Candidate Comparison - Quest for Power, 2004: No Difference

Column by S.E. Seachman, posted on October 27, 2004
in

 Politicians and their allies in the major media like to talk of the allegedly vast differences in the two main candidates for president. One of the more far-reaching examples of this claim is from AOL News and Time Magazine. Their “decision guide” to help people “decide which candidate to vote for” crafts a list where one candidate “strongly opposes” a given issue while the other guy is typically shown to “strongly favor” that same topic. Most of the time, government supporters speak in more general terms that one candidate is “conservative” while the other is “liberal,” whatever that means. Or they highlight the party differences on some minor nuance of a federal program.  

 

The purpose of this false message, which is widely promoted, is to convey the notion that your vote really makes a difference-- America will head in one of two completely different directions, depending on your opinion. Of course, what they don’t mention is that the more the public participates, the more validity it gives to politicians, no matter how badly they abuse their power. After all, these are YOUR elected officials. YOU supported it. Thus, the public should enthusiastically: Get Involved! Support Someone! Support the System! Get Out and Vote!  

In reality, both Bush and Kerry are virtually identical when it comes to the central issue of federal power. Both want to keep it massive and arbitrary. A more realistic comparison of the candidates is shown below.

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

Kerry

Bush

 

 

 

Private Sector Experience

Almost None(three years of quasi-government legal work, in “private” practice)

Almost None

(failed “manager” of three small oil firms, PR work for Texas Rangers; all due to connections from his Dad)

 

 

 

Military Service:  Has Killed People

Yes – with his own hands

Yes – by his orders

 

 

 

ISSUES

 

 

 

 

 

Taxes / Federal Power

 

 

Socialized Medicine

Yes – for everyone

Yes – for elderly and poor

 

 

 

Socialized Education

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Force Young Workers to Pay for Old Non-Workers

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Fed Budget:  Is $2 Trillion too Much

Hell No

No

 

 

 

Arbitrary Power for Executive Agencies to Write Rules, Enforce Rules, and Judge Those Rules (i.e., EPA, OSHA, FDA, IRS, EEOC, etc.)

Strongly Favor

Somewhat Favor

 

 

 

Constitution or Enabling Act

Enabling Act

Enabling Act
(with some reservations)

 

 

 

Military

 

 

US to be World Police

Yes – with UN Approval

Yes – without UN Approval

 

 

 

US to Starve Poor People with “Sanctions”

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Federal Right to Kidnap Teenagers

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Did 200,000 Iraqis Killed by Bush I influence9/11/01 Actions

No

This Question Violates the Patriot Act

 

 

 

Large, Standing Army in Peacetime

Yes

There will be no Peacetime

 

 

 

Attack States for Quitting

Yes

Yes – RememberLincoln

 

 

 

Culture / Religion / Patriotism

 

 

Pay Lip Service about “Sanctity of Life”

Yes – Somewhat

Yes – Sanctimonious

 

 

 

Who Decides on Marriage License:  Church, State or Other

State

State

 

 

 

Force Kids to Recite Loyalty Oath Each Morning

Yes

Yes – with flaring nostrils

 

 

 

Racial Preferences

Strongly Favor

Somewhat Favor

 

 

 

Federal Police State on Drugs

Strongly Favor

Strongly Favor

 

 

 

Farming / Resources

 

 

Socialized Farming

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Inflate Prices of Milk, Sugar, Honey, Rice, Bread, and Many Other Foods to Buy Farm Votes

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Force Smokers to Pay Tobacco Growers (over $200 Billion)

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Free Food for Poor Fat People

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Subsidize Wasting Water to Grow Food in Western Deserts

Yes

Yes

 

 

 

Lecture Private Citizens about “Conserving” Water

Yes – Sanctimonious

Yes – Somewhat

 

 

 

Media / Free Speech

 

 

Strictly Limit Access to “Public” Airways

Keep Out the Subversives

Keep Out the Subversives

 

 

 

Force Broadcasters to Hold Federal License

Show them Who’s Boss

Show them Who’s Boss

 

 

 

Grant Multi-Billion Dollar Tax Breaks for Newspaper Barons to Exploit Child Labor

Reward your Allies

Reward your Allies

 

 

 

Debates Open Only to Major Parties

Keep Out the Subversives

Keep Out the Subversives

 

 

 

Debates Moderated by State-Licensed Lackeys

No Tough Questions

No Tough Questions

 

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Columnist S.E. Seachman
Columns on STR: 3

Mr. Seachman is an engineer and freelance writer.

 

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