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"The Rehabilitation of the Cold-War Liberal"
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SpaceMonkey
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May 1, 2006, 11:12 AM
 
An interesting NY Times Magazine article

This fall, for the third time since 9/11, American voters will choose between Democrats and Republicans while knowing what only one party believes about national security. In 2002, Democratic candidates tried to change the subject, focusing on Social Security and health care instead. In 2004, John Kerry substituted biography for ideology, largely ignoring his own extensive foreign-policy record and stressing his service in Vietnam. In this year's Senate and House races, the party looks set to reprise Michael Dukakis's old theme: competence. Rather than tell Americans what their vision is, Democrats will assure them that they can execute it better than George W. Bush.

Democrats have no shortage of talented foreign-policy practitioners. Indeed, they have no shortage of worthwhile foreign-policy proposals. Even so, they cannot tell a coherent story about the post-9/11 world. And they cannot do so, in large part, because they have not found their usable past. Such stories, after all, are not born in focus groups; they are less invented than inherited. Before Democrats can conquer their ideological weakness, they must first conquer their ideological amnesia.
Do you think America ready for a different post-9/11 world vision?

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
Dr Reducto
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May 1, 2006, 11:53 AM
 
What the Democrats need to do to win elections is distance themselves from Michael Moore and move closer to the center. America is a lot more conservative than 1990's America (i'd say largely as a result of a backlash against the feel-good politically correct 1990's)
     
abe
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May 1, 2006, 12:18 PM
 
Whoever is elected should understand and be ready, willing and able to persuasively articulate a clear and effective policy to address Islamic hegemony.

In 2004 the Democrats mentioned it as an issue to be addressed by police agencies. And that's all well and good. Police certainly play a role in the WoT. But when a terrorist camp is churning out jihadists in Afghanistan you aren't going to send cops.

I never got the sense that the Dems took this threat seriously.

Dubya understood it VERY well.

The public's perception of his effectiveness in Iraq and the WoT has something to do with the Administration's inability to communicate their goals and help get the public on board with what they were trying to do and what they couldn't do because of national security.

But there is also some point to the idea that the execution hasn't been the best. And some of that was possibly due to malcontents in the wrong jobs.

Well, if the choice in 08 was between a Dem who executed very well but didn't understand the national security risk vs a republican who may not run the tightest ship but was completely aware of and serious about protecting the country, the republican would win.

However, I think the dems will at least talk a better WoT game this time. In fact, I think Hilary might genuinely understand the issue enough that it wouldn't automatically disqualify her in the minds of those whose hot button was Homeland Security.
America should know the political orientation of government officials who might be in a position to adversely influence the future of this country. http://tinyurl.com/4vucu5
     
SpaceMonkey  (op)
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May 5, 2006, 02:35 PM
 
If you read the full article, it is less about competent execution, and more about returning to Democrat-led foreign policy strategies of the early Cold War. Generosity abroad and generosity at home. The economic security of average Americans as being central to America's security abroad. To recognize that America is not "a fixed model for a benighted world," but that democratic struggles at home offer "a beacon to people in other nations struggling against the evil in theirs." Otherwise, you get apathy and cynicism at home (a la Dubai Ports Deal), and suspicion and resentment abroad.

"One ticket to Washington, please. I have a date with destiny."
     
   
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