Can a Jewish 'centrist' appeal to the politically disenfranchised?

[drexpert]

Can a Jewish 'centrist' appeal to the politically disenfranchised?

I have never seen such divisiveness in American politics. We have the Republicans equating Kerry with Hitler, and the Demoracts are comparing Bush to Hitler! As a Jew, I know that neither of these gentlemen is Hitler, or shares any traits with that demon.

I just feel that so much divisiveness is a truly bad thing for America, and our future. I was hoping that there might be an opportunity to reach the moderate right and left, assuming they exist?

I believe that as a passionate and progressive centrist, I can fulfill an aggressive national and international agenda favoring neither, while supporting both! In my mind the Republicans and Democrats guide America like we were sailing into the wind! We move far to the left until we can’t take it anymore, and then the other party takes over and moves us far to the right. If you know something about sailing, this maneuver (tacking) takes a lot of time and makes little forward movement. Forward movement is what we in America need!


So I started crafting a platform...

Terrorism...
Work with as many democratic countries as possible to eliminate it! Instruct countries that sponsor or harbor terrorists that their days are numbered. The US will not allow you to support terror, and live! Get it! On this there is no discussion (except within our party, of course, but we will not listen to terrorists, on their rights.

Jobs...
Track actual job creation in the US as well as job losses! Track jobs being transferred offshore! Provide incentives to companies that create jobs in the US, especially in the pay ranges of the middle-class! Support new business creation, as long as jobs are onshore! Reexamine NAFTA! NAFTA was supposed to help stem the transfer of illegals from Mexico into the United States. Yet we seem to be getting more illegals every day!

Freedom of Information...
Immediate release of all documents on the Kennedy assassination!


Taxes...
Every working citizen to pay their fair share! Reduce the tax burden by making the government run much more efficiently with less money! Reward organizations that are run efficiently. Do not reward excessive spending with increases in budgets, reward efficiency!


Separation of Church and State...
I have given a lot of thought to this issue, and I have mixed feelings. So I need a lot of help here. I think the ten commandments should have been left in the Texas court house, I believe that the cross on the city emblem for Redlands, CA which has had a cross on it for over 40 years, should not have been removed. I think we, as Americans of many differing faiths can accommodate those faiths without favoring one faith over the others!


Our [USA] global role...
This is another tricky one for me. We failed to intervene when Hitler started to invade and annex territory in Europe, and the world paid dearly for our delay. At the same time, we cannot afford to be the lone superpower trying to bring peace and democracy to the entire world! This issue is very complex, and I need a lot of help here! I do believe strongly that the dropping of the atomic bombs on Japan, were a necessity. I support the effort of President Bush to fight terrorism, but I would have been more hawkish! I do not want to sacrifice our brave soldiers unless we have good reasons, and we provide them with the ability and equipment to do the job.


Immigration...
As a sovereign country we have the right and the responsibility to protect our borders! Create a constitutional amendment eliminating the provision of the constitution that gives citizenship to anyone born in the United States. This provision was important to provide the slaves (African, etc.) a legitimate redress for kidnapping them and bringing them into the country against their will. Yet, this provision is now being abused by illegal immigrants, and we need to eliminate this incentive to cross the border illegally!. We can always provide some accommodation for political refugees, etc. We will also create a viable guest worker program to allow immigrants to work in this country without giving them blanket citizenship!

Examine the immigration policies for Arabs and Muslims! We need not welcome potential terrorists into our country. This is not to equate all Arabs, or all Muslims with terrorism! America has an inalienable right to protect our borders and our citizens!

------
Thank you,

I have a few more, but didn't want to make people crazy.

Your opinions and comments are greatly appreciated!

Jeffrey Levine
jeffrey@xemaps.com

[drexpert]

I'm rather suprised this post has not garnered any replies, negative or positive?

All the other message boards I visit just say that Bush and Kerry are just like Hitler. I certainly do not subscibe to this kind of vitriol!


Jeffrey
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[minusthejihad]

Well, I've been saying for years that I would want to start a new party in America called the Centrist party which has many of the Democrats Internal policies and many of the Republican's foreign policies. I guess we can call it the neocon party. :)

However, I as a Jew would never (maybe not never but most of the time) vote for a Jew for president. As covered in many other threads, I think a Jew as president of the US would be under too much pressure to be positive for Israel.

[Mediocrates]

Google the "Radical Middle".

[drexpert]

...
However, I as a Jew would never (maybe not never but most of the time) vote for a Jew for president. As covered in many other threads, I think a Jew as president of the US would be under too much pressure to be positive for Israel.

As a Jew I would be very supportive of Israel. Why is that a problem?

You can support the rights of Israel witout trampling the legitimate rights of the Arabs!

My feelings are that the Democratic party has moved to far to the left, and the Republicans care virtually nothing about the middle-class!

Jeffrey Levine in Nov. 2004!

[drexpert]

How do I (an example of the "common man") feel comfortable when one of the candidates (Kerry) owns seven (7) different homes, in the United States alone! People like this have never had to "earn" as real living!

[minusthejihad]

See, I want to own 7 homes of my own. That is my goal. Not to be middle class my whole life and fight the rich. I'd rather have everything I need and more.

But good luck. I'll vote for you in 2008!

[I am David]

How do I (an example of the "common man") feel comfortable when one of the candidates (Kerry) owns seven (7) different homes, in the Uhnited States alone! People like this have never had to "earn" as real living!

Bush is no better, or Cheney.

But, if you knew more about Kerry, you'd know that he did earn a living. During his education years, he had very little money and had to earn it by doing physical labour, low paying jobs etc.

[drexpert]

I live in Los Angeles...

Item #1.. The California Lottery SCAM--

Years ago, Californians were asked to approve the state lottery. I think I was one of the few that voted against it! A lot of TV adverstising money was spent to pass the lottery, One advantage that was stressed in the advertising was how much the schools in California would benefit from their percentage of the Lottery income.

Once apporived, the legislature paid for an indeoendent study to determine how much money would be available for the schools. I think the allocation is around 15%, so they determined that some millions of tickets would be sold, in the firstyear, and the school's percentage would intiailly come to three-quarter of a million dollars (my figure is just an example).

Then our politicians did a very interesting thing. When they were drafting the new state budget, the defunded the school budget by the exact amount the study predicted that the lottery woual add to the school budget! Therefore, the net advantage to the schools was ZERO!

Now the legislature had 3/4 of a million dollars to spend on "more important" projects!


Item #2... Retrofitting of Freeway overpasses.

In this more recent case we had a Republican Govenor, Pete Wilson. A large bond issue was passed by the voters of California. The money was allocated to retrofit the supports of various freeway overpasses, to keep them from buckling during an earthquake.

The bond was approved by the voters, the money was allocated, but for some reason, Pete Wilson, held onto the funds, and did not allow the work to begin. Two years later, we had the large Reseda earthquake! Bridges and overpasses in Southern California fell by the dozens! A few people were killed, but the traffic in So. Cal was disrupted for years. Instad of spending some tens of millions of dollars, for the retrofit, the repairs cost us billions!

So much for the people that represent us, Democrat or Republican!


Thanks for reading,
Jeffrey Levine
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[minusthejihad]

Bush is no better, or Cheney.

But, if you knew more about Kerry, you'd know that he did earn a living. During his education years, he had very little money and had to earn it by doing physical labour, low paying jobs etc.


Haha! I nearly busted a gut trying to picture Kerry working "a real job"!

So tell us, is that where he picked up his Thirston Howell inflection?

Not that Bush was any better, at least he admitted to doing coke unlike Clinton who drank the bong water.

[minusthejihad]

I live in Los Angeles...

Item #1.. The California Lottery SCAM--

Years ago, Californians were asked to approve the state lottery. I think I was one of the few that voted against it! A lot of TV adverstising money was spent to pass the lottery, One advantage that was stressed in the advertising was how much the schools in California would benefit from their percentage of the Lottery income.

Once apporived, the legislature paid for an indeoendent study to determine how much money would be available for the schools. I think the allocation is around 15%, so they determined that some millions of tickets would be sold, in the firstyear, and the school's percentage would intiailly come to three-quarter of a million dollars (my figure is just an example).

Then our politicians did a very interesting thing. When they were drafting the new state budget, the defunded the school budget by the exact amount the study predicted that the lottery woual add to the school budget! Therefore, the net advantage to the schools was ZERO!

Now the legislature had 3/4 of a million dollars to spend on "more important" projects!


Item #2... Retrofitting of Freeway overpasses.

In this more recent case we had a Republican Govenor, Pete Wilson. A large bond issue was passed by the voters of California. The money was allocated to retrofit the supports of various freeway overpasses, to keep them from buckling duing an earthquake.

The bond was approved by the voters, the money was allocated, but for some reason, Pete Wilson, held onto the funds, and did not allow the work to begin. Two years later, we had the large Reseda earthquake! Bridges and overpasses in Southern California fell by the dozens! A few people were killed, but the traffic in So. Cal was disrupted for years. Instad of spending some tens of millions of dollars, for the retrofit, the repairs cost us billions!

So much for the people that represent us, Democrat or Republican!


Thanks for reading,
Jeffrey Levine
.
.
.

Hey, I agree, the Dems and Repubs are 2 sides of the same coin. Can't really get behind either. However, our new Centrist party is you, me, and a few others spread out there. If the anarchists come along, I'm bailing.

[I am David]

Haha! I nearly busted a gut trying to picture Kerry working "a real job"!

So tell us, is that where he picked up his Thirston Howell inflection?

Not that Bush was any better, at least he admitted to doing coke unlike Clinton who drank the bong water.
Ok...Live in an imaginary world if you want to.

[drexpert]

Hey, I agree, the Dems and Repubs are 2 sides of the same coin. Can't really get behind either. However, our new Centrist party is you, me, and a few others spread out there. If the anarchists come along, I'm bailing.

No anarchists allowed. I heard they were organizing to disrupt the Republican convention. This is outrageous behavior!

I was hoping that a number of people would rally around my goal of releasing the Kennedy assaination documents! There is a 75 year waiting period, but the people that were around when it occured would likely die before the information was officially released. I would do it on day one!

Jeffrey

[David_in_NYC]

For that platform, your average Democrat would label you a fascist and a racist...

Face it, the divisiveness is entirely the product of the Democrats and the Left. It is they who continually break traditions of cordiality to advance partisan agendas. They are running a hate campaign of startling magnitude... they compare Bush to Osama and Saddam and Hitler.

What can a reasonable person do when faced with this? Democrats want power, not solutions, and that is the problem.

For the first time EVER the Democrats failed to support the country, and continue to fail to support the country, in a time of war. It is a shameful, but sadly typical, behavior that epitomizes the depths to which the left has sunk.

[Alfred]

I have come to two major conclusions over the past 5 years.

The first is that the Islamic fanatics have declared war on the US and that we should fight back with all our resources. Too long we have pretended that they weren't at war with us. It is time for fighting not talking. It is for the survival of our nation.

The second is that the liberal fanatics have declared war on the US and that we should fight back with all our resources. Too long we have pretended that they weren't at war with us. It is time for fighting not talking. It is for the survival of our nation.

Islamic fanatics will never be able to destroy America....Liberal fanatics are very capable of destroying America; thus in the long run they are much more dangerous.

[Mediocrates]

Haha! I nearly busted a gut trying to picture Kerry working "a real job"!

So tell us, is that where he picked up his Thirston Howell inflection?

Not that Bush was any better, at least he admitted to doing coke unlike Clinton who drank the bong water.

Everyone in the Senate is a multimillionaire as is Ralph Nader and Arnold Schwarzenegger and probably most of each other state's governors as well. Hell the past mayor of Raleigh is an wealthy real estate developer. Fact is politics is very expensive.

[drexpert]

For that platform, your average Democrat would label you a fascist and a racist...

Face it, the divisiveness is entirely the product of the Democrats and the Left. It is they who continually break traditions of cordiality to advance partisan agendas. They are running a hate campaign of startling magnitude... they compare Bush to Osama and Saddam and Hitler.



If the Democrats want for call me a facist and a racist, I am fine with that, but would the Republicans label me a Liberal?

On your second point, I see Republicans equating Kerry with Hitler, every day! Of course, as I said before, neither of these men share any traits with Hitler!

I just don't see the Republicans as concerned about Jobs. Medical care/cost, Illegal immigration, national issues, as I think we need to be.

That is why I believe we need a REAL third choice! Maybe just to shake things up?



HMOs and health care...
I’ve read that 40 cents of every dollar we spend on medical treatment goes to administration and paperwork. That’s 40%! I was under the impression that HMOs were supposed to reduce the skyrocketing costs of medical care. Great job, HMOs... NOT! So far, they do not seem to be doing that. In addition, I do not know a single person that is truly happy with their HMO and the care supplied. The only people that don’t complain are the healthy ones, which never need a doctor! The doctors also seem to hate the HMOs. So there must be a better way, but I am not sure what it should be. So I need advice here, as well!

I also believe that all Americans should be able to get basic health care. How we pay for this and implement it, I do not know yet, but you can help me with your ideas!



Jeffrey Levine in Nov. 2004

[Mediocrates]

Any kind of fanatic is capable of something rotten. But mostly it's the purely banal that worry me.

I mean we have an entire Congress that simply stopped debating several critical spending bills this week in order to politically posture over who dislikes gay marriage more. Maybe if it's such a big deal to Congress they should form a Congressional permanent subcommittee on marriage and staff it with Santorum and company.

Seriously, why not - and let Congress get on with the business of Congress

[Alfred]

The folks who are in favor of 1) keeping jobs in America, 2) closing the border to all but legal immigrants, 3) fixing the medical system, 4) putting a stop to stupid lawsuits that raise prices everywhere are Conservative Republicans (not your run of the mill Republican).

But these convervatives are usually labled Nazis. I would call it the Reagan, Pat Buchanon wing of the party.

[drexpert]

Everyone in the Senate is a multimillionaire...
...Fact is politics is very expensive.

I agree, and for me that is a problem. It is very expensive to run for a state or national office. Therefore, the only choices we get are millionaires.

That is why I refer to the United States as a Monocracy! That is a democracy that is ruled my money. Look at California, we elect actors to represent us! If Bozo the clown ran for Govenor, we'd elect him!


Most middle-class families are so busy earning a living that they leave politics to their reps. The reps., including people like G. Bush, and J. Kerry think of themselves as the CEO of America.

This is wrong! In a true democracy the citizens are in charge, and the President works for the people. Go ahead, you can call me an idealist. I just use common sense, which they say is very uncommon.

We need to reduce taxes, and try and give Americans more time to enjoy life! Just making a living in order to support your children is not enough! Remember the pursuit of happiness?

Sorry, now you've got me rambling!


Jeffrey

I really do appreciate the discussion, regardless of where it goes!

[Mediocrates]

The folks who are in favor of
1) keeping jobs in America,
check
2) closing the border to all but legal immigrants,
check
3) fixing the medical system,
check
4) putting a stop to stupid lawsuits that raise prices everywhere
nope
are Conservative Republicans (not your run of the mill Republican).
if you say so.
But these convervatives are usually labled Nazis.
Gee I hope not
I would call it the Reagan, Pat Buchanon wing of the party.
AAAAAeeeiiiii !! no.

[minusthejihad]

Everyone in the Senate is a multimillionaire as is Ralph Nader and Arnold Schwarzenegger and probably most of each other state's governors as well. Hell the past mayor of Raleigh is an wealthy real estate developer. Fact is politics is very expensive.

A random middle-class person running for presidency gets nearly as much publicity as a random middle-class person running an eCommerce website. Occasionally, they get a spike here and there, but its usually offset by an ebay or amazon sale the next day and everyone forgets about them.

[drexpert]

I've never been called "random" before. You know they talk about six degrees of separation.

With the power of the Internet, you can reach just about anybody/everybody!

Jeffrey

[minusthejihad]

True. Sorry about the random, didn't mean you directly!

[David_in_NYC]

If the Democrats want for call me a facist and a racist, I am fine with that, but would the Republicans label me a Liberal?

On your second point, I see Republicans equating Kerry with Hitler, every day! Of course, as I said before, neither of these men share any traits with Hitler!

I just don't see the Republicans as concerned about Jobs. Medical care/cost, Illegal immigration, national issues, as I think we need to be.

That is why I believe we need a REAL third choice! Maybe just to shake things up?

I also believe that all Americans should be able to get basic health care. How we pay for this and implement it, I do not know yet, but you can help me with your ideas![/COLOR]


You'd fit right in to the conservative wing of the Republican party. You have a bit of libertarian in your platform, as well. Nobody would call you a liberal, except perhaps to describe you as a "classic liberal", or in modern terms, a libertarian conservative.

With regards to Americans being able to get basic health care - it's already the law. A hospital cannot legally turn someone away, insured or no. The two best ways to drive down the cost of health care are 1) enact tort reform, which is being pushed by the GOP and opposed by the Democrats; or 2) deport all the illegals who are draining our health care resources and the government dollars already budgeted to it, which is more likely to happen under the GOP (small chance) than under the Democrats (no chance).

By the way, I've never heard a Republican compare Kerry with Hitler... you have a source? (Hillary Clinton, on the other hand...)

[drexpert]

I'm not speaking about Republican bigshots, but I see messages posted everyday, on various message boards, where the people appear to be consevative (although I can't guarantee they are Republicans) and they often equate Bush with Hitler!

Try Yahoo first and go on from there...


I don't feel as far to the right as I view most Republicans!

Jeffrey

[Ahava]

Well, I've been saying for years that I would want to start a new party in America called the Centrist party which has many of the Democrats Internal policies and many of the Republican's foreign policies. I guess we can call it the neocon party. :)


That sounds great, I'd vote for that. If only I were an American.

[David_in_NYC]

I'm not speaking about Republican bigshots, but I see messages posted everyday, on various message boards, where the people appear to be consevative (although I can't guarantee they are Republicans) and they often equate Bush with Hitler!

Try Yahoo first and go on from there...


I don't feel as far to the right as I view most Republicans!

Jeffrey

I think you meant "equate Kerry with Hitler"?

The Left equates Bush with Hitler all the time... even their presidential candidates do so. Yahoo is the bottom of the barrel, and I don't think they are representative of Republican opinion.

Your platform, by the way, puts you squarely in the center of the GOP. A good chunk of the GOP is to your left, and a good chunk is to your right.

Disclaimer: I am not a Republican nor a Democrat - registered independent, philosophically libertarian (not LP anarchism)

[drexpert]

That sounds great, I'd vote for that. If only I were an American.

Why not tell all your American friends and family. Our new party can use all the support we can get!

Jeffrey Levine