Indendent is normally the way to vote IMO. It may not immediate results, but if people would hang in there and continue to vote independent it could change things. A BIG problem in our politics is the staunch partisanship. They (the politicians) vote strictly Demo or Repub, then bicker like a bunch of school kids-with very little to do with our (the PEOPLE) needs and wants in mind. My 2 cents.

 

TRX said what I was going to. A vote for the independant party takes away from the conservative vote which we need to safeguard our right to land access and the right to enjoy our sport. You may not like it but the fact is that in our system of government, an independant candidate cannot win the presidency. Furthermore, once elected, an independant candidate would have no power in office. The game of politics is one of favors and alliances. An independant candidate carries no loyalties from either the Republican or Democratic parties. How many congressmen are there in government with no party affiliation? NONE. Every single member of congress is a member of the Republican or Democratic parties and carries loyalties to their affiliation. We may not completely like the Republican platform but the fact remains that if we are to gain any political ground, it must be on the side of the Republican view. We need the conservatives.

For more info on this topic, I invite you to read this post: DEAN: PRESIDNETIAL CANDIDATE ANTI-ATV

It contains several good specific examples of the threat Dean poses on the outdoor enthusiast.


~HoundDog

 

How about Senator Jeffords of Vermont, and Rep. Sanders, aslo of Vermont? Both independants in Congress. Check the facts first Houndog.
I know what you are saying, but why throw inthe towell for our system?
I hate to break this to you, but ATV's are far from the most imporant issue on the plate. We need people who are not afraid to stand up to the big parties, the lobbyists, the special interest groups. These politicians are not Republicans or Democrats.
Indedpendants mean exactly that, they are independant, they do whats best for the people they represent.
How can you say nothing will get done working against parties? Some of hte biggest swings in Education have happened under Bush with the help and support of Kennedy, last time I checked they were farther apart than any Independant is from either a Democrat or Republican. Did you know about the campaign finance reforms? Two parties worked that out. Three parties could have done it right!

 

Enough Politics for me. . . I respectfully disagree with you KGB.

I understand what you are saying and I think your goal is lofty (changing the US to a 3-party system or changing the system itself somehow.)

I believe the biggest impact I can have it to go with the system we have and elect the person that best fits my views. I vote in every election and I vote along party lines. I believe the best way to win the game is to have a team without any of the competition on it!

I am not the typical Republican in that I won't say, "you don't understand!" Most Republicans scare off people that would listen by yelling at them.

I won't debate with you anymore in this forum KGB so please don't take my silence as an agreement with your views. I respect your views but, I just can't agree with them.

 

Dune me,(and anybody else) I am sorry for turning this into a debate. I am just a nut when it comes to politics, it can really get under my skin, sorry.
I repsect your opinion, and more than that, I respect your openmindedness (did I just make up a word?). It matters not to me what one believes, as long as they look to all sides with an open mind. You definetly have that covered!
Well said Dune Me.
I am paddling up a creek with brownish , stinky water and I have no paddle, I know, I just can't help it!
We are still on for the Little Saraha (Utah) right?

 

My personal meaning of voting independent was to not blindly follow a party line. I voted for Mr Bush and will again. Voting always is the lesser of evils in a sense, because the only one who agrees with me on everything is, well, me.

As far as presidential politics go, we are in a 2 party system and that will not soon change if ever. But I get pretty go***mn sick of Republicans that spend like drunken Democrats, trying to show how compassionate they are. People who are 22 years old and trying to start a life shouldn't be paying for prescription drugs for a retired guy touring the US in his $500,000 motor home.

 

In adding...the only laws that are passed and passed based on who comes up with enough cash....this is fact. Freaking politicians are all dirty anyway.

 

KGB:

I'ld like to make it to Utah but, we'll have to see how things go this year. Honestly, I was hoping a few more would jump on it and really make it into an ATV Connection Gathering.

I will probably need to watch it a little this year. Just got back from Gordon's Well (11 hour drive) over X-mas and heading to Glamis for 4 Stroke W's next week. We'll be at Sand Mt., NV for Spring break / Easter as well as Memorial and Labor Day. We have a week-long trip to Oregon planned also and I'm sure we'll want to make a trip to Pismo over the summer.

If there isn't a big gathering I will probably look at Utah as a 2005 trip. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif[/img]

 

KGB,

Well, you certainly know how to pick your examples. Let me give you a little background on your congressman:

Senator James Jeffords (that's with a "d") I-VT began his career as a Naval Man serving actively from 1956 to 1959 and retired from the reserves in 1990. Jeffords held his first political office in 1967 when he served as a Vermont State Senator under the Republican flag. In 1968, Jeffords obtained his first statewide office as Vermont Attorney General. He held this office until 1973. In 1975 Jeffords became Vermont's Representative. For the next few year, Jeffords cosponsored a few small bills such as highway attachments and medicare standard modification bills. He became the ranking republican member of the House Education and Labor Committee and served on the House Agriculture Committee.

In 1988, Jeffords abandoned the Republican party who had helped to make his career and chose the route of an independent, gaining a seat in the Senate for the State of Vermont. Since then, Jeffords has been responsible for such bills as Senate Bill S.269, a bill to Amend the Lacy Act to close public land to protect wildlife in New England, and S.1210, a bill to force the conservation of Marine Turtles in foreign countries.

In 2002, Jeffords was named with top honors by both the Sierra Club and PETA.

This information and more can be found at Jeffords's own site at http://jeffords.senate.gov.

KGB,

No congressman in US history (since the evolution of the two difinitive parties) has ever made it to congress without prior support by a national party (that being either Democrat or Republican). Next time you tell someone to get their facts straight, make sure your own are in order first.


Respectably,

~HoundDog

 

Houndog,
I am impressed with your knowledge of the issue. By no means was I saying Jeffords is good bad or otherwise, and for sure he has a different agenda than you or I. Heck, its hard to pick a good one, when there is only teo to chose from! I did not mean to sound , whats the word, ahhhhhh, condesending, about getting facts straight. All I was doing was pointing out the fact that there is in fact Congressmen not a part of either of the two parties, as you stated:
"Every member of congress is a member of the Republican or Democratic party and carries loyalties to their affiliation"
You and I are on the same side, and I would bet we would agree on 95% of political issues, I am very conservative. I am just too dumb to realize I can't do anything to change our corrupt system.
I am not going to blindly vote independant, republican, or democratic. I will vote for the candidate that I feel will do the best job for me and my state. Unfortuantly, that will most likely be an Independant vote.
I respect you and your opinion very much, thanks for the education!