fatbrit

I remain to be convinced about your claimed affiliations.

And Hillary will get my vote...

Franklin

Absolutely. The Democratic Party must look to the middle states, anything else is suicide. We must unite with the democrats and swing-voters in the middle states. Promoting the east/west coast mentality is doing nothing but wreck the Democratic Party, there must be clear thinking and sacrifice, the politicians in the east states must step aside and not run for top positions. I really like Dean, but frankly he is a liability because he is east coast and out of step with the middle states. Look how he did in Iowa, he bombed.

Franklin

Dr. Christopher Wood (member of Labour International, Memb. No. A729898)

I pasted the above from a data-file, I let my membership lapse because I am not sure if it is compatible with my current citizenship status, I am a naturalized US citizen. I know Matt thinks it is not a problem, but I need to check it out, and then I will rejoin the party. I met Blair when he gave a talk to the Economic Club in Chicago - me and the Chairman of the Chicago Labour Party (international Labour), he was a professor (probably still is) at Northwestern University, sorry I can't recall his name, he specializes in economics and has a speciality interest in the US rail system.

fatbrit

What, beyond paying your dues, is required for membership?

Franklin

Absolute loyalty to the cause, and I mean absolute. Hence my personal dilemma. I take loyalty very seriously and don't shift it easily. I have sworn an oath of allegiance to the United States and I take that very seriously. I feel there might be a conflict and so I need (perhaps just for my personal benefit) clarification from the State Department. I keep meaning to get it.

fatbrit

Personal dilemmas are very troubling. I would advise: don't try to find a cure by yourself and be astute enough to ask for help when it is needed...

Franklin

What amazes me Fatbrit is that you have no idea at all of my background. You just assume I am a rabid conservative, but you assume wrong. I grew up in a working class family that suffered greatly. We moved from Wales when I was a child to London (my mother was born in London, and as a small child was slated for evacuation from London during the blitz, but her parents, both Welsh (though my grand-dad was technically a Welsh jew because his mother was a Russian Orthodox Jewess), decided to go with her and they resettled in Wales. I hate fascists, I hate them so much, of the left or the right. If Labour can defeat fascism I am with Labour. If they can't I am with the party that can defeat fascism. I believe the US is the best country right now to fight fascism, so I give it my total loyalty. Hence my avatar, hence my efforts to learn the legal system here, hence my sacrifices to set up my own law firm near DC, and hence my determination to help others back home set up their own independent businesses, anything that speaks to independence and free will.

pingu

So from your personal perspective, how would a Democrat president make your life any better?

CitySlicker

Dubya has also banned one of my favourite sites.

www.ratemyboobies.com

nxylas

According to Wikipedia:

"Contemporary electoral success has perhaps favored state governors. Of the last five Presidents (Carter, Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush), only George H.W. Bush had never been Governor of a state. Geographically, these Presidents were all from either very large states (California, Texas) or from a state south of the Mason-Dixon Line and east of Texas (Georgia, Arkansas)"

As I recall, there are only 4 Democratic governors who fit that bill, only one of whom was re-elected last time (the others were all first-termers). So maybe the Dems should pick the governor of North Carolina (can't remember his name) as their candidate next time.

fatbrit

I take my evidence from:
1/ What you have written on this board.
2/ Information about you that is freely available on the web.
3/ What people who know you a little better than me have told me about your deeds.

I still remain unconvinced of your claimed Socialist ideals.

nxylas

Or maybe not
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Easley

snowbunny

By making me feel like I was a tax-paying citizen of a country who gave a shit about its working class.

pingu

There's a fine line between giving a shit about the working class, and doing everything for the working class. What exactly do you want the government to do for them exactly?

anotherlimey

Healthcare for all might be nice, not exactly "benefits".