Some thoughts from this defiant, independent-minded Democrat:

[LWolf]

Those of you who've ever chatted, debated, or battled with me know that I've been quite clear since long before the '04 primary season:

I'm a leftist-libertarian, independent-minded voter who is registered as a Democrat for the sole purpose of opposing the Republican Party. I don't toe any party line. Ever. I'm not partisan, and I'm proud of that.
As a matter of fact, I'm "anti-partisan" more than "non-partisan."

You also probably know that I am not now, and have never been, a fan of Barack Obama. Or Hillary Clinton. I've been as open and transparent about that as humanly possible.

Some of you know that I never "got behind Obama." I remained undecided. I said I would become "decided" about my support in the GE sometime between the convention and election day.

I'm decided. If you are curious, read on.

The Democratic Convention didn't decide me. As a matter of fact, it moved me further toward a 3rd party vote. I am more unhappy with the Democratic Party, and the Democratic Party nominee now than I was before.

The Republican Convention didn't decide me. I remain adamantly opposed to everything republican.

So what turned it for me? Sarah Palin.

That's right. She's the straw that shoved me over. I don't have any confidence in McCain living out one or two terms in the WH, should election fraud again deliver the race to republicans. The idea that Sarah Palin, of all women, might go down in history as the first woman president or vice president, nailed it.

I'm not going to enumerate the reasons why I find that possibility absolutely unacceptable. You know them all already. The bottom line is this: Unless my state is obviously "safe," I will be casting yet another vote AGAINST someone, instead of for someone, in November. I'll be casting my vote against McCain/Palin.

That doesn't mean I suddenly think better of the Democratic nominee. It means that I recognize that, while I won't get what I want no matter who wins this election, an Obama administration will allow for more battle strategies, and will, in the bargain, not make me any more ashamed to call the U.S. my country than I already am.

In this case, I have a request. How about, since the Republican vp selection is done, both conventions are over, if we set aside bitching, whining, and despairing over the opposition and talk about what we can do to defeat them?

To be honest, I probably won't be talking all that much. Now that the school year is back in session, my weeks are too busy, and I can't spend all weekend at the 'puter. I'm reading more than posting, at least until Thanksgiving.

As far as the real world goes, since I'm not a great fan of the nominee, I'm thinking that I'll be an attack dog. While I'm busy attacking the opposition, people who are more enthusiastic about the Democratic ticket can talk it up.

After the horrific primary race/gender wars, I've wondered this: If HRC had been nominated, would McCain have picked a black man? I think so. I think his pick is calculated to take advantage of the biggest weakness, the rift caused by those race/gender wars. Will Democrats let that strategy succeed? Or will they, in time, establish that it's not race or gender, but issues, that count? My hopes for the primaries were dashed. Is it too late to move the focus to issues for the GE, or will we be fighting the race/gender wars all the way to November?

Just thoughts and suggestions from this "minority" DUer.

[Forkboy]

1. Fucking lefty purists!

Oh, wait.... ;)

[LWolf]

Heh.

:hi:

[roguevalley]

26. BWAHAHAHA! Very cute, forkboy. lwolf, I am a radical leftie

with a history in the family of socialists and radical dems, FDR dems, liberals. I hear ya. I also salute ya. Study hard and run for President someday. I will be your precinct director in Alaska. :)

[LWolf]

29. Well, since I'm already a couple of years older than Obama,

I don't honestly see a change of profession in my future at this point. It could be, someday if I can ever afford to retire, that I'll run for a local office. ;)

[MadMaddie]

2. LWolf I for one appreciate your logic and candor.

When Obama wins give him a chance to prove that he can move and shake things up!

[LWolf]

7. You state that well.

WHEN he wins, I'll be waiting to support every good move, and PUSH for the issues I want to see moving my way.

[Forkboy]

3. Dupage

[Starry Messenger]

4. Thank you for your correct use of "toe the line".

I always hate it when people mess that up and use "tow". :)

MPK

[LWolf]

5. You're welcome.

I'm a middle school language arts teacher. I tend to be hypersensitive about those kinds of things. ;)

The only thing worse than "towing the line," or "loosing the election," is when I hit "post message" without proofreading my OWN work. :blush:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

6. Palin is the way to get folks to vote Dem, I think

On a non-political board, we have decided we can have one political thread, but we have to be polite. On this board, we're fairly evenly split amongst conservatives and liberals, and yet have been able to keep things civil. One liberal poster brought up Palin, and another poster who has said she hadn't made up her mind agreed that Palin's record is abysmal, and because of it she'll be voting Democratic. It will be interesting to see who else posts on that thread and what they say about Palin.

[LWolf]

10. Well, it's obviously

the way in my case, lol, and probably for some of the others like me.

Which is my whole purpose in posting this thread. To let those who are campaigning for some of those undecided votes know.

:hi:

[SheilaT]

8. Since the reality is

that either Obama or McCain is going to be our next president, would you really want to sit out helping decide? And voting for a third party candidate means that in the end you really won't have participated.

And, yes, McCain's choice of VP was almost totally dependent on the Democratic ticket. If Hillary had been the nominee, (whether as President or VP), McCain would have gone with Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, or perhaps some conservative Black politician. Sorry I can't name them, but I know they're out there.

Obama on the other hand chose a person to run with him who he honestly thought was the best possible candidate for VP. As I believe Hillary would have.

[LWolf]

12. It's not about "what I really want."

It hasn't been since before super Tuesday, when Obama and Clinton were the only candidates left standing.

If you want to know what it's about for me, reread the OP, and do an archive search for some of the hundreds of posts I put up about what I really want from a new administration. Or just go here, which sums it up in one post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=3549342&mesg_id=3549397

This thread is for people like yourself. It's some information that will help you win votes from people like me. Those votes aren't won with the would you really want to sit out helping decide? And voting for a third party candidate means that in the end you really won't have participated "talking points." I think you CAN use Palin to win some of them.

[SheilaT]

21. If someone is genuinely committed

to a third party, or is genuinely disaffected by both Republicans and Democrats, if the argument that sitting it out is against their best interest doesn't have any affect, then I'm not sure trying to persuade those voters is worth my while. And that's not meant to be inflammatory, but just my honest reaction. However, thank you for the link.

[LWolf]

22. There are a LOT

of people genuinely disaffected. You won't hear about them much here at DU, since it's a partisan site. You may not hear them speak out much in real life; they tend to think engaging partisan voters is futile, since the partisan rarely sees past partisanship. Kind of like you think that trying to persuade them is not worth your while, lol.

I think that there are more disaffected voters than members of either party. Only some are drawn off to 3rd parties. The rest don't vote at all. They are a deep well of votes for the candidate, campaign, and/or party that wants to earn them.

That, and many times those who generally support 3rd parties will come in to cast a vote for one of the majors, given a compelling reason to. In my experience, it's usually a desire to prevent someone from winning that turns out to be "compelling" enough for a cross-over.

[SheilaT]

28. Thank you for

giving me something to think about and work with here.

[Time for change]

9. We need attack dogs

The GOP has the scariest ticket since.... Bush/Cheney

:toast:

PS -- I hope Obama turns out better than you think -- I think he will.

[LWolf]

13. I hope that, too.

While I am more suspicious, cynical, and pessimistic than you, I would LOVE to be wrong.

:toast:

[Egnever]

11. She has had that effect on many I suspect

Despite the media gushing.

[LWolf]

14. I hope you're right. nt

[Egnever]

19. Me too

[eshfemme]

15. Hey, it takes all types to make a good democracy.

I'm not one to condemn you for your beliefs. At least you're honest about them. Plus, you are obviously taking the role that you feel is best suited for your purposes and who am I to judge you for that? Just as there is use in making sure that the right information is disseminated, there is also use in making sure that the false information is countered. It's just two sides of a coin.

Thank you for the post! Kick!

:kick:

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[mvd]

17. Great to hear it! I think she could be our big weapon

if we decided to dignify her.

I was a Kucinich supporter, too (my stances on issues with 10 being most liberal: )

Choice 9
Taxes/spending 9 (with expanded role of government to help the needy)
Death Penalty 10 (though apathetic in the worst cases, I'm still against it)
Health care 10+
War/peace 10
Immigration 8
Affirmative action 7
Separation of church & state: 10
Environment/energy: 10
Drugs: 8 (legalize marijuana; fewer prison sentences)
Guns: 8
Equality for all: 10+

Palin also gave me even more enthuiasm for Obama, though I like more since the primaries and was definitely going to vote for and support him.

:hi:

[LWolf]

18. I too, think she can be a big weapon,

if Democrats will use her.

I will, anyway.

:hi:

[DevonRex]

20. Hey LW. I can appreciate where you're coming from. There was

only 1 candidate with whom I agreed 100% and he was not the candidate I supported in the primaries. I've been behind Obama from the beginning because I think he's our best and only chance to get the republicans out of office. I do agree with him on most things. But the point is that we cannot survive as a nation with 8 more years of republican rule. At least not as a nation that I can be comfortable with. I dearly want our country to be respected. And I want the US to respect its citizens with health care, good education, jobs, and civil liberties with real meaning. None of that will happen with a republican in office.

I'm very pleased that Palin was the last straw for you and I think she will be that for many other people too. Thank you very much for your post.

[BeyondGeography]

23. She definitely has her uses

Off to the greatest with you.

[faithfulcitizen]

24. So, who were you for during the primaries?

[LWolf]

27. The candidate

who not only talks about, but works to bring to the table, the following:

universal, single-payer, NOT FOR PROFIT health CARE.

universal public pre-school - college

The end of NAFTA/CAFTA and withdrawal from the WTO

The end of war as an instrument of international policy

[bvar22]

25. K&R

Well said.