The Democratic primary battle is coming down to the wire. If you've been following the candidates you know Barack Obama has promised a new style of politics. He seems to say our differences have been manufactured by divisive politics in Washington. If you've been following the discussion on our website, www.redstatebluestatemovie.com, you know this is only partly true.
Our political parties, together with the media, hype red-blue conflict, but they don't create it. The problem Obama will have if he wins the nomination is that he has participated mostly on the left side of this divide.
Here's a good article from the Rothenberg Political Report today, "Obama's Appeal Depends on Your Definition of Change," that explains the inconsistency of Obama's message. And the inconsistency is not only with the reality of Washington politics, but with the preferences of the national polity. In other words, the differences lie with the voters and the parties merely reflect this.
A president can mediate these differences through his legislative agenda, but navigating that minefield requires knowing how to pick and choose the right battles. A president should be guided by a clear political philosophy and Obama has indicated that his governing philosophy pretty much flows from orthodox liberalism of the Ted Kennedy variety. But Great Society liberalism is out of sync with the recent voting patterns of national elections in the US, especially since 1980. Thus, an Obama presidency that mirrors his legislative experience to date would rightly meet some very strong headwinds. The sooner Senator Obama addresses these inconsistencies as a candidate the better his chances in a general election, but if his supporters believe a President Obama will deliver a liberal progressive agenda wholesale, many will be sorely disappointed sooner or later.
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"In politics we learn the most from those who disagree with us..."
"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived, and dishonest; but the myth--persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy
"In politics we learn the most from those who disagree with us..."
"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie--deliberate, contrived, and dishonest; but the myth--persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought." - John F. Kennedy
Purple Nation? What's that? Good question.
Neither Red nor Blue. In other words, not knee-jerk liberal Democrat or jerk Republican. But certainly not some foggy third way either.
In recent years partisan politics in America has become superimposed on cultural identity and life style choices. You know - whether you go to church or not, or whether you drive a Volvo or a pickup, or where you live. This promotes a false political consciousness that we hope to remedy here.
There are both myths and truths to this Red-Blue dichotomy and we'd like to distinguish between the two. So, please, read on, join the discussion, contribute your point of view.
Diversity of opinion is encouraged...
Neither Red nor Blue. In other words, not knee-jerk liberal Democrat or jerk Republican. But certainly not some foggy third way either.
In recent years partisan politics in America has become superimposed on cultural identity and life style choices. You know - whether you go to church or not, or whether you drive a Volvo or a pickup, or where you live. This promotes a false political consciousness that we hope to remedy here.
There are both myths and truths to this Red-Blue dichotomy and we'd like to distinguish between the two. So, please, read on, join the discussion, contribute your point of view.
Diversity of opinion is encouraged...
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