doomed.

[markinore]

Good luck, GD. Stay safe. Make it back to climb (and post) some more.

[glacier]

Stolen from a Christopher Hitchens column this morning:

 

"A Thousand Killed"

 

I read of a thousand killed.

And am glad because the scrounging imperial paw

Was there so bitten:

As a man at elections is thrilled

When the results pour in, and the North goes with him

And the West breaks in the thaw.

 

(That fighting was a long way off.)

 

Forgetting therefore an election

Being fought with votes and lies and catch-cries

And orator's frowns and flowers and posters' noise

Is paid for with cheques and toys:

Wars the most glorious

Victory-winged and steeple-uproarious

... With the lives, burned-off,

Of young men and boys.

 

- Bernard Spencer, 1936

[cj001f]

On a related note, the Bradt Travel Guide company is now releasing a GuideBook to Iraq

[cracked]

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

 

[ashw_justin]

http://www.electoral-vote.com/

 

 

Oh great, Florida is gonna fuck everything up again. I can't wait for all the bullshit that'll go down there this time.

[cracked]

Quit yer yammering, they're busy dealing with hurricanes and shit there.

[willstrickland]

Cracked, this one: Interactive Electoral Count Map from the LA Times is interactive and has rollover links to the latest poll results in each state. Click the states to toggle them red or blue and play out various electoral count scenarios. Pretty slick and I can easily configure a tie in the electoral college (although I thought that 2 states used a proportional system? This would eliminate the potential for a tie I believe)

[RuMR]

GD's last official post as this entity will be to proclaim that I have decided to vote for John Kerry. Bush is too much of a total knob to represent the USA. I don't believe he has the countries best interests in mind, I believe that he has lied, and I believe that he and his cronies will lead the US into a larger war with little or no gain for the American people. Might as well let someone else try.

 

Don't expect me to become a bleeding heart liberal however. I'll still be killing Arabs while you're debating the shit you eat. Liberal pussies.

 

ZDFG

 

I've always read your "frontline" accounts with interest...interesting to see that you are conflicted...

 

Watch yourself over there...

Rudy

[ashw_justin]

Quit yer yammering, they're busy dealing with hurricanes and shit there.

 

...which are CLEARLY linked to Iraq.

[cracked]

Not Iraq, but human-induced global warming!

[ashw_justin]

human-induced global warming!

 

...which is clearly linked to Iraq!!!

[Dru]

When they burned all those WMD s it changed the climate

[Skeezix]

I'm voting w/ GD

...for JK

[JoshK]

The electoral college needs to go. The fact that a few people in a small state can have more influence than millions in a populated state is silly.

[Lars]

The electoral college needs to go. The fact that a few people in a small state can have more influence than millions in a populated state is silly.

 

thats not true at all. the larger states have more electoral votes in proportion with their population. the smaller states have never had more influence within this type of system.

if the electoral college was not used, the smaller states would have no voice and elections would be decided by only 4 states (CA, TX, NY, FL). the politicians would spend all their time campaigning in the big cities and ignore the rest of middle america. they would not need, or care about the rest of us.

not that they actually do now, but more so if the electoral college wasnt used. this goes for BOTH parties. the dickless liberals are just as guilty as the crazed neocons in that respect.

[Jim]

The electoral college needs to go. The fact that a few people in a small state can have more influence than millions in a populated state is silly.

 

thats not true at all. the larger states have more electoral votes in proportion with their population. the smaller states have never had more influence within this type of system.

if the electoral college was not used, the smaller states would have no voice and elections would be decided by only 4 states (CA, TX, NY, FL). the politicians would spend all their time campaigning in the big cities and ignore the rest of middle america. they would not need, or care about the rest of us.

not that they actually do now, but more so if the electoral college wasnt used. this goes for BOTH parties. the dickless liberals are just as guilty as the crazed neocons in that respect.

 

Actually small states have a proportionally higher number of electoral votes than larger population states. Each state gets two electoral votes, one for each senator, and then one for each representative, which will change based on population rates. Thus if your state only has enough population to rate one representative (North Datkota) you actually get three times as many electoral votes (total 3)than your porportional population merits.

 

The idea was to give the small state a little more influence so they would not be totally ignored. But this still happens. I prefer making it more democratic and just getting rid of the electoral college. It also would reduce the close recount problem.