I Want My Country Back! Who inspires this in you???

[frustrated_lefty]

Poll question: I Want My Country Back! Who inspires this in you???

[eileen_d]

1. Kucinich n/t

[Qanisqineq]

2. Gen. Clark

[goclark]

7. Gen. Clark

Why isn't he in the poll?
He got more votes than some of the others.

[ibegurpard]

10. Probably because he dropped out

But I agree that he belongs in this poll.

[Ginger1]

41. U WES A

Wes Clark.

[krkaufman]

46. Clark. And NONE of the others. n/t

[corporatewhore]

3. Just watch Prayer for America and youll know

[vanityfair]

4. Kucinich

He has a positive message and is down-to-earth.

[DjTj]

5. LISTEN to this MP3!!!

(edited to plug my remix in the subject heading)

John Edwards: "This government, this democracy, does not belong to that crowd of insiders in Washington and their lobbyists. It belongs to you, and we're going to restore the power in this democracy to you - where it began and where it belongs. That's what this campaign is about."

If you're not inspired, listen to the mp3 in my signature:

[hope42mro]

16. Gay marriage...it's an issue that contradicts him

He speaks of "change" and of restoring "the power of democracy." Yet he's against gay marriage. I want someone to speak out for the rights of gay people.

I want someone to boldly say that ALL Americans are equal. ALL Americans should be recognized equally for a loving commitment. He won't do that. He'll promise civil unions, but he'll openly say he's against Gay Marriage.

So I'll hesitate to trust him when he talks of change.

Oh, and he can't criticize the "insiders in Washington" when he is one. (You decide if that's good or bad)

P.S. My problem with Edwards is his speeches remind me of Bush: his statements are seemingly obvious, meaning to say the opposite would be obsurd. Look:

Bush: "Jobs are important. Saddam is a dangerous man. Our children need healthcare." Its a moot point that doesn't need saying. He could never suggest "Jobs aren't important. Saddam is nicer than Mother Theresa. When children die it lowers the population." He could never say that! So his pointing out the obvious is a waste of breath, a waste of time.

Edwards does the same thing.

Edwards: "This government, this democracy, does not belong to that crowd of insiders in Washington D.C. and their lobbyists. It belongs to you." See? He would have to say that because he could never suggest the opposite. Where's the insight? Where's the "change"? Pointing out to Americans that America belongs to us is, well, pointless. It's an obvious statement, at least I hope it is.

Edwards doesn't inspire me. He sounds too much like a politician with empty mottos to pull at the heartstrings.

[DjTj]

17. He pulls at heartstrings on the stump...

...and he has real proposals behind them.

Everything that Kerry is now saying about lobbyists was lifted directly from things that Edwards said in earlier speeches.

He has the most comprehensive platform to attack lobbyists:

http://www.johnedwards2004.com/cleaning-up-washington.asp

Edwards can take his message to working people and he has solid proposals that can convince political pundits as well.

On the issue of gay marriage, it is unfortunate that he's not willing to make the leap to gay marriage, but if that's your litmus test you will be severely limiting your options. On that issue, I vote Democrat to take a step in the right direction, because if Bush can appoint the next Supreme Court Justice, it will threaten Lawrence v. Texas and could possibly set things back. I wish gay rights were in a better situation, but civil rights were not easy either. Everything takes time, and you need to convince your neighbors before you can convince a country.

I encourage you to poke around Edwards' website. Your gut reaction may be that he has empty mottos because his delivery is so good, but I think you'll be surprised at how much substance there is. It is actually on the lobbyist issue and his platform on taxes that drew me towards him. I had never heard him speak when I first became a supporter. Don't judge a book by its cover.

[cheezus]

38. Sorry, that MP3 sucks

I like Edwards' stump speech tho

[DjTj]

54. Heh

...maybe it's just for us that have listened to the stump speech and John Mellencamp over and over again.

[POed_Ex_Repub]

6. Shrub

If anyone can unify me against the current regime (and motivate me to vote) it's seeing our pResident act like he's our savior while messing us over.

ABB isn't just a cliche', it's a force of nature.

[redqueen]

25. As an ex-Republican

May I ask how you would vote if the choice was Bush or Kucinich?

[POed_Ex_Repub]

48. Kucinich without thinking twice

Of course, I could say the same thing about a ham sandwich vs. Shrub. (Yes, I do think Kucinich would make a decent president)

[KathCO]

8. Bu$h

[Zomby Woof]

9. This land is your land

This land is my land. I don't have to "take it back", because it is already mine, yours, and everyone's. No punk-ass Chimp with a coke problem stole this country.

Time to let go of this self-centered notion of 'ownership'. The slogan "I Want My Country Back!" smacks of childish entitlement and petulant impotence. We're screwed if this is the limit of our vision for humanity.

[redqueen]

26. Well said, Zomby!

WE want our country back for US! :)

[Capn Sunshine]

37. I'm glad the phrase " wanting your country back"

sometimes makes folks smugly express the level of brainwashing they have attained and how their mind numbingly personal agenda overarches all else ,just like the rest of urban-consumer-driven-Starbucks-is-worth-it America. I see this phenomena country-wide

Because it's our god given RIGHT to drive an SUV.

[Zomby Woof]

52. huh???

What in the hell does your diatribe have to do with my post? If you think I express such sentiments as the one you just posted, you need to check your own agenda at the door.

[bornskeptic]

11. Definitely Dean.

Any other would say "we", not "I".

[eileen_d]

13. LOL

:yourock:

[Mass_Liberal]

43. he does say we

notice he says "I want my country back. WE want our country back. We're gonna do it in 2004....."

[For PaisAn]

12. Wes Clark

n/t

[Leilani]

14. Wes Clark

He should be in this poll.

[Minstrel Boy]

15. What Kucinich inspires, America has yet to be.

"I want my country back!" seemed at least a more attainable goal. But even that was wishful thinking.

[Edge]

18. Definitely not Howard Dean...Definitely Kucinich!

He's the only candidate I can feel proud of.

[ThirdWheelLegend]

19. The media has guided thinking..

Because of the massive disparity in exposure Dean has received compared to Kucinich, Dean's 'take back america' talk has had an influence here.
Its when you look beyond Dean's rhetoric and at his actual record and stated policy positions that you can't find the actual 'take back' part.


NOTE: Don't get me wrong Dean is a heck of a lot better than Bush, but I have hard time seeing 'take back america' in Dean's positions on NAFTA, Patriot Act, Iraq occupation, Healthcare, death penalty, military spending, medical marijuana, etc.

TWL

[mermaid]

20. DEAN!!

I was originally an Edwards supporter, and switched allegiance to Dean because his "righteous anger" at the mistreatment of America under the current regime struck a raw nerve.

Alas, it seems that too many people now want to ride the apparent winning horse, and Dean is probably toast. This really sucks, if you ask me, because DEAN was the best chance we had to take our country back. His righteous indignation inspired me.

I'm still hoping for a Dean comeback, but I don't think it's gonna happen. but if Edwards continues to do well, I'll be pretty happy.

Now...actually, Kucinich's platform agrees most with my own, but, pragmatist that I am, I failed to support Kucinich because I did not feel he was centrist enough to beat Bush. And that's job number one right now. Sorry, Dennis.

Much as I personally like Dennis's politics, I just do not think they play well enough with those swing voters that will help us oust Bush. I therefore thoght Edwards would be ideal, and backed him...then Dean's message of righteous indignation attracted me and struck a raw nerve.

I am really suffering now from a complete lack of enthusiam over the apparent Kerry nomination.

Of ALL the candidates, save Joe Lieberman, I felt Kerry was LEAST likely to give me my country back, and more likely to be politics as usual. I still feel this way.

Any Kerry supporter want to try to explain how Kerry ISN'T politics as usual?

[Lydia Leftcoast]

21. Only Kucinich has a real vision for what America could be

I see Dean as the "safe" rebel, the one the media promoted so that voters could feel as if they were rebelling.

[Nashyra]

22. Clark

[West Coast Democrat]

23. Clark!!!

Bring him back!

[redqueen]

24. Kucinich is the only one.

Dean did, at first, before I knew much about him.

Kucinich is the only one in the race who inspires me.

[charlie]

29. Absolutely

Dean is forthright, I do appreciate that he's a rare candidate free from the disease of "pol-speak."

But it's Kucinich who says the things I've too long despaired I would never hear in a presidential race.

[janx]

27. That's Dean's trademark: I want my country back!

[BringEmOn]

28. Clark

[Atlant]

30. Dean! (NT)

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[tencats]

32. Wes Clark!

nt

[newyawker99]

63. Hi tencats!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Auntie Bush]

33. DRAFT CLARK again!

Damn! I wish he stayed in!

I want Clark!!! I want Clark!!! I want Clark!!!

[spooky3]

34. All of our candidates, especially Edwards.

[no name no slogan]

35. Grovelbot! (nt)

[in_cog_ni_to]

36. Clark.

He's the only candidate "I" heard say that he would hold THIS administration accountable for their decision to go to war and for not doing MORE about keeping this country safe prior to 911. He would have made them all pay for what they have done. He would have taken our country back and given it to "We The People." What a loss. :cry:

[Mattforclark]

39. Clark, with Grovelbot...

in a close second. Not too close to call, however.

[Capn Sunshine]

40. I prefer to not be in denial

unlike many in this great land of ours , from the Gulf Stream Waters, to the New York Highways, I note that this place is NOT being run with any respect whatsoever to MY wishes. It IS MY country ,and I may have been remiss in letting it get away, but dammit, I want it back!

To absurdly suggest otherwise is the height of inward looking navel gazing immaturity in my opinion.

[Mass_Liberal]

42. Dean

He gave that line meaning for me. Gave me a way to vent that anger over the IWR and turn it into something positive.

[One Taste]

44. Clark!

[artistaboard]

45. Wes Clark, nobody else

[Bonobo]

47. Just Clark...sorry.

I will vote ABB though.

[rucky]

49. I'm a DK guy, but Dean gets full credit for that line.

n/t

[MrSlayer]

50. Wesley K. Clark.

[union_maid]

51. Bush

I found General Clark the most inspiring on this subject. He seemed to be speaking to the same concerns that I have in the same terms I'd use. Edwards, too, but to a lesser degree for me. But before any of them were running, I was saying and feeling exactly that sentiment, so I'd have to say it's Bush and this truly evil administration that most inspired those feelings in me.

[mitchum]

53. Crazy Horse

Who else?

[bitchkitty]

55. Howard Dean - he made me

start believing again. If it weren't for him we'd definitely have 4 more years of Chimp - the others, for the most part, were too busy kissing Bush's ass to look at his lying face. Howard Dena tells the truth, and I just love him for it.

[andym]

56. Clark and Feingold

Neither is running.

[Maddy McCall]

57. Clark.

[Leilani]

58. Wesley Clark

Put him in your poll!

[Kathy in Cambridge]

59. Kucinich and Dean

[AbbeyRoad]

60. Clark

:cry:

[goclark]

61. Where is Kerry?

I was looking over the threads and could not find Kerry's name one time. That is strange the question is ... who inspired you?!!
Why is that? I was sincerely shocked because I thought that Kerry's name would be mentioned a lot.

Not by me... I'm still in love with Wesley Clark-sorry Gert.:eyes:

[Crunchy Frog]

62. Clark!

eom