11.6.04
I’ve been reading up on reactions and analysis of the elections and theres more than enough to show that the country is extremely divided right now. Look around and you’ll find that nobody outside of the corportate media is buying this “mandate” thing.
If you are truly concerned about the the division in this country now, then you’ll have to owe up to the nasty campaign that was run hell bent on firing up the right wing. Irony, its kind of like going to war with no exit plan. They were so hell bent on winning, they didn’t worry about the morning after. Can’t blame the democrats for being skeptical of taking dubya’s word this time around after such a negative and extreme campaign in which he called democrats terrorists and got churches to tell people who jesus would vote for. In order to rebuild the country it is like building coalitions, something that I’m skeptical he is capable of doing, especially with people who disagree with him.
Unlike the rest of the world, which was deemed “irrelevant” in the march towards war in Iraq, this time around we’re talking about American citizens here. 56+ Million of them. I think its crazy that the right wing feels so rabid about their perceived notion of “values” and “morals” to turn against their own countrymen?
The people who voted for Bush didn’t know what they’re voting for. They came out based on single, hot button issues like Guns, and Gay Marriage. Thats misleading to voters if you play on their emotions, especially when you motivate them through fear and hate. God forbid, if they ever figure out that they’ve been had down the line.
I disagree that the country is moving more conservative based on this election alone. If anything at all, the results show that the voting population may be moving in that direction. But once again, 51%-49%. Besides, some of the externalities of the free market promote freer societies more than not. Culture wars are not pretty, trust me you don’t want to see one in this country, especially with an armed, self-rightous population.
A few things to watch for in the next upcoming months.
1) PN senator Specter is a moderate republican who sits on the Judiciary committee. He has already come out and said that he is not totally thrilled about the agenda that is coming up with judicial nominations. What would you do if he and other republicans (especially the fiscally conservative ones) start to side with the Democrats? Will they be so hell bent on their agenda that to even turn on their own Party who raise questions or call for moderation?
2) The battle for Falluja is right around the corner. Troops on the ground are already bracing for a long hard fight, similar to what they experienced earlier this spring when they suffered more dead and wounded than in any other battle during the war, and still could not take the city. The longer we stay there, the more Americans will die, the more Iraqis we kill, and the more inflammed the region will become. Its a mess over there, and its sure to serve as a distraction for any domestic policy for the next four years.
3) The latest economic reports from the Treasury point out the fiscal realities of the tax cuts and the war are going to be a hinderance on the president’s plans, mandate or not. Privatizing social security, making adjustments to the income tax, are all going to cost money, money that we don’t have right now, and can’t gain from economic growth. Even with all three branches of government, it’ll be harder to push this through with a balooning deficit. Meanwhile another $70 Billion dollar supplemental for Iraq is in the works for next session. Just remember what Reagan did in his second term, after he cut taxes and ran a huge deficit with defense spending. he raised taxes.