Announcing the AbovePolitics.com 2007 Elections for President of the United States!

Originally posted by djohnsto77
I've already been involved in two unsuccessful ATS elections, so I think I'll sit this one out.

But if anyone needs an advisor, I'm available.

Sure I would love to listen to what you have to say. Give me a U2U sometime

I like the Idea of this election even though there are so many good candidates out there I think I have an excelent chance of winning this one.

Well Vagabond, luckily, yes I will be able to take in the replies. I'm lucky enough to be able to read something 1 time, and have it memorized/understood very quickly. It is because of that I don't have to waste time rereading a response as I interpret things very quickly so the only thing that takes time is typing a response.

I will admit that responding in depth to each and every person would be my only challenge. Reading ideas, problems and solutions though is rather easy for me, which is why I welcomed any and all messages via U2U, so long as its a well formulated message, thought out, and understood to be important.

I do ask that they try to the best of their ability to not go off on rants and rather keep it direct and to the point simply because it would make it more clear as to what you are getting at.

But yes, I am very confident as to my ability to read and understand statements quickly, thus being able to take in more material then most other candidates. I only have such confidence from previous experience with taking opinions complex and simple, understanding them, and responding to them, while maintaining composer and not showing a lack of enthusiasm.

To each his own, as they say.

[edit on 23-1-2007 by grimreaper797]

It was shocking to hear The Vagabond saying that he desires, "slower, less efficient." government and that he is willing to pander to the masses and eschew the best policies in favor of a politically expedient "second best policy". And if this was not enough grimreaper797 says that his "lack of enthusiasm" is a benificial quality for a presidential candidate.

Don't we already have an inefficient, morally compromised and unenthusiastic government?

[edit on 23-1-2007 by df1]

Can the ATS President of the United States be banned.....err.......impeached once elected?

Peace

Grim, I wish you the best of luck with the approach you've chosen. If your style is the one best able to serve the voters, good on you. Personally I have my doubts, but I'm sure time will vindicate one side or the other.

As for DF1's distortion of what I have said, the response is quite simple.

Do you prefer the decisive speed with which the Bush administration is able to work by ignoring the will of the majority and circumventing the democratic process through sometimes unconstitutional and usually unethical trickery?

It is no secret that Democracy is a slower and less decisive process than authoritarianism, and will at times require that the plan that looks best from an ivory tower be traded in for a less elegant plan which is more workable down on the level of the real world. These weaknesses are more than offset by comparatively stronger ability of democracy to hold a nation to its organizing principle- the collective good of the people.

Is it entirely lost upon you that in the example of the national debt that I gave, the swifter, more efficient answer would be devastating to many common people, while predominantly benefiting the long-term interests of multi-national corporations built with American capital, while the slower and less efficient sollution meets the same challenges in the long term without undue hardship to the citizens who make it all possible?

I believe in Democracy to the fullest extent, and by implication the supremacy of the interests of the common man. As a matter of principle, I will refuse to embrace any policy smelling of authoritarianism or elitism, no matter what it may cost me politically. For this end I will work as efficiently as possible to build a platform by concensus. I believe I am skilled enough to do this more quickly than anyone else. If someone should take the Bush "my way or the highway" approach, they will certainly form their platform more quickly than I will, but they will ultimately be defeated for failing to pursue the will of the people.

Try the Bush model if you like DF1- Diebold isn't here to help you.

Originally posted by Dr Love
Can the ATS President of the United States be banned.....err.......impeached once elected?

History, a certain incident which I would rather not rehash in particular, has shown that ATS will not tollerate unethical behavior from members of any rank.

One would certainly hope that the candidates will hold themselves to the same high standards while in office that we always have as members. Off the top of my head, I cannot recall ever seeing a warning tag on most of these candidates. I doubt it will be a problem.

That being said... My sense of the management is that they will continue to demand the same dignity and professionalism that has always been evident among staff and the majority of members.

Originally posted by The Vagabond
Try the Bush model...

Another very strange statement.

A couple inconsistencies in your speeches are mentioned and you immediately go into a tirade. It seems that you do not play well with others, all the while boasting that being a team player is one of your best traits. Personally I don't find you at all like Bush43, your anger management issues are more reminiscent of John McCain. But can you hit the high notes like Howard Dean?

What is the most telling about your campaign thus far is that you have made numerous verbose posting without taking a position on anything. In fact most of your words do nothing except rationalize why you don't believe anything. Should we assume that once your campaign gets into full swing that you will be using some sort of audio device in your ear so that your handlers... errr I mean team... can tell you what you believe?
.

Uh oh..........the mudslinging begins!

Peace

Errr...

Can i work as the Intern?

Just kidding, just kidding.

Wow....




Betwen dg and the mudslinging, members better keep their eyes open.

Has there been an ETA placed on the forum pertaining to this Presidential Election?

Originally posted by dgtempe


Errr...

Can i work as the Intern?

Just kidding, just kidding.

With that avvy, hell yeah.

Originally posted by chissler
mudslinging...

Whatever do you mean? I'm just a voter trying to determine the qualifications of an announced ATS candidate for President in 2007, however the candidate is being secretive. Are we suppose to replace "Mission Accomplished" with "What's the Mission"?
.

Originally posted by df1
A couple inconsistencies in your speeches are mentioned and you immediately go into a tirade.

Please explain how a thorough explanation of my position with the use of an antithesis in response to your challenge constitutes a tirade.

I asked a simple question: do you prefer the shortcomings of the present administration to the shortcomings inherent to concensus building? I pressed that challenge with a single sarcastic line at the end.

You can paint that in any light that you choose, but ultimately you can't counter the meaning of it. Your challenge is defeated.

You challenge that I believe nothing will be answered soundly when the campaign is truly underway. I have taken the time to explain the philosophy under which I intend to govern in great detail, and shortly the fruits of that approach will be evident.

I am well known for my opinionated nature and my ability to carry an argument on my own; there is no shortage of documentation to that effect here on ATS. My own opinions however are not all that I intend to bring to the table though, for reasons which I have already articulated. I will emphasize the interests of the people above my own in this campaign and in office afterwards.

Candidates who prefer to see the office as a gilded soapbox from which they alone will be able to shout will be soundly rebuked on election day. Egomaniac as I admit I am, even I still understand that a cult of personality does nothing for the good of a nation.

So relax and let's have a good time with this election. Don't be so predisposed to feeling attacked. When I go on the attack, you'll know it by the laughter

Anyhow, I think that's enough for now. Feel free to keep slugging away, but I've made myself clear enough and I think I'll just rope-a-dope for a while.

I would consider running for this, however from the looks of it there are a significant number of "heavy hitters" already in the ring and the prospect of a Brit being US President, even in ATS terms, might seem to be a little far fetched - although its sorely tempting to do it on a reform ticket (you can see where I might go with that one....)

So unless some of my fellow countrymen egg me on and give me a bit of backup, I'll stand in the shadows and offer my services as an overseas advisor to a candidate of my choosing, as and when any of you wish to get in touch with me

I'll keep my powder dry for another few days as to whether I decide to go for the big ticket

Originally posted by df1
It was shocking to hear The Vagabond saying that he desires, "slower, less efficient." government and that he is willing to pander to the masses and eschew the best policies in favor of a politically expedient "second best policy". And if this was not enough grimreaper797 says that his "lack of enthusiasm" is a benificial quality for a presidential candidate.

Don't we already have an inefficient, morally compromised and unenthusiastic government?

[edit on 23-1-2007 by df1]

Lol thanks for pointing out that typo. I am already enthusiastic and what my point was that even after extensive reading on the problems we face and hearing opinions of people that enthusiasm will not decrease. Thanks for pointing out the typo. Was about to go out and didn't read over what I said.

People in ATS chat know I often mis putting "negative" word such as adding "nt" to the end or a not, often making it seem like Im saying something else. I appologize for my quick wording.

[edit on 23-1-2007 by grimreaper797]

Originally posted by neformore
egg me on...

C'mon please run. We will accord you all of the respect that we'd give Bush43's lapdog, Tony Blair.

I decide to go for the big ticket...

That's the spirit. Have fun with it.

[edit on 23-1-2007 by df1]

I think Im understanding what vagabond is saying and I completely agree with it. What is he trying to say, as far as I'm reading? He saying:
Utopia is not something within grasps by any means right now. Lets not put on the blindfolds because some one has promised us the world and some. Both vagabond and I apparently have a similiar viewpoint, nothing is going to work perfectly, so lets come to grips with that, and make the best possible solution that we can make. So that, although it may not be perfection, it is realistic and achivable.

That's why I like Grim. Besides knowing some outstanding tombstone quotes and having an avatar that I looked high and low for before I settled on my current one, he just gets it.

Anyway, since we're all being political, is everyone gonna watch the State of the Union address in about 40 minutes? A response thread, including a small contest is open there. link

So come on and let's all gang up on the real politicos, and we'll get back to smearing eachother first thing tomorrow.

Originally posted by grimreaper797
I think Im understanding what vagabond is saying and I completely agree with it. What is he trying to say, as far as I'm reading? He saying:
Utopia is not something within grasps by any means right now. Lets not put on the blindfolds because some one has promised us the world and some. Both vagabond and I apparently have a similiar viewpoint, nothing is going to work perfectly, so lets come to grips with that, and make the best possible solution that we can make. So that, although it may not be perfection, it is realistic and achivable.

If the ATS electorate is seeking the absence of vision, diminished expectations and being average, then this election will be a photo finish between you and Vagabond.

What are your campaign slogans going to be?
"Vote For grimreaper797, But Don't Expect Much"
and
"Vote Team Vagabond & Expect Less"?

Everybody knows that sometimes things are imperfect and that compromises must sometimes be made, however you two seem to make imperfection and compromise a goal from square one. Kennedy's words didn't put a man moon, their were thousands of mistakes and hundreds of compromises which were made to take that one giant step, but it was Kennedy's words that created a decade long vision for the nation. Failure was never a consideration.

On that note, what kind of vision do you have for us?
.

I have a defenate vision for this position. I want to use the power vested in me to realy start getting the word out to people in washington about what we feel is right. I could see threads devoted to petitions and trying to get our government back on track the way it should be with us the American people informed and telling our representitives what we want their votes to be.

Its our government perhaps ATS can become a new lobby group, with all the members on here why don't we work together to make things happen?

I will be that voice for the board. I have loads of media connections that I could use to put out press releases about things that we know that is going on. We could start a chainge in this country with just one voice with a lot of people standing behind them.

As President of this board I could be the vehicle for that change.

So vote What U KNO for ATS President!