The FYM Democratic Primary

[Canadiens1131]

Don't tell mama, I'm for Obama.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

i'm in kucinich's pocket.

[Liesje]

I voted for Kucinich, however if I don't think he has any chance of making it, I'll probably switch to Clinton.

[Axver]

I'm surprised Kucinich is doing so well on this poll. All the Americans I've spoken to offline don't have a clue who he is - including one who was a tutor for a course on US politics at university! Has his popularity grown recently, or is this just FYM being weird?

[2861U2]

Originally posted by Axver
Has his popularity grown recently, or is this just FYM being weird?

The latter. Somehow, it looks like he has an impressive fanbase here, even though in the polls I've never seen him above 2%.

[yolland]

I haven't seen Ron Paul poll more than 4% nationally either, yet he's currently pulling an even higher percentage in the 'FYM Republican primary' than Kucinich is in this one.

I think it's true that FYMers in general aren't the most reliable representatives of the 'average American' generally affiliated with their party...on the other hand it's also true that FYMers in general are more politically aware than the 'average American' (for example, the conservatives in here all know who Kucinich is and the liberals all know who Paul is, neither of which is particularly typical) and that probably also has some effect.

[martha]

We're both an influence on the other.

[mirrorballin]

Originally posted by 2861U2


The latter. Somehow, it looks like he has an impressive fanbase here, even though in the polls I've never seen him above 2%.

I'm so proud of U2 fans! This is yet another indicator that we dig a little deeper in our politics. I will be voting for Clinton and indicated it on the poll, but I'm glad Kucinich is represented so well. He's a great politician.

[Axver]

Originally posted by yolland
I haven't seen Ron Paul poll more than 4% nationally either, yet he's currently pulling an even higher percentage in the 'FYM Republican primary' than Kucinich is in this one.

From my outside perspective, I'm a bit less surprised by Ron Paul's strong showing than Kucinich's. I've seen Ron Paul on Australian television news multiple times (I can think of 3 or 4 off the top of my head), and it's probably safe to say someone's making at least some waves within the US as a presidential candidate if they're showing up on foreign news. In contrast, I can't recall a single instance of Kucinich on Aussie television news, not even on SBS. Admittedly, though, I've been busy the last month and haven't caught the news every night, hence my previous post asking whether his profile has suddenly risen.

[dazzlingamy]

Kucinich! He's the only politician that I've seen his platform, and agree strongly with the majority of it!


* Creating a single-payer system of universal health care that provides full coverage for all Americans by passage of the United States National Health Insurance Act.

FULL COVERAGE. the health care system in america is abomidable!

* The immediate, phased withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Iraq; replacing them with an international security force.

THANK YOU. But please not replacing them with blackwater.

* Guaranteed quality education for all; including free pre-kindergarten and college for all who want it.

FREE COLLEGE? thank you. great idea Free education for everyone!

* Immediate withdrawal from the World Trade Organization (WTO) and North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

I'm not that 'up' on the issue, but a few people i've spoken to seem to think this is a necessary idea

* Repealing the USA PATRIOT Act.

HELLZ YEAH! Stupid fucking bill

* Fostering a world of international cooperation.

I like i like... making america a little more approachable and humble...

* Abolishing the death penalty.

FIVE STARS!!!!!!! PLEASE PLEASE ELECT THIS MAN!

* Environmental renewal and clean energy.

mmmhmmm, thats what im talking about!

* Preventing the privatization of social security.

DAMN STRAIGHT! Look how fucked the privatisation of the health system went!

* Providing full social security benefits at age 65.

Hello, welcome to the normal world, when this should happen.

* Creating a cabinet-level "Department of Peace"

sounds good

* Ratifying the ABM Treaty and the Kyoto Protocol.

Sign it and maybe Jonny Howard will do the same (Or Rudd! *fingers crossed*)

* Introducing reforms to bring about instant-runoff voting.

sounds interesting...

* Protecting a woman's right to choose while decreasing the number of abortions performed in the U.S.

THANK YOU!!!! Exactly correct!

* Ending the war on drugs.

mmhmmm! Do it!

* Legalizing same-sex marriage.

WHAT? A person who can see the love and not the sex? For president? Got my vote!

* Creating a balance between workers and corporations.

sounds good!

* Ending the H1B and L1 Visa Programs

not sure what these are?

* Restoring rural communities and family farms.

Helping out the little guys, i like it.

* Strengthening gun control.

THATS MAH MAN!!!! Two words I love to hear 'Gun control'


Damn, i wanna move to america and work on his campaign! I wanna MARRY HIM :X

[dazzlingamy]

oh and he opposed the Iran Freedom and Support Act. What a fucking bullshit piece of CRAP that was.

!0 million dollars to support anti iran groups, but a poor student who breaks his leg has to walk with a cane for the rest of his life bwcause he can't afford the medical bills.

Now i know a lot of politicians are full of promises and hope, and sometimes it all falls to shit, but i just can't DEAL with another 4 years of republicians. The last 7 years have been absolutely shit watching all this shit go down. ITs time for a change!

[A_Wanderer]

Ron Paul attracts various nuts (Stormfront, Hutton Gibson, Poll Spammers) but he has the right ideas about civil liberties (including the second amendment).

[LemonMelon]

I'm not 100% agreed with Kucinich's politics, but he has all of the things I actually care about (namely, illegal immigration and the Iraq War) figured out. I would take this man over Hilary or Obama in a heartbeat.

[Moonlit_Angel]

Originally posted by dazzlingamy
Now i know a lot of politicians are full of promises and hope, and sometimes it all falls to shit, but i just can't DEAL with another 4 years of republicians. The last 7 years have been absolutely shit watching all this shit go down. ITs time for a change!

Too. True. I couldn't agree more.

Free college, eh ...? I can go with that, yeah. Go, Kucinich.

Angela

[martha]

Originally posted by A_Wanderer
Ron Paul attracts various nuts (Stormfront, Hutton Gibson, Poll Spammers) but he has the right ideas about civil liberties (including the second amendment).

Yeah, but he thinks his government should interfere with my reproductive rights, and he supports limiting marriage based on gender. How libertarian is that?

[anitram]

Originally posted by Moonlit_Angel
Free college, eh ...? I can go with that, yeah. Go, Kucinich.

This is the problem I have with Kucinich - he takes all the "easy" positions but so often they are completely divorced from reality. This one is a great example. Even universities in Europe, particularly the top schools in the UK, which were historically essentially free can no longer keep up. Research, particularly biomedical, is very expensive, and grants are scarce and not enough to keep the institutes afloat. The best researchers don't want to work in facilities that do not meet their needs. Whether we like it or not, tuition is a major (sometimes the major) source of revenue for a school. That is not to say that charging $40K per year is justifiable. But free college is unreasonable for many reasons, not the least of which is that it will further dilute an already dilute BA. So that's why I wouldn't vote for Kucinich - he makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, but what difference does it make if his ideas are not practicable?

[diamond]

Originally posted by yolland


I think it's true that FYMers in general aren't the most reliable representatives of the 'average American' .....

no kidding?


dbs

[A_Wanderer]

Originally posted by martha


Yeah, but he thinks his government should interfere with my reproductive rights, and he supports limiting marriage based on gender. How libertarian is that?

I think that personal bias and positions regarding state versus federal are at the core of those.

[martha]

Originally posted by A_Wanderer
I think that personal bias and positions regarding state versus federal are at the core of those.

It's the personal bias part that removes his credibilty.

[U2democrat]

Originally posted by anitram


This is the problem I have with Kucinich - he takes all the "easy" positions but so often they are completely divorced from reality. So that's why I wouldn't vote for Kucinich - he makes me feel warm and fuzzy on the inside, but what difference does it make if his ideas are not practicable?

This is exactly why I can't support him. Sure I agree with him on 98% of the issues (according to a survey) but with politics there's got to be some realism thrown in there.

Sure a politician can present lofty goals, hopes and dreams, but part of that needs to be grounded in reality.