"Kerry is definitely to the left of even the moderate Republicans."

And that is how I spell R-E-L-I-E-F I'll tell you.

"Those who argue that the pendulum must swing even further to the "right" before truly leftist ideas (like those of Nader) will have a chance to take hold do not realize how much may be irretrievably lost before that happens.."

It isn't about just that. It is about sticking by the principles one espouses, instead of just paying lip service to them every four years, while we vote for the lesser of two evils that are destroying the American standard of living, grossly abusing our power in relation to the rest of the world, carrying on an illegal and immoral war in our names.

How do you square all that with voting for Kerry, especially in light of Abu Ghraib, the decimation of Iraqi civilians and their cities to "destroy the enemy", Genie? John Kerry is going to continue this war. He has no exit strategy, anymore than the Bush administration does. Both camps are hellbent on pursuing this "bomb the Iraqis back to the stone age" policy.

Maybe you are willing to vote for a candidate who is supporting that policy, but I'm not. I refuse to vote for a pro-Iraq war candidate. I refuse to vote for a pro-Patriot Act candidate. I refuse to vote for a pro-free trader candidate. I refuse to vote for a candidate which views international human rights with such contempt.