Calblog

Kevin's Noodling

I'm in a hurry, so this will be quick, Kevin over at his blog writes on two supposedly unrelated political issues. I tend to think that those two issues run together and are getting you closer to the answer than it appears at first blush.

Kevin notes that Kerry wouldn't have gone to war with Iraq. This is something I'm desparately not sure of. Republicans persuing an aggressive foreign policy are hampered in by Democratic opposition, but Republicans are seemingly less likely to stridently oppose Democratic aggressive foreign policy. Kosovo is actually an interesting example, some Republicans in Congress said how it was irresponsible, but did any major protests come or major opposition, not particularly. Democrats often can go further than Republicans when it comes to an aggressive foreign policy. There's little doubt in my mind that if Howard Dean, an angry American, was president on July 17th, 2005 and there was a major terror attack on July 16th, the response would be far stronger than Bush's of recent. This ties hand in hand with why welfare reform took place under Clinton.

This reflects back into the Gay Marriage because the longer I watch politics in America, I'm sold on the idea that the real battle is over the social issues. In fact, it isn't even over social issues generally it is over the Supreme Court. I think is largely related to the issue of why Nader supporters see so little difference in the parties. To them, neither one is the greatest. I think this is also why a large number of Libertarians, checking Yes or No on social issues, are considering a vote for Kerry. Will Kerry raise my taxes? Eh...Depends on the Congress, Which may or may not happen. Now I know, I will be told there's a wealth of differences on non-social issues, but I doubt it, most of it's posturing for the recurring 4 year dance. This is also why the question "Do you listen to Country Music?" is quickly becoming a proxy of "Republican or Democrat?"