US Vice-Presidential hopeful Sara Palin

[James Deuce]

Id vote for McCAin / Palin if I lived in the States. Obama has got the gift of the gab but Id worry how much depth there is behind it.....

I wouldn't vote for either team. The Democratic selection has to be the weakest ever.

The person they needed right now is Hilary Clinton. She's the only politician who I loathe, but still respect for being devious, under-handed, and plain mean. Perfect combination for a country that needs to reinvent itself very, very quickly.

[MisterD]

Name one McCain policy which you consider superior to Obama's position.

Or is it just because you instinctively distrust anyone who's black and/or a 'leftie'?

You'd fit right in over there.

Shame on you Jrandom - any criticism of Obama is racism? That's not up to your usual standards of debate.

I too think B.O is, to employ a favourite northernism, "all mouth and no trousers"

[jrandom]

Shame on you Jrandom - any criticism of Obama is racism?

Not at all. I was just interested in RT's reasons for speaking of a 'lack of depth'. And, RT being RT, one always feels obliged to suspect that the reasons boil down to "I'm a grumpy old white man".



Like, what does 'lack of depth' actually mean? Policies are policies. I'd like to see where the Democrats are failing to pony up in that regard. Not that I have a firm opinion of my own on it - it's just that when people say that there's a lack, I assume they're talking about something specific.

And if they have nothing specific to point to, I'm going to start wondering about irrational prejudices...

I too think B.O is, to employ a favourite northernism, "all mouth and no trousers"

Mmyes. So, why do you think that?

[Street Gerbil]

You people need to understand that the elections are all about compromises. We may dislike something in McCain or Republicans just as we dislike certain things in Nats. But we are going to vote Nats anyhow, just as Americans are going to vote McCain just because the alternative is Helen Clark/Obama bin Biden.

[jrandom]

You people need to understand that the elections are all about compromises.

And, apparently, personalities are far more important than policies.

I see you're another anti-Obama type. I find that fascinating. What is it that you think makes the man a bad presidential candidate?

[Street Gerbil]

I see you're another anti-Obama type. I find that fascinating. What is it that you think makes the man a bad presidential candidate?

Ghmmmm.... where do I start? Like not being Jimmy Carter v.2.0. Or not being a feminine version of Helen Clark.

[James Deuce]

But we are going to vote Nats anyhow.

No we're not. My wife is a longtime National supporter.

Last night John Key dissed Nursing so badly that she won't ever vote National again.

Most of you probably missed it, but John Key said "most patients don't care about the medal on the Nurse's uniform."

Look for the standard of care to fall in hospitals as highly qualified nurses are replaced by untrained aides. Good way of saving cash in the hospital system.

I'm not voting National simply because they are actively working to exclude one of my kids from ever going to school, ever getting a job, and ever being able to form relationships with similarly afflicted peers. Keep them isolated and uneducated and they die sooner, thereby relieving the state of a burden. I expect compulsory genetic screening and compulsory abortions to implemented and probably supported by most KBers, not long after the election is over.

John Key made his money from fiddling with money. He is the financial equivalent of a paedophile, and has the moral and ethical backbone of an Eel. At least Helen's authoritarian leanings are plainly known. In reality what effect have Labour's policies had on most of you directly? I would suspect very little. Businesses struggle in NZ under an intolerable burden, that is plain to see, and that needs to change, but I fear any change is gong to be too little and too late. John Key has already stated that the tax rebate for R&D is going to be abolished if National get in. NZ's leadership plainly don't want innovative niche manufacturing in NZ.

[Coyote]

Name one McCain policy which you consider superior to Obama's position.

Or is it just because you instinctively distrust anyone who's black and/or a 'leftie'?

You'd fit right in over there.

McCain has policies? Has he mentioned them in a debate? Cause I haven't heard one yet. But I know Obama is a baaaaaad man.

George W. Bush has been the lulziest president by far. McCain is an older replica that should continue the zany fun. And by the time we're bored of him, he should die off and then it'll be Palin's turn! Then hopefully Jesus will fly down in his F-22 Raptor and save us all before someone gets hurt that's not Arab.

Did you know: Firefox spellcheck's first correction to 'Arab' being spelt without a capital A is 'crab'?

[MisterD]

Mmyes. So, why do you think that?

Mainly it's the over-reliance on this "change" mantra - I see too much of the Tony Blair in him for my liking, all he seems to stand for is not being George W.

Not that I'm a big fan of McCain either, I guess they're all just too American for my liking.

[Robert Taylor]

Name one McCain policy which you consider superior to Obama's position.

Or is it just because you instinctively distrust anyone who's black and/or a 'leftie'?

You'd fit right in over there.

Its despicable for you to infer what you just did, I have friends who have a different colour skin and heck, I even have friends who are lefties ( we just agree to disagree )

Obama as I said has got the gift of the gab and has got a domineering voice, so have a lot of used car salesmen. I dont like such people and prefer those with a quiet demeanour. Heck I would have voted for JFK in the sixties, despite his human failings.

Frankly neither presidential choices are great.

[Dave Lobster]

Mainly it's the over-reliance on this "change" mantra - I see too much of the Tony B liar in him for my liking, all he seems to stand for is not being George W.

Edited for spelling.

[jrandom]

Obama as I said has... a domineering voice... I dont like such people.

You prefer candidates on the basis of likeability? Me, I'd vote for a complete bastard if I thought he was more likely to make the right decisions in office.

I apologise for the implication of racism, by the way. Always good to hear that some of a person's best friends aren't white, etc.

So, anyhoo. It seems clear that the local anti-Obama faction are reacting instinctively to his personal manner, rather than disagreeing with any actual policies or philosophical positions of his camp.

I must say, that seems... oddly juvenile.

[jrandom]

... over-reliance on this "change" mantra

Every candidate has to have soundbites for the average Murkn TV viewer with an brain the size of a ping-pong ball. He's inevitably damned to reciting meaningless mantras, because nobody would pay attention if he said anything else.

I think you might find, however, that if you read some of his policy papers, buried deep on the interwebs, he has some rather productive ideas.

Not that it matters. We're spectators. Personally, I'd favour settling the election with a fight to the death between the VP candidates.

[jrandom]

John Key has already stated that the tax rebate for R&D is going to be abolished if National get in.

There is a large question mark over whether this has ever benefited anyone other than accountants, and companies which would have been quite successful even without it.

Part of the problem is that to get a tax credit, you have to have revenue in the first place, and if you have revenue you're generally in a position to fund R&D via further investment anyhow. The tax credit is just... not the right answer.

Note that National is not suggesting canning TBG and the like, which has had a demonstrable positive effect (heck, it's paid my salary for a couple of years).

NZ's leadership plainly don't want innovative niche manufacturing in NZ.

See, that's an uninformed and alarmist statement, right there. You have a spin doctor's logic, my lord!

Now, regarding National, I agree with you in terms of the nursing issue, etc. I also agree that Key is a slimeball.

Historically, I've always felt that Labour's policies have tended toward a safer long-term social approach. But the current administration is morally bankrupt. It needs to go, even if only for a single term, so that it may return duly chastised and ready to actually listen to its electorate.

That's why, this election, I'm pulling the finger to the whole steaming lot of them, and ticking the leaf.

[The Stranger:Me]

I must say, that seems... oddly juvenile.

Even more juvenile I guess is that I tend to root for the underdog.
Given the somewhat extreme left stance of the press and media, I hope McCain/Palin win just to spite them.

That and hey, I'd rather watch a speech by Palin than Klark anyday.