A Democrat friend is not voting for Obama

She is not voting at all, because:

* Obama made the statement that "Jesus walks with me"
* Obama doesn't support late-term abortion under all circumstances

Let me say first off that those who vote by principle alone are people I understand. I get it. Those who vote primarily on practical grounds - how to get our guy in office - I understand them too.

But there has to be some middle ground.

Another one I have is that he supports "clean coal" which is total bullshit because it's anything BUT clean.

But the alternative of putting Palin in office is horrendous. :yoiks:

1. Someone who wants to tell Jesus what to do
2. Outlaw ALL abortions

...than the right-wing drumbeat of "Don't vote for Obama, he's a Muslim"? Something you might point out to your friend.

I'm neither a Christian nor a Muslim, but if someone's living the spirit (as opposed to the letter) of their chosen faith, and not forcing it upon others, I have no arguement with them.

Good luck in 2008 finding a viable atheist candidate.

Ironically, a quote from Donald Rumsfeld applies: "You fight the war with the army you've got."

This is the army we've got.

to have a religion belief? Maybe she's just reluctant to tell you that she's voting for Palin.

and she supported Kerry. But no, she would never vote for McCain/Palin.

I'm wondering if there might be a racial component here.

that to her attention?

everyone by not voting for anyone. :crazy:

I understand, but I don't 'get' this mindset, unless the past 8 years were somehow good for her.

Talk about cutting off your nose to spite your face. :eyes:

She's just close enough where I could use that on her, without her being offended. :thumbsup:

is a Bahai Faith, against abortion, and votes for democrats. She says that there are too many other important issues.

she needs to look at health care, the war in Iraq, etc and choose the best of the two candidates.

That's exactly what it comes down to.

and I don't agree with him on those things either, but come on - talk about not seeing the wood for the trees! For any caring person, there's WAY more to like about Obama than to dislike.

of the candidates' positions.

The purity test voters, on both sides, are just . . . dim.

Tell her that I too wish, some day, to unreservedly vote FOR someone, but voting Against someone works also.

If only more people were like her!!

:sarcasm:

to share their understanding of their personal relationship with their God in answers and interviews. I despise it. I despise the voluntary, one-sided declarations. I don't mind mini-statement/prayers - such as 'God willing' - when the context is right. (I'm not an atheist.)

:shrug:

Holding one's breath until one turns blue works only for children with very stupid parents.

but she is very active politically, and frankly a very nice person.

This is just weird.

Is it a swing state or is it a red or blue state that is likely to go red or blue w/o her vote?

Also, ask her how she feels about McCain being president, having melanoma strike and kill him and Palin being in charge of appointing a supreme court judge. Roe V Wade is already on the brink because we have 4 right wing justices (Scalia, Thomas, Roberts, Alito). A 5th and all it takes is someone to file a lawsuit against abortions and have it go to the supreme court and Roe v Wade is gone and we can go back to the days of back alley abortions (at least in the south and midwest, alot of other states would still uphold abortion law).

I disagree with Obama when he criticizes government takeover of healthcare as 'raising taxes and gov. takeover'. That works fine in every other wealthy country and would save $400 billion/yr. I also disagree with how he has to pander to gullible low information voters who are dumb enough to think he is an Islamic Al Qaeda double agent by saying "I'm a christian" every 5 minutes. But I agree with Obama on 85% of the Issues and agree with Palin/McCain on 10%. So I'm voting Obama.

She can afford to vote on principle (I guess).

All your points are good and I hope I am going to have a chance to sit down with her before the election and get down to nitty-gritty. I have my own laundry list of items that will not be addressed by Obama - but also recognize that being stubborn can be a liability.

I only say that because I lived there for more than a decade and had more than my fill of sycophants!

that the politician may lean towards their particular issues.

One of my cousin's husbands said recently that he wont vote for Obama because Obama hasn't done enough to address world hunger, which is pretty much his singular political issue for whatever reason.

I point out to him that Obama is a lot more likely to enact policies that help the US economy recover which will have a broad effect on world hunger.

I think that's the best way to convince single or few issue voters. While a candidate may not be willing to dump buckets of money on their issue or wave a magic wand and make something go away or appear, they need to consider how each candidates policy will affect their issues.

In this particular case, I'd say "which candidate do you think will be more strongly influenced by religious extremisim?" and "while Obama may not support late-term abortions under all circumstances, his policies on abortion are a lot more liberal/progressive than McCain, and in particular, Palin, who doesn't think you should be able to get an abortion ever, under any circumstances."

Pointing out the alternatives will be the only way to get through to her. It's almost as if her anger at Obama for his abortion stance is blinding her to some truly frightening possibilities.

Roe vs. Wade says that the State has every right to reasonably regulate a woman's access to a late term abortion. AFAIK, there is no State in the Union that allows a woman to terminate a 3rd trimester pregnancy "under all circumstances". Obama's view is in keeping with Roe vs. Wade.

as our lives (what's left of us) depend on it.

We'll never have it under McBush. At least there is hope with Obama.

I see two choices. I can stay home like a baby and have a fit because the rest of the country doesn't agree with me, or go vote for the best choice.

Obama made the statement that "Jesus walks with me"

If Carter didn't actually say that, he'd wholeheartedly endorse it.

Obama doesn't support late-term abortion under all circumstances

Clinton was ready to sign a ban on late-term abortion rammed through the then-repuke Congress. Only pleas and entreaties from a number of women who had had the procedure caused him to change his mind and veto it.

tell her the communist's refusal to work with the democrats and socialists made it possible for Hitler to rise of power. this is the truth.

in this case, her refusal to vote is like giving money to Dobson and all the other anti-abortion nuts.

Obama is NOT GOING TO MESS WITH ROE V. WADE. He's just not.

Your friend is the sort of person that I rarely find is worth the time of day. This is the real world, not some utopia where a pol thinks and says everything you like. If ever there was a time to look like a fool and refuse to vote for the democrat, this is the time.

EVER LEARN THEIR LESSON.

NOT THAT IT WILL DO ANY GOOD, BUT ASK HER IF IT WILL BE BETTER WHEN SARAH PALIN GETS HER MITTS ON THE WHITE HOUSE AND OUTLAWS ABORTION ALL TOGETHER????

and there are many things I don't like about our two party system. But it is better to have a choice and exercise it than not to. Obama is not perfect, that is for damn sure, but he is much better than the alternative.

Still, people are allowed to think for themselves.

I have some wonderful friends who are voting Republican.

It's always hard to know where to draw the line.

It is for me.

While I understand that her choice is hard for many who see this election as life or death, I respect her right to make her own choice, for her own reasons.

In my years at DU, DUers have taught me a lot. They've taught me that nothing is sacred, and that no principle is safe when it's time to "win."

They've taught me that anyone who disagrees with them is an idiot, a moron, clueless, irresponsible, narrow-minded, blind, etc.. I love that this lesson comes from so many people who don't agree with each other, but all still judge dissent the same way.

They've taught me that pragmatism trumps principles and conscience every time, and that anyone standing on principle is "fringe," "loon," etc..

They've taught me that politicians with principles and conscience are "unelectable."

They've taught me that the Constitution is important, unless it is a democrat who refuses to support and defend it, or unless it gets in a democrat's, or the democratic party's, way.

They've taught me about empty rhetoric and hypocrisy. About the practice of deriding the opposition for doing the very same things they are doing themselves.

They've taught me the meaning of "flip-flop."

They've taught me all about the blame game, where it's always someone else's fault when they lose.

Along the way, I've met some great people who balance things out, too.

I know a lot of DUers, and maybe you yourself, will judge your friend harshly.

I'd rather respect her right to make her own choice as a citizen, just as the rest of us are doing.

I don't agree with not voting, but I don't have to agree to respect her right to make her own choice, or to acknowledge that she sees this election through a different lens than many of us.