General Discussion

Kaleva

(40,347 posts)

95. Arguing that Obama is the lesser of two evils is an elitist viewpoint.

Sun Nov 4, 2012, 01:33 PM

Nov 2012

Saying that President Obama is the lesser of two evils implies that that is or are candidates who are far better then he. Who is he/she or who are they and why are they unable to mount a serious campaign? Arguments I've seen here as to why the campaigns of 3rd party candidates don't get any traction is that the MSM ignores them. Taking that line of thinking a bit further means that the majority of us are ignorant of these candidates, their positions on the the issues that face this nation and we thus do not make well informed decisions when voting.

The small percentage of those who support 3rd party candidates pride themselves on their perceived knowledge and bemoan the ignorance of the stupid masses. Some of these people will vote for their candidate even though knowing they have no chance while others decide that a Romney victory would be catastrophic for this nation so they will or already have voted for Obama, the lesser of two evils in their opinion.

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For many people Obama is not a "lesser evil." For the privileged, he can be. [View all] joshcryer Nov 2012 OP

Joshcryer, thanks so much. What a great OP. Still crying. freshwest Nov 2012 #1

Hey, freshwest! :) Cha Nov 2012 #76

THANK YOU DonCoquixote Nov 2012 #2

No, thank you, DonCoquixote. joshcryer Nov 2012 #82

No problem DonCoquixote Nov 2012 #88

Excellent OP! Rec'ed. Kaleva Nov 2012 #3

FFS, you don't speak for me me b zola Nov 2012 #4

I'm sorry to hear that. joshcryer Nov 2012 #5

This administration's policies are similar to REAGAN'S? WHAT?!!! Zalatix Nov 2012 #53

You seem to be in the dark. I'm in that poor category, too and this Cha Nov 2012 #72

I voted for him, but still consider him the lesser of two evils liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #6

As did I and do I. joshcryer Nov 2012 #7

and I do consider the ACA health insurance reform liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #8

Yeah, but you don't throw out ACA and say that's "not a reason" to vote for him, do you? joshcryer Nov 2012 #9

I hate the individual mandate and I'm not willing to throw out the whole ACA to get rid of it Zalatix Nov 2012 #54

The ACA will not help me, and I'm not rich. amandabeech Nov 2012 #141

I feel sorry for anyone who thinks President Obama is "evil" Cha Nov 2012 #73

way off base here quinnox Nov 2012 #10

So you have no reason to vote for Obama? joshcryer Nov 2012 #11

Just saying, I think the tone of the OP is rather condescending quinnox Nov 2012 #12

That's a right wing perspective and not the intent. joshcryer Nov 2012 #14

lol, so you think my response proved your OP? quinnox Nov 2012 #18

I think that you voted for Obama, in part, for the reasons in the OP. joshcryer Nov 2012 #19

one thing maybe you should know, is that wealth does not necessarily = intelligence quinnox Nov 2012 #22

You are projecting. I never once said wealth = intelligence or poor = stupid. joshcryer Nov 2012 #23

ok, well that is how your OP comes across quinnox Nov 2012 #25

I think I am figuring out why everyone is so annoyed. joshcryer Nov 2012 #29

That's the way Obama supporters feel - we're being told we're stupid, not progressive. Ain't true freshwest Nov 2012 #94

Major Factual Errors in your post amborin Nov 2012 #64

Under ARRA Businesses got $51 billion and individuals got $237 billion. joshcryer Nov 2012 #65

new york times trumps wikipedia any day; eom amborin Nov 2012 #67

Post your link. joshcryer Nov 2012 #69

Well I'm glad you used your experience as a white straight male to once jp11 Nov 2012 #13

The majority of white males voted for McCain and they will do so for Romney. joshcryer Nov 2012 #16

McCain also got 53% of the white female vote. Kaleva Nov 2012 #20

Correct. He got more of the white male vote, though. joshcryer Nov 2012 #21

McCain got 59% of the white male vote; not that much different than 53% of the white female vote eom amborin Nov 2012 #66

Sure, but white females make 83% of white males. joshcryer Nov 2012 #70

What a bigoted pile of anti-working class garbage leftstreet Nov 2012 #15

No where did I say that they were stupid. joshcryer Nov 2012 #17

You're just too 'moral, ethical, and caring' to use the word leftstreet Nov 2012 #24

Provide more substance. joshcryer Nov 2012 #28

Why? You don't even know what you're talking about leftstreet Nov 2012 #52

Yet, you haven't rebutted anything I have said. joshcryer Nov 2012 #85

You're doing a fine job of that yourself leftstreet Nov 2012 #92

It's called math. Read the links I provided please. joshcryer Nov 2012 #110

I agree. Bonobo Nov 2012 #26

No where in my OP did I say that they did not hold other views. joshcryer Nov 2012 #27

Consider the Russian Revolution and the overthrow of the Czar Kaleva Nov 2012 #30

Thanks for that. joshcryer Nov 2012 #33

Life circumstances Kaleva Nov 2012 #43

I even pointed out in OP how Cuba's preventative health was adopted by the US. joshcryer Nov 2012 #48

True, but I don't see any contradiction between those facts and my opinion. Bonobo Nov 2012 #39

Where did I say that the non-privileged don't have political ideals? joshcryer Nov 2012 #41

True. Anyone, regardless of their situation, can have political ideas. Kaleva Nov 2012 #46

Someone alerted on your post the jury didn't agree HangOnKids Nov 2012 #32

I didn't alert on it. joshcryer Nov 2012 #34

... leftstreet Nov 2012 #35

Good jury. Bonobo Nov 2012 #37

I agree. joshcryer Nov 2012 #38

You did not state it outright. Bonobo Nov 2012 #40

No it is not. joshcryer Nov 2012 #42

It is like trying to explain the concept of water to a fish. Bonobo Nov 2012 #47

No, I think that you misread the intent of the OP due to your own preconceptions. joshcryer Nov 2012 #49

Jury #2 really wrote that?! What the fuck kind of jurors do they get on DU? Cha Nov 2012 #75

Woah, wait, what? I didn't get that message from the OP. Please explain. Zalatix Nov 2012 #56

+1 whatchamacallit Nov 2012 #91

I'm gonna have to go ahead and disagree with that. limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #31

No where did I say that they cannot "understand the lesser of two evils" viewpoint. joshcryer Nov 2012 #36

Black Agenda Report... one_voice Nov 2012 #114

That's how limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #116

Yeah well when MSNBC... one_voice Nov 2012 #117

LOL that's a funny headline. limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #123

Personal? one_voice Nov 2012 #124

Enjoy your spoon fed corporate talking points and oil industry propaganda. limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #125

You ASSume to know where I get... one_voice Nov 2012 #126

If you're going to call something limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #127

Long condescending post is condescending Fumesucker Nov 2012 #44

Never did I imply that the poor were stupid. You are just jumping on the bash OP bandwagon. joshcryer Nov 2012 #45

Sure you did, the poor lack sophistication, the poor are governed by the harsh realities. Fumesucker Nov 2012 #51

I didn't say they lacked sophistication. The social safety net does not rely on ones sophistication. joshcryer Nov 2012 #55

Everybody gets shit on here on DU Fumesucker Nov 2012 #59

Fumesucker, woo me with science Nov 2012 #60

I have to join in, Fumesucker has created a thing of beauty here quinnox Nov 2012 #62

Few people have their words consistently twisted in such a diabolical way. joshcryer Nov 2012 #61

So you don't get the adulation you have become accustomed to elsewhere when you come to DU? Fumesucker Nov 2012 #63

Eh, you don't get adulation anywhere on the internet. joshcryer Nov 2012 #68

You wrote about a group of which you are not a part in a manner some members felt condescending Fumesucker Nov 2012 #71

But I was a part of it for well over half my life. joshcryer Nov 2012 #74

I've been told variously that the mandate is unenforceable and critical Fumesucker Nov 2012 #77

Who hasn't been dumped on at some point? Zalatix Nov 2012 #83

I will give you kudos for mentioning the poor. Autumn Nov 2012 #118

rofl quinnox Nov 2012 #50

Amen ecstatic Nov 2012 #57

There's a whole bunch of shit I JoeyT Nov 2012 #58

no matter how much you want to berate me hfojvt Nov 2012 #78

I only tried to give people the perspective of those who do not think Obama is a lesser evil. joshcryer Nov 2012 #79

oh, is that all hfojvt Nov 2012 #80

Indeed. joshcryer Nov 2012 #81

you might try just giving your own reasons hfojvt Nov 2012 #100

"for those who are aware" joshcryer Nov 2012 #105

DLC Still Sucks +10000000000000 UStillLose Nov 2012 #84

Thanks for posting this thread. Jamaal510 Nov 2012 #86

These facts have little relevance to the privileged. joshcryer Nov 2012 #87

A-FUCKING-MEN! Odin2005 Nov 2012 #89

You have to be privileged to think the Democrats are anything else than the lesser of two evils. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #90

Arguing that Obama is the lesser of two evils is an elitist viewpoint. Kaleva Nov 2012 #95

The political system is set up such that there will be two parties, and two parties only. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #97

+1 liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #103

I would have loved to vote for Jill Stein liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #104

Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment, WIC, food stamps and health care are not crumbs. joshcryer Nov 2012 #109

Right so, one candidate who will slash those programs, and one who might cut them a little, limpyhobbler Nov 2012 #119

I provided links in the OP about how the Democrats improved them! joshcryer Nov 2012 #122

Could somebody empty the trash? whatchamacallit Nov 2012 #93

One must take our their own trash. joshcryer Nov 2012 #107

Being the lesser of "two evils" and not having a reason to vote for Obama are not opposites. Ms. Toad Nov 2012 #96

Right on. I agree with your reasoning totally. redgreenandblue Nov 2012 #98

The lesser of two evils is a perfectly legitimate choice. joshcryer Nov 2012 #106

No secret I have been critical of Obama. Six months ago I was going to vote for a 3rd party. Autumn Nov 2012 #99

It's got to be incrediably tough for you & your husband to live on $15,160 a year! Kaleva Nov 2012 #121

I'm luckier than a lot of people. Our income is about Autumn Nov 2012 #133

Still, that has to be tough for two people to live on Kaleva Nov 2012 #134

Take it to the ratfucking bastids, josh!!!! This OP is awesome! nt msanthrope Nov 2012 #101

Yup, the non-privileged get to vote for the better of two bads TheKentuckian Nov 2012 #102

+1000 liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #108

Wow... yeah the wealthy have no reason to vote for Obama SomethingFishy Nov 2012 #111

I'm unaffiliated. joshcryer Nov 2012 #112

ROFLMFAO... SomethingFishy Nov 2012 #135

What the FUCK? Cowpunk Nov 2012 #113

I know you mean well, but sadly a lot of people who don't vote TBF Nov 2012 #115

What a great freakin' post... SidDithers Nov 2012 #120

I'll Just Repost This From The Madhound Thread WiffenPoof Nov 2012 #128

There seems to be a diffence between democrat and liberal or progressive these days liberal_at_heart Nov 2012 #129

I Think You Bring Up An Excellent Point... WiffenPoof Nov 2012 #130

We may be watching a shift of sorts - TBF Nov 2012 #132

I disagree that it's a change/schism in Democrats across the nation, though. woo me with science Nov 2012 #136

+1 leftstreet Nov 2012 #137

Interesting perspective - TBF Nov 2012 #138

Technically with the ouster of the blue dogs the Democratic party is more leftward than before. joshcryer Nov 2012 #139

The Democrats and Republicans have always been a party of powerful interests. joshcryer Nov 2012 #140

I don't have time to read your whole post, but I think I agree very much with the gist of it, codjh9 Nov 2012 #131