the Pale Horse
I'm going to go out on a limb here; the Republican Party is on the ropes. Though whether or not Obama will win is certainly not definite, McCain is having a hard time. He was an unusual choice for the Republicans historically—But it was really their only choice. The Bush Doctrine, of unilaterally invading a nation strictly for "humanitarian" concerns (for Sarah Palin) has been roundly rejected by the American Public. The pessimistic, and overactive foreign policy that necessarily accompanies it has lessened us in the world's eyes. As a result, we have less leverage over allies and enemies than ever before. The ignorant monitoring of banking and finance, and poor appointments in the same field have exacerbated slowing tendencies and left us less apt, and less able to respond.
In this new world, where neo-conservatism has bankrupted itself in the eyes of those it relied upon for it's power is changing in some drastic ways. The bailout of banking, and their subsequent partial-nationalization is an immediate example. The notion of printing 700 billion new dollars, and entering the tax-payers as major owners of the largest banks in the world is downright socialist, despite the capitalistic bent of privatizing the profits. What it is not is small government. Indeed it can fairly be called one of the largest expansions of American government in it's history.
McCain's solution is to use this newly printed money to buy sub-prime mortgages from these banks, and refinance them at a more realistic market-value. In addition to immediately destroying a great portion of that new money in the refinance, it's a bottom-up solution; something Republicanism hasn't been wont to do. The problem is that it won't work anyway. It pays back these illiquid banks too slowly, therefore still stymying the credit market. It doesn't get these individual citizens more capital, just lowers their debt and tax burden by making them poorer. It looks like the McCain campaign is throwing the baby out with the bath-water. In abandoning classical conservative Republican ideals for populism (something the neo-cons tried, and ultimately failed at) they're shooting themselves in the foot and the electorate will not forget it.
The other pillar of the Republican platform are it's conservative social stances. Sarah Palin is a coup for the Republican's conservative Christian base. She doesn't support abortion, even when a mother's life is in danger—this she disagrees with McCain about. She doesn't support gay marriage, she prays in public for natural gas pipelines, then there's that whole witch doctor thing. Unfortunately she is a famous idiot, and if anything is a drag on her ticket. Without arguing the success or failure of these stances, the Republican base is beginning to realize that discrimination and religion do not, in and of themselves, a convincing party platform create.
So each step the Democrats take to the left, and Obama has been able to take a considerable amount in this election, the Republicans take a step to the left. McCain really seems to be taking it hard, because each step he takes he makes seeems increasingly like a misstep. "Joe the Plumber" is a good example of this. I don't know if you already read on the New York Times, but they found this Joe the Plumber and some interesting things about him. Firstly, his name is Sam. He isn't a plumber, or doesn't have a license which is a legal necessity. He also has thousands of dollars in back taxes. But I'm willing to use Joe the Plumber as an idea, sure. In the debate McCain seemed to make Joe the Plumber stand for Everyman Q. American. To be able to buy this business of his, and get bumped up to a higher tax bracket, Joe would have to be making more than $250,000 dollars, according to Obama's tax plan. That isn't, according to any sensible standard, middle class. McCain's argument cut across the grain, were uneven, and came across as confused keyword pabulum. He's pulled out of Michigan. He's spending time and money in states that he won't win, while states that he must win are hanging by a thread.
As I said, Obama's victory is not a foregone conclusion, but I get the sense that Republicanism cannot go on in the same way it has. Let's revisit the right's two bedrock principles: lithe governance, and "family values." Republicans have learned that small government (even if in name, and not concept only) is a bankrupt notion, that has driven this country to economic ruin. McCain is ready to bail out citizens instead of companies, all to the tune on a pinko 700 billion dollar bigger government. I don't think it is even arguable that the nation is trending toward a more progressive social platform, however slowly. I think this campaign is the death of Republicanism. What will there be left to be conservative about?
In this new world, where neo-conservatism has bankrupted itself in the eyes of those it relied upon for it's power is changing in some drastic ways. The bailout of banking, and their subsequent partial-nationalization is an immediate example. The notion of printing 700 billion new dollars, and entering the tax-payers as major owners of the largest banks in the world is downright socialist, despite the capitalistic bent of privatizing the profits. What it is not is small government. Indeed it can fairly be called one of the largest expansions of American government in it's history.
McCain's solution is to use this newly printed money to buy sub-prime mortgages from these banks, and refinance them at a more realistic market-value. In addition to immediately destroying a great portion of that new money in the refinance, it's a bottom-up solution; something Republicanism hasn't been wont to do. The problem is that it won't work anyway. It pays back these illiquid banks too slowly, therefore still stymying the credit market. It doesn't get these individual citizens more capital, just lowers their debt and tax burden by making them poorer. It looks like the McCain campaign is throwing the baby out with the bath-water. In abandoning classical conservative Republican ideals for populism (something the neo-cons tried, and ultimately failed at) they're shooting themselves in the foot and the electorate will not forget it.
The other pillar of the Republican platform are it's conservative social stances. Sarah Palin is a coup for the Republican's conservative Christian base. She doesn't support abortion, even when a mother's life is in danger—this she disagrees with McCain about. She doesn't support gay marriage, she prays in public for natural gas pipelines, then there's that whole witch doctor thing. Unfortunately she is a famous idiot, and if anything is a drag on her ticket. Without arguing the success or failure of these stances, the Republican base is beginning to realize that discrimination and religion do not, in and of themselves, a convincing party platform create.
So each step the Democrats take to the left, and Obama has been able to take a considerable amount in this election, the Republicans take a step to the left. McCain really seems to be taking it hard, because each step he takes he makes seeems increasingly like a misstep. "Joe the Plumber" is a good example of this. I don't know if you already read on the New York Times, but they found this Joe the Plumber and some interesting things about him. Firstly, his name is Sam. He isn't a plumber, or doesn't have a license which is a legal necessity. He also has thousands of dollars in back taxes. But I'm willing to use Joe the Plumber as an idea, sure. In the debate McCain seemed to make Joe the Plumber stand for Everyman Q. American. To be able to buy this business of his, and get bumped up to a higher tax bracket, Joe would have to be making more than $250,000 dollars, according to Obama's tax plan. That isn't, according to any sensible standard, middle class. McCain's argument cut across the grain, were uneven, and came across as confused keyword pabulum. He's pulled out of Michigan. He's spending time and money in states that he won't win, while states that he must win are hanging by a thread.
As I said, Obama's victory is not a foregone conclusion, but I get the sense that Republicanism cannot go on in the same way it has. Let's revisit the right's two bedrock principles: lithe governance, and "family values." Republicans have learned that small government (even if in name, and not concept only) is a bankrupt notion, that has driven this country to economic ruin. McCain is ready to bail out citizens instead of companies, all to the tune on a pinko 700 billion dollar bigger government. I don't think it is even arguable that the nation is trending toward a more progressive social platform, however slowly. I think this campaign is the death of Republicanism. What will there be left to be conservative about?
