Republican Primary

[bullmoose88]

And more importantly, who would really win, and how would some of the less viable candidates influence the race?

I tried to keep this as balanced as possible...any possible bias is unintentional (that might be shocking).

Any Maps?

[Keystone Phil]

Write in - Me 


I guess I'd be stuck between dazzleman and John Ford.

[bullmoose88]

Write in - Me 


I guess I'd be stuck between dazzleman and John Ford.

But you must choose!

C'mon Phil, be decisive

[Keystone Phil]

Write in - Me 


I guess I'd be stuck between dazzleman and John Ford.

But you must choose!

C'mon Phil, be decisive

This one is too tough. I think dazzleman contradicts himself when he says he's a conservative with some of the behavior that he accepts/encourages. Then again, John Ford isn't really a conservative. Still too tough.

[Jake]

dazzleman. Ford would be in second.

[CheeseWhiz]

I can't decide between Bull, Dazzle and Ford.

htmldon would win.

[dazzleman]

This one is too tough. I think dazzleman contradicts himself when he says he's a conservative with some of the behavior that he accepts/encourages. Then again, John Ford isn't really a conservative. Still too tough.

Phil, that one hurts.  I may joke around about certain things, but that doesn't mean I condone low moral standards.  I think our moral standards should be high, but not impossible for most people to attain.  It's more of an art than a science to find that spot.

In any case, I respect your opinion.  I would love to have your vote, but I understand that the choice is up to you.  But I find it funny that you'd strongly back somebody like NixonNow and then be reluctant to vote for me.

[Keystone Phil]

But I find it funny that you'd strongly back somebody like NixonNow and then be reluctant to vote for me.

You find it funny because you don't know NixonNow off the forum. He is very serious when it comes to an actual debate and really knows his stuff. He might have goofed around on the forum in the past but beyond that you can't judge him.

[dazzleman]

But I find it funny that you'd strongly back somebody like NixonNow and then be reluctant to vote for me.

You find it funny because you don't know NixonNow off the forum. He is very serious when it comes to an actual debate and really knows his stuff. He might have goofed around on the forum in the past but beyond that you can't judge him.

If you say so.  But he isn't really all that conservative.

[Keystone Phil]

But I find it funny that you'd strongly back somebody like NixonNow and then be reluctant to vote for me.

You find it funny because you don't know NixonNow off the forum. He is very serious when it comes to an actual debate and really knows his stuff. He might have goofed around on the forum in the past but beyond that you can't judge him.

If you say so.  But he isn't really all that conservative.

You haven't spoken personally with him. I have. NixonNow is a die hard economic conservative and is also socially conservative (even though I like to get on his case, falsely accussing him of being a liberal).

[dazzleman]

But I find it funny that you'd strongly back somebody like NixonNow and then be reluctant to vote for me.

You find it funny because you don't know NixonNow off the forum. He is very serious when it comes to an actual debate and really knows his stuff. He might have goofed around on the forum in the past but beyond that you can't judge him.

If you say so.  But he isn't really all that conservative.

You haven't spoken personally with him. I have. NixonNow is a die hard economic conservative and is also socially conservative (even though I like to get on his case, falsely accussing him of being a liberal).

OK, whatever you say.......I will bow to your obviously superior knowledge and judgment.

[J. J.]

dazzleman. Ford would be in second.

Ditto

[Ben Meyers]

John Ford.

[Ebowed]

Is this an open primary?

If so, my top picks would be dazzleman and bullmoose.

[TomC]

don, john ford a close second

[Keystone Phil]

I will bow to your obviously superior knowledge and judgment.

Eh...I'm guessing that's a shot at me. Say whatever you want, dazzleman, but I know him a lot better than you do. To say that he's not conservative is pretty foolish. In fact, I am arguing with him right now about President Bush. NixonNow is not exactly the President's biggest fan right now. Why? He's not conservative enough (his reason).

[dazzleman]

I will bow to your obviously superior knowledge and judgment.

Eh...I'm guessing that's a shot at me. Say whatever you want, dazzleman, but I know him a lot better than you do. To say that he's not conservative is pretty foolish. In fact, I am arguing with him right now about President Bush. NixonNow is not exactly the President's biggest fan right now. Why? He's not conservative enough (his reason).

Hah, it was meant to be a light shot.  Nothing serious.

Quite honestly, the issue is not whether NixonNow is a conservative, or how well you know him.  The issue is your claim that I can't be a true conservative because I tell a dirty joke occasionally, and don't get too upset about a certain level of underage drinking, while you maintain that a person who has exhibited worse personal behavior than I have is a true conservative.  You are entitled to your opinion, but I do perceive a lack of consistency there.

[Keystone Phil]

I will bow to your obviously superior knowledge and judgment.

Eh...I'm guessing that's a shot at me. Say whatever you want, dazzleman, but I know him a lot better than you do. To say that he's not conservative is pretty foolish. In fact, I am arguing with him right now about President Bush. NixonNow is not exactly the President's biggest fan right now. Why? He's not conservative enough (his reason).

Hah, it was meant to be a light shot.  Nothing serious.

Quite honestly, the issue is not whether NixonNow is a conservative, or how well you know him.  The issue is your claim that I can't be a true conservative because I tell a dirty joke occasionally, and don't get too upset about a certain level of underage drinking, while you maintain that a person who has exhibited worse personal behavior than I have is a true conservative.  You are entitled to your opinion, but I do perceive a lack of consistency there.

Where is his worse behavior? I don't support everything he has said but I know he's not serious when he says it. You, on the other hand, seriously support certain things that I despise and that's reason enough to be unsure. You attack liberals so often yet go along with the same "Ah...let them slide" attitude on certain things. I admire you, dazzleman, but some of the way you ignore some issues is disappointing.

[dazzleman]

Where is his worse behavior? I don't support everything he has said but I know he's not serious when he says it. You, on the other hand, seriously support certain things that I despise and that's reason enough to be unsure. You attack liberals so often yet go along with the same "Ah...let them slide" attitude on certain things. I admire you, dazzleman, but some of the way you ignore some issues is disappointing.

Phil, I'm curious about what I support that you despise.

[Keystone Phil]

Phil, I'm curious about what I support that you despise.

You seem to take cultural issues with little seriousness. Stuff like underage drinking and getting into trouble (which you seem to encourage) annoys me.

[dazzleman]

Phil, I'm curious about what I support that you despise.

You seem to take cultural issues with little seriousness. Stuff like underage drinking and getting into trouble (which you seem to encourage) annoys me.

Fair enough.  But you realize that what I'm talking about is very minor.  There's a big difference between getting a detention in school for some minor offense, and getting arrested for armed robbery, or something like that.

I am actually strongly conservative on social issues.  I am one of the most outspoken people on this forum in condemning single parenthood, having seen the negative effects of it, and understanding how badly it impacts the children who are raised without the two committed parents that every child deserves.  I am one of the strongest advocates of a male-female two-parent family here.

I also believe in very strict punishment of criminals.  I just don't consider an 18-year-old who has a beer a real criminal unless he drives drunk, or something like that.  I think you have to pick your battles, and you can't hold people to an impossible standard.  We should have very high standards, but not impossible ones, and we should also have a good sense of what is important and what is not.

You should also note that even when I joke with people about getting into trouble, I never tell them that they shouldn't take the penalties that come along with it.  I chastised Jake because I didn't think his school penalized him severely enough for some of the stuff he's done.

Phil, I respect you.  You have high standards for yourself and that should be commended.  But I've been around a little longer than you have, and some of the finest people I know are people who got into a lot of trouble as teenagers and young adults, mostly for the minor type of stuff that I joke about.  One of my best friends was doing "life" in detention when we were in school, and got enough speeding tickets in his twenties to wallpaper his entire bedroom wall with.  He also drank like a fish during this whole period.  Today, he's one of the most morally upstanding and trustworthy guys I know.  So please understand why I don't take minor trouble by teenagers and young adults quite as seriously as you do.  When it comes to serious trouble, all my joking stops.

[Keystone Phil]

Fair enough.  But you realize that what I'm talking about is very minor.  There's a big difference between getting a detention in school for some minor offense, and getting arrested for armed robbery, or something like that.

I don't care. Encouraging someone to cause trouble at school to have "fun" is not right.

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And as mature as you are in this area, your views on discipline when it comes to drinking, for example, don't make sense.

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We live in a society where getting drunk is a sign of acceptance. That's not behavior that a conservative or anyone with a brain would excuse.

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But why even encourage doing things to get in trouble?

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That's great that your friend changed but that doesn't excuse what he did before. Tell me something - If someone is drinking and stumbles in front of a car, gets hit and dies, would you rethink your stance on drinking? I respect you, dazzleman, but your age doesn't excuse your defense of certain things.

[dazzleman]

Fair enough.  But you realize that what I'm talking about is very minor.  There's a big difference between getting a detention in school for some minor offense, and getting arrested for armed robbery, or something like that.

I don't care. Encouraging someone to cause trouble at school to have "fun" is not right.

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And as mature as you are in this area, your views on discipline when it comes to drinking, for example, don't make sense.

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We live in a society where getting drunk is a sign of acceptance. That's not behavior that a conservative or anyone with a brain would excuse.

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But why even encourage doing things to get in trouble?

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That's great that your friend changed but that doesn't excuse what he did before. Tell me something - If someone is drinking and stumbles in front of a car, gets hit and dies, would you rethink your stance on drinking? I respect you, dazzleman, but your age doesn't excuse your defense of certain things.

All I can say is, you will be a very strict father.

In all seriousness, there is a difference between defending things, and recognizing that they will be there, whether we like it or not, so you might as well make the best of them.  There is sometimes a fine line between when to fight something, and when to make a virtue of necessity and accept something that is unavoidable with good grace.  You can't fight everything, or you end up losing on all fronts.  So I pick my battles.

I used my friend just as one example of what I was talking about.  Most people I know have a story that is similar in at least some respects, as do I.  My friend has not changed so much as grown up.  He doesn't walk around thinking he's a terrible person because he got a detention in 10th grade for messing around in class, or because he got pulled over on an empty highway doing 85 mph and got a ticket.  We all have regrets in life, but I don't think he regrets most of the stuff he did back then, as long as it didn't have the potential to hurt anybody.  And quite honestly, neither do I regret most of the stuff I did when I was younger, with the same stipulation.

As far as "encouraging" people to get into trouble, do you really think anybody on here is going to get into trouble because I "encouraged" them?  In real life, I certainly don't encourage people younger than I to get into trouble.  In fact, my nephew when he was 17 asked me if I would help him get liquor, and I refused.  I also told his mother when he drove after I thought he had been drinking.

Phil, I think you're missing the forest for the trees here.  As I said, I respect you and applaud your high standards of behavior.  I can't say I have always lived up to your standards, and I certainly didn't when I was your age.  I drank, got into minor trouble in school, drove too fast, etc.  In truth, very few people live up to the standards you hold.  I don't think that necessarily makes you a better person than others.  We are defined not only by the bad we do not do, but also by the good that we do.  The person who does nothing bad, but also does nothing good, is not necessarily a better person than the one who does some "bad" things, but a lot of good things.  I am not suggesting that you are one of these people; I am just trying to make the point that you have to look at both sides of the ledger.  As far as myself, I will let others who actually know me judge whether I am a decent person or not.

[Keystone Phil]

All I can say is, you will be a very strict father.

I think what I propose is reasonable but by society's standards, I guess I'd be very strict. Oh well. So be it.

[dazzleman]

All I can say is, you will be a very strict father.

I think what I propose is reasonable but by society's standards, I guess I'd be very strict. Oh well. So be it.

I think most parents should be stricter than they are.  But too strict can backfire too.