What do you dislike about your candidate?

[crb]

I think some people are a little too in-love with Obama (see Narcissiia), how unlikely is it that someone would agree with every position a politician has, think they're incapable of political manuevering or lying? So many Obama followers seem like they're merely infatuated.

I thought it would be fun to ask people to post things they dislike about the candidate they plan on voting for.

I'll go first.

I don't like McCain's pro-life stance, though I believe he isn't as much of a true believer as Bush.

I don't like some of McCain's environmental positions, I think cap and trade would be bad, and I'm still for drilling in ANWR.

I agree with him that issues like gay marriage should be a matter for the states, thus opposing a federal law, but I disagree with his support for Arizona's gay marriage ban.

I'm going to assume he is against the legalization of marijuana, though I don't recall reading that anywhere I think it is safe to assume almost all major party politicians are against it, I'm for it.

Will any Obama supporters dare try to come up with things they dislike about him?

[CrystalTears]

McCain:
Even though I'm pro-life, I'm against any politician who is trying to get it banned in any way instead of just regulating it better.\
I disagree with his gay marriage ban as well.

Obama:
I'm against universal healthcare.
I'm against a SET timetable without consideration of the state of Iraq.
I believe his European tour was unnecessary and ill-timed.
The "pay as you go" plan seems like bullshit as it's just pandering so that he can go buckwild on programs that we don't really need.

Neither of them have the answers for the economy, which is what I care about the most.

[Warriorbird]

So you can seize on them and insult us beforehand? That's so attractive!

What the heck.

I think Obama was foolish for giving in on FISA. I think Obama was also foolish for throwing Wesley Clark under the bus. He needs to not be afraid to go in on McCain.

He needs to not be lulled by the corporate owned media's lack of willingness to go in on McCain for his real problems.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Holy assumptions, Batman. Just because I think you, CRB, are a hysterical idiot doesn't mean I want to have Obama's love child.

In all seriousness, I am most likely voting for him but I've never been one to absolutely tow a party line (or think that someone from the opposite party is a liar because of the feelings in my tummy).


But hell, for shits and giggles, here's what I don't like about Obama.

Like WB, I hate what he did concerning the FISA bill.

I do not like his stance on gun control (i.e. no concealed weapons)

Energy wise I'm uncomfortable with his interest in ethanol.

Neither him or McCain do I think have real great plans for our economy.

I am not for totally socialized healthcare, either.

I don't like his proposed "reform" on NCLB, either. He just talks about improving assessments and giving back the money but IMO that's not solving problems, merely relocating them.

[Parkbandit]

I wish I had a candidate I agreed with and felt comfortable voting for.

:(

Currently, I'm either pulling a Tamral and staying home on election day.. or voting for Obama and preparing to weather the financial storm he'll put me through.

[Parkbandit]

Sure:

I don't like Obama because even though people do understand that what's in a name has diddly to do with an individual's personal motivation, it really sucks because it's setting an example that we can't make fun of names as much -- And when I was a kid, I used to make fun of people with stupid names all the time: And that is truly an irreplaceable special-something for children growing up.

So your real name isn't Stanley?

[Stanley Burrell]

Will any Obama supporters dare try to come up with things they dislike about him?

Sure:

I don't like Obama because even though people do understand that what's in a name has diddly to do with an individual's personal motivation, it really sucks because it's setting an example that we can't make fun of names as much -- And when I was a kid, I used to make fun of people with stupid names all the time: And that is truly an irreplaceable special-something for children growing up.

We've already had Dick, Colon and Bush within the same presidency. I just think it really disallows us, as a people, from making fun of other people with dumbass names. Anything that's one step closer to pardoning Zappa children from being made fun of for their well-deserved curse is giving in to the TARR'RISTS. That's why I'm writing to congress concerning this issue. To save America for our children. And our children's children. That don't have gay-sounding names. Amen.

[Stanley Burrell]

So your real name isn't Stanley?

I was listening to MC Hammer, admittedly, when I was reading a forum badmouthing my GemStone character like twelve years ago, here, so I had to think quick.

Not being able to think quick, the rest of the story becaming pretty self-evident.

[Latrinsorm]

I dislike that we have to actually go through the motions of an election. Couldn't we just make Obama President-for-Life now or, failing that, Supreme Potentate For An As-Yet Unspecified Term?

Comrade Obama for SPFASYUT!!

[Stanley Burrell]

That's becaming to sound like a good idea, honestly.

[Ashliana]

I dislike that despite the death penalty being a very contentious issue, split fairly evenly, both sides seem to cater to the pro-death penalty side, despite all scientific evidence showing that under any rationale, it doesn't work--whether it be the economic cost of incarceration versus execution, the immeasurable and possibly non-existent deterrent effect and the questionable morality of it.

[AnticorRifling]

I'm currently not overly impressed with either canidate. Both have stances on issues I disagree with and both have some ideas I like. I'm not sure either canidate will be that great of a president. They're coming into a shit storm and they didn't bring umbrellas.

[Ashliana]

I also don't like Obama's moronic stance on paying for education programs by delaying NASA's constellation program for five years. In the CNN/Youtube Debates, McCain came out very strongly for NASA, which I was extremely impressed with.

[CrystalTears]

I also don't like Obama's moronic stance on paying for education programs by delaying NASA's constellation program for five years. In the CNN/Youtube Debates, McCain came out very strongly for NASA, which I was extremely impressed with.
If that's true, Obama lost points with me. NASA/scientific research is a big deal for me.

[Clove]

I dislike that despite the death penalty being a very contentious issue, split fairly evenly, both sides seem to cater to the pro-death penalty side, despite all scientific evidence showing that under any rationale, it doesn't work--whether it be the economic cost of incarceration versus execution, the immeasurable and possibly non-existent deterrent effect and the questionable morality of it.I disagree with most capital punishment too, but when both sides come off pro-death penalty despite strong evidence that criticizes both its effectiveness and expense- you have to ask yourself what the prevailing voter opinion is.

Remember, "They voted for the war because their constituents believed Bush's lies". Same idea.

[Clove]

If that's true, Obama lost points with me. NASA/scientific research is a big deal for me.Ditto. Satellites, laser, shuttles and space stations are most cool and I want to be able to get the fuck off this planet someday, before the riff-raff take over completely.

[Mighty Nikkisaurus]

Ditto. Satellites, laser, shuttles and space stations are most cool and I want to be able to get the fuck off this planet someday, before the riff-raff take over completely.

Obama just has the foresight to realize that the sooner these lasers especially are developed, the sooner the homosexuals are gonna take over the planet.

[Stanley Burrell]

Ditto. Satellites, laser, shuttles and space stations are most cool and I want to be able to get the fuck off this planet someday, before the riff-raff take over completely.

Thanks, Backlash.

With a little bit of NIH funding and few less unilateral vetoes, we might live long enough to see it. Grant submission in the 99.5% for approval is something that can only be ameliorated by a candidate without a phobia of eight-stage embryonic stem cells. Or perhaps the entire field of OBGYN. Or any human sciences, for that matter.

I hate to say it, but condoning science fiction with a space twist is far less of an imperative issue than prolonging the human lifespan. Better disease research will probably help a lot less money get usurped in what should be archaic health issues.

[Gan]

These mentioned below are the issues I am in disagreement with each candidate.

McCain:
Pro-life
Gay-Marriage
Economy
Immigration (specifically opening up federal assistance to illegals in the form of food stamps, federal housing, and healthcare)

Obama:
Universal Healthcare
Taxes
Economy
Iraq Timetable
Handgun Ban
Support for Organized Labor Unions
Minimum Wage increase
Iran
Advocate of use of Medical Marajuana (my emphasis is in public use)
Opposition to privatizing Social Security
NASA funding
ANWR




Interesting issue comparison site:
http://obama-mccain.info/index-obama-mccain.php

[Renian]

McCain:
Economics (lack of knowledge and utter stupidity)
Lack of competence
Epic flip-flops
Temper
Very pro-war stance

Obama:
Pro-Choice
FISA bullshit stance
Economics (YES LET'S TAX MORE IN A RECESSION BECAUSE THAT HELPS. Hopefully he'll hold off until later OR spend the same amount with it or close to it.)
Seeming attempt to move toward the middle


Also I wonder why you guys don't like Obama's war timetable when Iraq officials approve of it.

[Clove]

Thanks, Backlash.

With a little bit of NIH funding and few less unilateral vetoes, we might live long enough to see it. Grant submission in the 99.5% for approval is something that can only be ameliorated by a candidate without a phobia of eight-stage embryonic stem cells. Or perhaps the entire field of OBGYN. Or any human sciences, for that matter.

I hate to say it, but condoning science fiction with a space twist is far less of an imperative issue than prolonging the human lifespan. Better disease research will probably help a lot less money get usurped in what should be archaic health issues.Fine. How do you feel about your cell phone, microwave oven, micro computers, GPS navigation, satellite communication and satellite aided weather prediction. We owe the development of all these things (and more) to the space program. NASA programs help us, here on Earth.

[Sean]

Whats more important finding more funds to help our education system or M-A-R-S Bitches?!

[crb]

NASA funding provides a positive ROI in the technology it helps develop.

If it weren't for things like the space race and defense spending the computer revolution might not have started in this country, and all those jobs that are now part of the tech world could be located elsewhere.

Education funding, too often doesn't lead to a positive ROI. We spend more on education than any other developed country already and what do we have to show for it?

The public education system needs to be torn down and rebuilt, then we can fund it more, if needed.

[Sean]

I'd agree with you if I felt that this was a maneuver that would lead to shutting down NASA (which I think would be a mistake). He's advocated delaying a $100b program (essentially manned space craft to the moon again) in exchange for more money for education, which I'm okay with.

[Clove]

NASA funding provides a positive ROI in the technology it helps develop.Pure research always pays in the long run. We just never know how.

[Ashliana]

McCain:
Economics (YES LET'S TAX MORE IN A RECESSION BECAUSE THAT HELPS. Hopefully he'll hold off until later OR spend the same amount with it or close to it.)

I'd just like to point out that a big part of our current economic troubles has been caused by our lack of taxation (see the Bush tax cuts, which 10 of the 24 living American nobel laureates impassionately opposed) in relation to our ever-increasing defense spending and oil company tax breaks.

We continue to borrow, borrow, borrow foreign money and not tax to pay it back. It's caused the dollar to become devalued, which has driven up the price of oil--a major source of our economic woes.

Raising taxes for no reason would reduce economic growth, and make the situation worse. But repaying our massive (and climbing) foreign debt, and reducing unnecessary defense spending, is key to restoring the value of the dollar and getting the economy back on track.

[Valthissa]

Pure research always pays in the long run. We just never know how.

If only they (NASA) would research.

From my perspective (aerospace since 1983) NASA is a tired bureaucracy that exists to redistribute public funds to companies addicted to the government tit.

C/Valth

and on topic -

I have a natural dislike of anyone that thinks as much of themselves as both McCain and Obama seem to.

[Renian]

I'd just like to point out that a big part of our current economic troubles has been caused by our lack of taxation (see the Bush tax cuts, which 10 of the 24 living American nobel laureates impassionately opposed) in relation to our ever-increasing defense spending and oil company tax breaks.

We continue to borrow, borrow, borrow foreign money and not tax to pay it back. It's caused the dollar to become devalued, which has driven up the price of oil--a major source of our economic woes.

Raising taxes for no reason would reduce economic growth, and make the situation worse. But repaying our massive (and climbing) foreign debt, and reducing unnecessary defense spending, is key to restoring the value of the dollar and getting the economy back on track.

I don't disagree. But I think we should get rid of deficit spending by not changing taxes, increasing the government's efficiency/cutting dumb government bs (like unnecessary defense spending, sure), and then getting to a budget surplus to pay back the debt.

If that's not completely practical, then I wouldn't horribly mind them adding a temporary tax, so long as it stated that it is indeed temporary. Very temporary. Taxing the wealthy a little bit more is generally OK too, but my family is in a rather high tax bracket, and I'm going to a really expensive college so more taxes ATM will suck. Top of the tax brackets is a given though.

[crb]

There certainly is no excuse for the federal budget to have what? Tripled in the last 8 years?

I do take exception with the notion of "if we'd only taxed more we wouldn't be in this mess."

If we hadn't had the tax cuts we might still be in a recession, without the nice growth of the last few years.

The real problem is spending.

[Renian]

The real problem is spending.

Only if it's foreign.

Which, as I understand it, it is.

Or, of course, we have to borrow money to do so.

[Clove]

If only they (NASA) would research.

From my perspective (aerospace since 1983) NASA is a tired bureaucracy that exists to redistribute public funds to companies addicted to the government tit.

C/Valth

and on topic -

I have a natural dislike of anyone that thinks as much of themselves as both McCain and Obama seem to.

Is there a government agency that isn't a tired bureaucracy? Definitive, not distinctive. As a government agency they are terribly inefficient, and maybe it's time to give space over to the private sector... but I'm not so sure entrepenuers are ready to step in just yet.

[Latrinsorm]

Why doesn't everyone love physics as much as fuckin' NASA? Is it the big... telescopes? :(

[ClydeR]

If I were going to vote for one of the two major party candidates, it would be McCain. What I dislike about him is that, based on his history of constantly changing his positions based on what is popular at the moment, I have no idea whether or not the positions he espouses today will be different from the ones he holds after he is elected.

[Apathy]

Here's what I dislike about each candidate:

McCain = Bush Sr.

Obama = Carter

It's going to be 4 years of facepalm, the only reason I'm leaning towards Obama right now IS his charisma and eloquence.