Comments on: A Spell for Democracy: Run, Al, Run!

By: The Pagan Temple

The Pagan Temple — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 03:06:47 +0000

Yep, I guess you did. It’s not that I disagree with him that there’s a problem, I just disagree with his claims as to the extent of the problem, and to the extent those problems are caused by humans. I do though think there is some problem, and I also think humans can affect some positive change. Just not the changes he advocates, for the most part.

And I am an independent pagan. If everybody did everything Al Gore wanted them to do, life wouldn’t be worth living anyway, so why worry about it?

By: ibonewits

ibonewits — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:38:09 +0000

Hummm… a Pagan who wants the Earth to be so completely trashed that 90% of the humans (and other species) die off. How very, very rare. What flavor of Pagan are you? Or did I completely misunderstand your comment?

By: The Pagan Temple

The Pagan Temple — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 17:34:53 +0000

I voted for him in 2000, but wouldn’t if he ran again. In fact, if I was worried about him running, I would have to come up with a ritual to counteract yours, but I’m sure he won’t run. He’s basking in the limelight now, and won’t want to risk his ideas being torn to shreds in the public arena that would come with a political run.

He can accomplish more doing what he is doing. That, by the way, is unfortunate in my opinion, so maybe I will join you in your magical endeavors in this regard after all.

By: ibonewits

ibonewits — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 05:17:23 +0000

I believe a Gore run would galvanize the American public, especially as more and more bad news about the environment comes out during the next year. He could sweep many convinced environmentalists into office, perhaps enough to change the calculus in Congress.

Maybe it wouldn’t. But I know none of the other candidates, from either party, would accomplish one tenth as much on green issues. And we don’t have another eight, or even four, years to waste trying to do it while kissing up to the corporations who caused the problems to begin with.

By: dawa_lhamo

dawa_lhamo — Tue, 16 Oct 2007 20:55:17 +0000

And as my godfather pointed out, he’s already won once. ^_^

By: Cavalary

Cavalary — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 11:25:13 +0000

I think the survival of our planet would rate as more important than the survival of our species. After all, it has proven it’s ability to produce species, we haven’t proven any ability to produce planets (or even maintain them for that matter).
And the problem with democracy is that too many just don’t give a damn. You say 30% support the bushy guy and that it means 70% will support Gore. Doubt it. I think most just don’t care. Some of them won’t even vote, the rest will vote according to who does a better job in swaying them at the moment, and I’m not there but from what I got the Republicans seem to be quite adept at that. Or they’ll vote from inertia, making them elect a Republican just because one has been in office so far and “better the evil you know than one you don’t”.
And even if he will win, the way politics and business are set up now, he’ll be a good (or at least decent) president faced with a hostile parliament (remember that it was the Democrats who chose to remove the part about improved gas mileage from the energy bill before putting it before the Senate because they knew even some of their own would oppose the bill if that part was still in it). Been living with such a situation in our government for the past 3 years, it’s not pretty, a constant struggle among the parties and everybody careful not to lose their footing and more interested in bumping the other one off than actually doing anything for the country. And you can’t exactly blame them, I mean if they’d let the other one bump them off they won’t be able to do anything anyway.

By: sari0009

sari0009 — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 01:08:23 +0000

With relations between the government and corporations the way they have been going, would Gore’s ability to answer Gaia’s call be best served from a position in the oval office? He’d be dealing with really entrenched patterns.

Collaborative work outside government might be the one thing that could get the government to come around, regarding things environment? Do you see any fine people exerting nearly enough pressure within the political system and winning big, in Gaia’s interest?

Cheney. I’d bet he’s going back into business and/or “think tanks.” Carter’s words about him had influence, more than is immediately apparent, and Cheney has a bum ticker anyway. There are other ways he could still be the “evil genius in the corner that nobody ever sees come out of his hole.” Even he will know when to retire…kinda.

By: ibonewits

ibonewits — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 23:00:33 +0000

I think he can make a solid point that nothing is more important than the survival of our species. The 30%ers who still believe in Little King George will scream and smear him, no matter what he does or doesn’t do. The other 70% of America will support him.

I cannot believe that he would lose if he runs. He’ll have an overwhelming majority, far too large for Diebold and other Republican voting machine companies to rig against him.

More likely is a “surprise” terrorist attack that prompts Cheney to declare martial law and cancel the elections entirely…

By: Cavalary

Cavalary — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 19:51:21 +0000

True, he won’t be able to do enough unless he ends up president, but won’t he do even less if he does, with all the other issues and interest groups tugging at his sleeves (and even blackmailing him if need be)? And if he does run, won’t all those who are against him now start screaming “See? That’s what this whole ‘green’ bullshit was meant to do in the first place, earn him votes! He’s just a scam!” and how many of the undecided will be swayed to their side? (Plus… What will it mean if he runs and loses?)