Long ago I confessed that I've given some thought to voting for Republican candidate for President - if only to saddle him with W's mess. It's too cruel to inflict this on someone for whom I have any real respect!
BUT... I'll probably not go down that path - erasing W means getting a "major-party candidate who isn't a Republican" in office!
The mess... oh, my... this is too hard!
Foreign policy:
Afghanistan: opium poppy cultivation is now the dominant economic basis of the country. The Taliban are back. Karzai rules only in Kabul. The solution? Damned if I know.
Iraq: out now! OUT NOW!! $500Bn and counting. No plausible "winning" strategy. No plausible desirable end-state attainable. OUT NOW! (Yeah, I know - it'll be a mess for the Iraqis - for whom I harbor no ill feelings - BUT: let it be THEIR problem, not ours!)
N. Korea: W deliberately, pointedly walked away from diplomacy as soon as he took office. In the past year he's tried to resurrect Clinton's engagement. Too little, too late. They've progressed on their nuke ambitions. They continue to test ICBMs.
Iran: (the third of the "axis of Evil" states) How do you transform a third-rate country into a horrible menace? You confront 'em, often, belligerently. W has done that well. "You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar" comes to mind. The name-calling hasn't worked very well. Maybe it's time for an adult-oriented discussion.
Israel/Palestine: oh, my. Too little time, too little space! W pontificates about "democracy", then, when democratic elections in the Palestinian territories put Hamas in charge, denies the legitimately elected gov't funds! He encourages Israel to bomb the hell out of Lebanon until a lasting peace can be achieved (a peace which has not been achieved in 60 years!). He turns a blind eye to the collective punishment of Palestians in Gaza. (Full-disclosure: I LIKE Israel! One of the formative books in my life: Exodus, by Leon Uris. I spent summer between 10th & 11th grade glued to TV, watching Abba Eban assert Israel's right-to-existence at the U.N. during Gulf of Aqaba crisis - as a firm supporter of Israel!)
The rest of the world: following 9/11 we were the darlings of the world. Even Iran was supportive. Now we're seen - legitimately, I'm afraid - as a loose cannon. How to repair our international reputation? Beats me.
GWOT:
Where to start?
Guantanamo: close it. Now. NOW!
Dept of Homeland Security: dismantle it. Now. NOW!
(Yes, I'm sure there's more to clean up here, but these two are paramount!)
Police State:
This is easy: return to Constitutional principles.
So-called "Patriot Act"? Kill it!
So-called "Protect America Act"? Kill it!
Which word don't they understand?
Amendment IV
The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
Economy:
Resurrect responsible Gov't regulation!
Government:
Reinstate GOVERNMENT.
Privatization? Kill it!
The abuses of Parsons, Halliburton, Blackwater ought stop NOW! Today.
We're paying more $ for less benefit than ever!
(Use $ as primary debate point!)
Government really does have a role to play:
- form a more perfect Union
- establish justice
- ensure domestic tranquility
- provide for the common defence
- promote the general welfare, and
- secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity.
There's so much more to be said. Cleaning up after W will take some serious work. Do I wish this on my worst enemy? No... But I'll vote for the "major-party candidate who isn't a Republican" anyway!
Stop the madness!
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