I was talking to someone who was a rabid republican 4 years ago

[Horse with no Name]

and they were totally sincere.
They said if this crop of candidates is the best America has to offer...we are truly fucked.

:popcorn:

[magellan]

1. Wow, hell must have frozen over

I finally agree with a Repub.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

2. IOW, McCain isn't sufficiently fundie enough for them.

What the fuck ever.

:eyes:

[Horse with no Name]

3. Not at all

Even though they are republicans...they are pretty concerned about the spiraling decline of the country as well. Survival trumps partisanship every day of the week.
They'd vote for ANYONE that they thought might make a difference.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

5. Okay, tell me, who IS their candidate? Ron Paul? nt

[Horse with no Name]

6. They actually thought Kucinich was the best candidate

They weren't nearly as enamored with Edwards as I am...but would have certainly voted for him.

[hatrack]

7. So, who are they actually planning on voting for?

I mean, I'm glad they pulled their head out of their ass and all of that, but since Sen. Edwards and Rep. Kucinich aren't actually running any more . . .

or are they going to adopt that ever-popular "It doesn't really matter who I vote for" stance?

[Horse with no Name]

9. They aren't going to vote

they don't see any changes with any of the candidates...despite their rhetoric.
We are talking about a salt-of-the-earth kind of guy.
Not some rabid fundie.
You, of course do realize...that not ALL republicans are fundies?
And you do realize...that many of us have dealings with real republicans and are actually friends with them?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

Well fuck "them" then.

I used to have Republican friends. Not anymore. I have cordial and civil relationships with plenty of them, but nothing beyond that.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

8. Rabid Republican to Kucinich supporter? That's quite a quick, and drastic transformation. nt

[Horse with no Name]

10. 8 years is hardly quick.

We also live in an area that has been hit hard by the economic downturn...it is so bad here that even Walmart pulled out.
This is someone who kept saying "get over it"...to now won't even admitting he is a republican.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

11. You said he was rabid 4 years ago.

Is it 4 years or 8?

[Horse with no Name]

12. 8 years of bush policy

If you want to play your fucking "gotcha games"...go play with someone else.
Not interested.
You want to converse civilly...then please do so.
My threshold for assholes is very low.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

13. I'm not saying it couldn't have happened. Just that it's unusual.

BTW, you're the one who posted the fatalistic OP.

If you don't want a negative response don't post something negative, Debbie Downer.

[Horse with no Name]

14. Go to any town that has had half of its industry pull out

and that has a failing school district so there is no chance it will attract new industry...tax base has been shattered since Walmart pulled out because they ran off all the other business when they came in...and then take a republican who does advertising sales for a living and sees that because of the policies of what HE has helped to elect...his livelihood has gone from a fairly high salary to a mere pittance.
Then take what he sees as THREE candidates who he perceives as not offering anything new or different...and you have someone who is totally disenchanted and disinterested in the process. If the candidates are all interchangeable...then certainly you can see why he doesn't see the need to vote.
Whether you believe it or like it or not...there are quite a few people out there in his position.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

15. What's your point?

How is "All the candidates suck so I'm going to stay home!!" supposed to be solution? Do you, and he, really believe that there's no essential difference between our 2 Dems and JOHN FUCKING MCCAIN??

WTF is WRONG with the two of you??

[Horse with no Name]

16. ummm

"the two of you"
Where the fuck did you get that?
Pull it out of your ass?
I have already voted in a primary and a runoff.

[Jane Austin]

18. I appreciate your OP.

Don't know why everybody is in such a bad mood tonight.

I think your observations are interesting and I'm truly sorry your town has been hit so hard.

And damn WalMart anyway.

[ColbertWatcher]

25. Excuse me, don't mean to interrupt, but...

...you said,

"...THREE candidates who he perceives as not offering anything new or different...and you have someone who is totally disenchanted and disinterested in the process. If the candidates are all interchangeable...then certainly you can see why he doesn't see the need to vote."

Interchangeable?

I'm glad to hear your friend had an epiphany, but does he still watch FOX?

I don't see how anyone can completely have their head removed from their ass if they still watch FOX.

FOX is where lies come from.

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Kucinich and Edwards were/are significantly better candidates than the two front-runners the corprat

media decided on for us. Either of those two (I prefer Edwards) would have brought about real change. But noooo---- we had to have an historical election. :argh:

[notesdev]

4. Hard to argue with that

you can throw in the media, too

with these candidates and this media there's pretty much no chance of anything substantial being discussed in the national debate. Bread & Circuses for everyone!

[Matariki]

17. Rabid then, rabid now.

Big deal - the wingnuts don't like McCain - that's not news. And it's a surprise to you that they don't like Clinton or Obama?

[ThomWV]

26. Isn't that the truth. No one 'used to be' a right wing asswipe and then saw the light.

If you're born with feathers you're a bird, you can glue on scales, but it will not make you a fish.

[spoony]

28. People aren't born into a political opinion

And the idea that they cannot change is silly, at best.

[earth mom]

19. Yeah, but did he include * in with that opinion? nt

[Horse with no Name]

20. He hates Bush

Most people around here do.
THAT is what we should be capitalizing on...and we aren't.

[earth mom]

21. Good to hear that! Glad to know that some on the right are waking up.

And I agree we've lost our focus.

We've forgotten that * & Co still have 9 months left in office.

They can do a lot of damage in that time. :scared:

[michreject]

22. Which way was S/he voting?

Or did they not say?

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Do they mean ALL the candidates

or just the republicans?

[ThomWV]

27. No. Ron Paul is a savior, all the rest are crap. Oh, and he never quit the race.

Bwahahahahahaha!