Partisan Politics

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

American Empire

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Mike, your description of American empire, as it were, as driven by corporations strikes me as apt. Two associations come to mind: Emily Rosenberg’s theis of US diplomacy in the Wilson era being driven and facilitated by corporate interests, and the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation, whizzing through the galaxy, artificially accelerating civilizations’ development in order to cultivate new markets.

In fact, I think one of the major, major, problems that other nations have with us is not that we act imperialistically, but rather that through successful marketing and plain appeal, US products and corporations transform indigenous ways of life.

This is the root of our hegemony, not our military might.


Posted by Johno on 03/26/03 at 05:41 PM
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Tuesday, March 25, 2003

Recent Developments

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McCain has an interesting perspective truly. It occurs to me that politicians might not be so confident of their decision for war if they are still trying to sell the war to the people. If that’s not it, then just what is McCain up to?

It also appears as though this war is not living up to the expectations of said politicians. My, my, but the Iraqis are not all surrendering in mass numbers. Did they really expect Hussein to just give up? The administration has made errors in judgment here. First, they should not have counted on a coup, because it’s not going to happen. Two, they should not have counted on Turkey permitting passage to open a northern front. At the moment, most of the armor that would have gone through Turkey hasn’t even made it ashore due to rerouting. Proper planning prevents poor performance, and so far the command structure might well have dropped this ball. For the sake of uniformed Americans, this should have at least waited until the armor arrived. Of course, the whole deal was a mistake in my opinion.

Back to McCain, I say Americans have a lot of nerve thinking they can tell Iraqis how to run a democracy. The current president lost the popular vote and the election was decided in the courts. That doesn’t sound democratic to me. Perhaps contest entries will consider a Constitutional amendment to rectify the situation, hmm?

Steve, any thoughts on my explanation of Communism and the origins of Fascism and Nazism? I was expecting more discussion.

Talking to hear my head rattle,
WCM


Posted by Mike on 03/25/03 at 07:10 AM
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Monday, March 24, 2003

One more thought

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As a conservative, I often have difficulties with elected Republican officials. The Federalism issue is one of the most frequent. It would be nice to have an honest to god conservative president, but I don’t think that is terribly likely, given the lip service that must be paid to big government by any candidate standing for election.


Posted by Buckethead on 03/24/03 at 05:16 PM
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Flogging something, anyway

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Buckethead: Dingdingdingding! Right answer! You’re right, I am a diehard Federalist, which is funny, because our federal government is, apparently, no longer federalist. This is especially ironic since we have a Republican president.

Wow… if the Democrats are drifting rudderless after accepting the leadership of Cap’n Clinton, the Republicans are no better off. They no longer even pay lip service to ‘limited’ federal government.

Hence the paradox that frosts my flakes. Issues like education, which, with a Republican prez, should see more responsibility, latitude(, and yes, funding), devolving upon the states, are instead being swallowed by the bureaucratic beast in Washington.

But whatever. I’m not exactly a whiz on education reform, gun control, or any other major policy issue. What the hell do I know?

My cat’s breath smells like catfood.


Posted by Johno on 03/24/03 at 04:07 PM
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Thursday, March 20, 2003

Reagan

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Well, what I tried to say, however ineptly, was this:

It seems to me that the presidency of George W. Bush is unfolding much as Reagan’s did. He is pursuing some similar policies, prosecuting a war against forces who would destroy American values, going ahead with SDI, enacting conservative social policy, etc. At the same time, he is suffering some of the fallout that Reagan did; e.g. coming across to some as alternately callous and clueless, and inspiring rabid, ad hominem attacks.

The parallels between them are striking to me. Those things that can’t be helped-- that people hate Bush as they did Ronnie-- are there, as are the resemblances that Bush could cultivate if he wanted to-- the policy decisions, the date with history, Dick Cheney, the rest of his cabinet sans Condi, and the whole idea of “compassionate conservatism” (empty as that has proven to be).


Posted by Johno on 03/20/03 at 02:02 AM
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Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Well, before the big question…

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You say the attacks on Bush are similar to the attacks on Reagan. You seem to imply that the attacks on Reagan were misplaced, that he wasn’t an amiable dunce, that he did have a grasp on policy, wasn’t leading us to hell, and faced down the global menace of communism. So are you saying that Bush is no Reagan, and that this comparison is wrong?

So is Bush stupid, unable to comprehend the policies he’s advocating (or not advocating), and not facing down terrorism? And you’re asking if this behavior is deliberate? Or that critics were right to criticise Reagan but wrong on Bush?

Forgive me, but I don’t see what you’re getting at.


Posted by Buckethead on 03/19/03 at 10:15 PM
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And now the big question

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Do you think, on Bush’s part, it’s deliberate?


Posted by Johno on 03/19/03 at 09:30 PM
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The President and his legacy-in-the-making

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The vehemence-- nay, venom-- with which Bush’s opponents speak of him brings to mind another Republican President, a President whose intellect was ridiculed by many, who was accused of not having a grasp on the niceties of policy, whose administration was heralded as a new direction and a road to hell, who sometimes demonstrated an offhand callousness about matters he didn’t care about or fully appreciate, who took it upon himself to face down a global menace threatening the lives and liberty of freedom-loving peoples everywhere.

“I know Ronald Reagan, and you sir, are no Ronald Reagan!”


Posted by Johno on 03/19/03 at 09:29 PM
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