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Jun. 15th, 2006 10:10 am
"He bravely ran away"
It's been a struggle to stay interested in national politics of late. The Economist summed up the 2004 Presidential Election as "the Incompetent vs. the Incoherent" and, two years on, things haven't changed much, have they? At the time, I took a stand for principle and supported Coherence. Then came the debacle of Katrina and the shameful realisation that the Incompetence was deeper and more deadly than I'd ever thought. Never has O'Rourke's description of the Republicans as "the party that says government doesn't work and then they get elected and prove it" looked more accurate. So I climbed down from my bully pulpit and haven't felt a desire to get back in it since.
Then yesterday morning I heard John Kerry's voice on the radio and my disgust with his position on the war came back to be full force. I wasn't initially sold on the invasion of Iraq, but as it became clear to me that it was inevitable, one thing became of paramount importance in my mind: That we not cut and run. I didn't know at the time how thoroughly Rumsfeld would botch the occupation, but I did know that it would be longer and most costly than anyone was hoping for. But since it was our decision to break Iraq (yes, ours, albeit through our elected leaders), it is still our responsibility to fix it, to whatever extent we can.
So when I heard Kerry's pusillanimous call for a complete withdraw before the end of the year, I thought I'm so glad I didn't vote for you, you fuckface. And when I heard that Rodham Clinton was booed at the same gathering for making such reasonable statements as "Nor do I think it is smart strategy to set a date certain. I do not agree that that is in the best interests" and calling for a "difficult conversation" among Democrats about the occupation of Iraq, I shook my head and wondered if my friend![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
zompist didn't have a point when he suggested that Democrats might want to consider losing this next election. [ObSnark: At least it's a strategy that plays to their strengths!]
On the plus side, I'm still not regretting voting for Dick Durbin in 1998 and 2002. (His support for farm subsidies stills rubs me the wrong way, but what's an Illinois senator to do? At least he's seen the light on sugar supports.) Like Hillary, he's also trying to talk some sense into his own party on this issue; more power to him.
Then yesterday morning I heard John Kerry's voice on the radio and my disgust with his position on the war came back to be full force. I wasn't initially sold on the invasion of Iraq, but as it became clear to me that it was inevitable, one thing became of paramount importance in my mind: That we not cut and run. I didn't know at the time how thoroughly Rumsfeld would botch the occupation, but I did know that it would be longer and most costly than anyone was hoping for. But since it was our decision to break Iraq (yes, ours, albeit through our elected leaders), it is still our responsibility to fix it, to whatever extent we can.
So when I heard Kerry's pusillanimous call for a complete withdraw before the end of the year, I thought I'm so glad I didn't vote for you, you fuckface. And when I heard that Rodham Clinton was booed at the same gathering for making such reasonable statements as "Nor do I think it is smart strategy to set a date certain. I do not agree that that is in the best interests" and calling for a "difficult conversation" among Democrats about the occupation of Iraq, I shook my head and wondered if my friend
zompist didn't have a point when he suggested that Democrats might want to consider losing this next election. [ObSnark: At least it's a strategy that plays to their strengths!]On the plus side, I'm still not regretting voting for Dick Durbin in 1998 and 2002. (His support for farm subsidies stills rubs me the wrong way, but what's an Illinois senator to do? At least he's seen the light on sugar supports.) Like Hillary, he's also trying to talk some sense into his own party on this issue; more power to him.