Ah, apologies if that appeared confrontational, I hold no ill will towards the right, as it were. To me Bush isn't even a true republican, nor is he at all liberal, he's a bit of a lone wolf in most respects.
On that note, to categorically lump all left thinking together as evil and anit-american, well you seem to be a very intelligent man and so I take that to be a little ribbing. As a point of curiosity, to all those of you that despise the left and consider liberal to be a dirty word, how do you define liberal, and then in turn, conservative? I'm curious to know.
Kennedy and Bush are not the same man despite similar traits. They have some superficiality in common, but there's far more dissimilar. I don't judge the man soley by his background either, if his performance and policy were adequite I'd cheer him on. Furthermore, to suggest that anybody voting democratic idolizes Kennedy is a bit of an assumption. He was a great figure and came through for the nation in some high profile moments, but certainly does not rank among our very greatest presidents in terms of raw ability and performance.
As far as the environmental stuff, that could easily be a large and disaterous thread on it's own. Let me state that I'm not a 'greenie' or any sort of environmental activist. I am, however, realistic about what has happened and somewhat studied in the matter. I will say that Bush has been through several heads of the EPA because he's needed to replace those that refused to play ball with his pro-corporate anti-environment policies. Lawmakers on both sides of the spectrum have spoken against Bush's unraveling of years of careful and hard-won policy towards conservation and the environment. The scientific community isn't partisan to any great extent, and it's not alarmist quacks crying foul on Bush. A general condemnation of his regard for scientific evidence was drawn up and signed by all of the nation's most respected and venerated scientific authorites, including many nobel recipiants. When the Bush administration get's a scientific report that they don't like the sound of, they bury it and find somebody else who will tell them what they want to hear. It's not conspiracy, it's public and documented, free for all to reserach and discover. Caring about the condition of the environment is our duty so that future generations don't ahve to deal with the ramifications of our greed, waste, and irresponsibility. It isn't really a partisan issue in my opinion. I know many highly conservative people who are aghast at Bush's treatment of the environment and it factors towards their voting.
I also think it is valid to cite Bush's policy on terrorism as weak. He is the commander in chief, and under his watch we've lost the war on terrorism so far. His policies have allowed for a record rise in trained terrorist street soldiers. The administration recently came under fire announcing that terrorism was down, something that so many people were able to show was absolute bunk that Colin Powell was forced to come out and call the report a serious mistake. Bush's diplomacy is weak any way you look at it. He is indeed resolute in his good/evil few of all matters, but we all know that the real world isn't cast in black and white shades. Diplomacy is complicated, nuanced, and difficult, and right now the man who has the reins is a fellow who brags about not reading the newspaper and 'shooting from the gut' when making decisions that affect life and death as well as our national security.
I agree, John Kerry is certainly a patrician, though not to Bush's extent. If you examine the record of both men, however, you'll find Kerry has demonstrated a sincere concern for the working class and middle America throughout his career. Don't get your info from political adds and talk radio, go to the source, read about the bills he's worked on, causes he's championed. It's highly unlikely we'll see a president from a humble background in the near future, but of the two you can better believe that Kerry has lived and worked in something closer to the real world far more than Bush. I'm not sure why so many people associate liberal ideas with wealth and snottiness; the millionares of this country overwhelmingly vote Republican every year. The stronghold of the GOP is first and foremost white people, specifically men, also of the highest and lowest percentile of income. The middle class and minorities form the base for Democratic constituancies.
And so far as old Ralph, I'll never be half the man he is, but for somebody who has made his name on insisting on truth, his claims that his campaign doesn't damage Kerry's chances are dubious at best. He fought for consumers by taking the numbers to the people and not allowing corporations to waffle on statistics, yet now he's doing just that. Polling after polling shows he's sucking support away from Kerry at exponentially higher rates than Bush in crucial regions, yet he ignores this reality. I've heard him speak many times, and I understand his arguments in support of his position, but it just doesn't add up for me. Perhaps he's a visionary too far ahead of the game for me to get a fix on, but I have doubts. Ultimately I'm pragmatic; Kerry isn't perfect but I believe him to be far more qualified to protect our nation's interest and security than Bush. Kerry has proved throughout his career that he can lead and deliver, Bush, so far as I can tell, fails at most things. If I were interviewing the two men for a job I have little doubt who would impress me more, with both resume and conduct.
I agree with voting across party lines whole heartedly, that's democracy in action. Liberals love democracy and the principles on which our country was founded. The principles on which the country were founded are what make it great, and I believe George Bush has stepped out of line with those concepts. Liberty and true democracy are our guiding lights and the cornerstone of our national strength. Bush has done more to reduce them in our country during his tenure than any other president in my memory. It's not a partisan issue for me, It's idelogical. I see Bush as a threat to our nation's greatness in several ways, and I'm personally hoping he is removed.