The political issues of the Republican vs. liberal Democrat political struggle continue to be debated. The political issues for the midterm elections of 2006 are discussed in detail. Anticipated political issues for the upcoming 2008 presidential election are also discussed.
Although the background political issues in all recent U.S. elections has been the conservatism vs. liberalism issue, the "hot button" political issues in the 2006 midterm elections, temporarily, at least, moved the conservatism vs. liberalism issue aside. These hot political issues were:
Iraq. A few months ago, this appeared to be the only issue as it has become evident that things in Iraq are not going well at all. However, in the last few months, other issues have moved to the fore and share equal billing with Iraq. But the U.S. failures in Iraq are still very important. It appears that, despite all President Bush's assurances, we are not winning in Iraq. U.S. casualties are high and Iraq is literally falling apart. Chalk a huge failure up for the Bush Administration! (For more discussion on Iraq, see Iraq War & World War 2)
Mark Foley Page Scandal. The American people will put up with almost anything but someone messing with their children. This has happened and there has been some cover-up by the Republicans. On the other hand, most Republicans appeared just as upset about the matter as the Democrats and this somewhat limited the damage. However, Rush Limbaugh, top Republican and conservative propaganda spokesman, didn't help matters by treating the matter as a joke. On balance, another big failure by the Bush administration. This was a factor in the 2006 elections but it is a non-issue now.
Stem Cell Research. If there is one area that shows just how out of touch the conservatives are with the real world, it is in the area of stem cell research. Stem cell research offers the potential of cures for many of our major illnesses. The Republicans, however, have treated it almost as if it were another abortion issue. Prior to the midterm elections, the actor, Michael J. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, made a commercial supporting Democrats who have pushed for stem cell research. He was moving convulsively as he made the commercial. Rush Limbaugh, again, jumped up and accused Fox of either being off his meds or faking the movements. On a TV clip, he mocked Fox's movements. A sad day for moderate Republicans (if there are any such Republicans still around). Another big black star for the Bush administration.
Torture. Probably, the worst item that work against the Republicans (outside the Deep South, anyway). Americans just don't torture or, rather, we didn't used to torture. Now, we are becoming the world experts at it. Can the country fall any lower? Both Bush and Cheney are guilty in this area and the Republicans get another black star by their name. Senator McCain, who spoke up against the torture practices and then capitulated, will have to live with his actions as he runs for president. Senator McCain, I thought better of you!
Although, the above hot issues, along with numerous corruption issues, were the focus of the midterm elections, lets take a look, below, at the the normal conservative vs. liberalism issues that were mostly put aside for this midterm election. They will re-arise in future elections.
The division of party issues has become more distinct than usual since the capture of the Republican party by its most politically conservative elements. This capture of the party by conservatives prevented any move to the middle of the political spectrum by the Republican Party. These conservative people, egged on by Rush Limbaugh, Ann Coulter, Sean Hannity, Bill O'Reilly, and others have a winner-take-all attitude.
Social issues such as religion, faith, family, and same-sex marriage were very important to the conservatives in 2004 and 2006 and will be important in future elections. So were issues such as the Bush tax cuts. Budget deficits counted for little to the conservatives as Limbaugh and other conservative radio talk show hosts ridiculed the importance of budget deficits. Mounting trade deficits didn't even appear to be on their radar screens.
Illegal immigration got little notice by Republicans in the 2004 election but is becoming much more of an issue for 2008. Even the Republicans are getting upset.
Abortion Issue. Conservatives always consider the issue of abortion important. If nothing else gets their attention, abortion issues will. The conservatives are almost unanimously against abortion.
It seems incredible to me that this issue was swept aside in the midterm elections of 2006. However, the stem cell research issue is somewhat related to abortion and it received quite a bit of publicity.
In 2004, the liberal Democrats, with their black and other minorities elements, were insistent that attention be paid to the election issues of 2004 that matter the most to them: jobs, education, the environment, health care issues and the twin budget/trade deficit issues.
In the midterm elections of 2006, these pocketbook issues received less attention as the election discussion centered around the Iraq War and, to a lesser extent, the other issues listed above. As with the Republican social issues, the pocketbook issues are not dead - they are just resting for future elections.
The number of political moderates in both the Democratic and Republican parties is declining rapidly so the voter is generally faced with choosing among the issues advanced by the extreme right wing conservatives and extreme left wing liberals of the respective Republican and Democratic parties. These extreme elements control the respective parties.
The voter often has only black and white election issues to base his vote on. Being a moderate, I don't like to see this scenario because I realize that all issues are not black and white but might also be composed of all shades of gray. However, the agendas of both parties are likely to be advanced with a "You are either with me, or you are against me!" attitude.
Such is the mood of the country at present. It is not a good mood as important issues are shoved aside to make way for ideological issues.
When will America return to its historic moderate political ways? Hopefully, the midterm elections in 2006 will mark the beginning of a trend in that direction. Quite a few Democratic moderates were elected. Unfortunately, some of the more moderate Republicans were defeated.
The terrorist attacks of 9/11 and our reaction to them have not been pleasant developments. Osama Bin Laden created great mischief for the American people with those 9/11 attacks. The highly questionable Iraq War, begun in 2003, is being fought as a result.
Other American reactions to 9/11 include: Prisoners of war are held in camps outside the U.S. and denied prisoner of war status so that they can be denied legal rights normally available for such prisoners. Torture of terrorists suspects has become a routine topic of conversation and a surprising number (majority ?) of the American people agree with the use of torture by our government (too many Arnold Schwarzenegger movies?) The controversial Patriot Act was passed almost unanimously and is in full sway.
Some of our own American citizen civil rights have already been lost; others are threatened. Again, surprisingly few American citizens seem to even know about the loss of their rights or could care less. (Note: they didn't care in Germany either until the Night of the Long Knives and then it didn't matter whether they cared or not. They were Hitler's bitches after that horrific night. They even fell in line and voted for Hitler in Germany's last pre-war election.)
Do we have to give up a substantial portion of our freedoms to win the war on terrorism? Do we want to take the next step and become the bitches of the conservative fanatics? The voters should have debated these questions in the elections of 2004 and 2006 but there was little discussion.
This is another issue that will bite us on the butt in the near future.
Terrorism has American People Terrified. In summary of the effect of terrorism on the American people, it is obvious that the American people were, after 9/11, scared half to death, scared far more than is justified by the terrorist events, horrendous though they were. Conservative elements have played this angle to the hilt and, as a result, have been able to rapidly advance their agenda. Rush Limbaugh must be in a state of ecstasies as he determines on his popular radio talk show who is patriotic (Republicans and conservatives) and who is not patriotic (any non-conservative).
For a discussion of coming events in Iran, Syria, Venezuela, North Korea, and Taiwan, visit Next War . The next war may arrive soon and will likely be an oil-related war!
Our nation has become increasingly mistrustful of the United Nations. Conversely, there is great resistance in the world to our seemingly heavy handed actions against Iraq. This resistance will no doubt grow if we move against the Iranians, North Koreans, and the Syrians as some hawks now threaten to do.
Should we drop out of the United Nations and go it alone? We appear to be in the initial phases of doing that. Hopefully, we won't walk out.
Our relations with most of Europe, particularly our oldest ally, France, have deteriorated a great deal during the Bush administration. We are pretty much going it alone now except for Britain and a few small countries, some of whom would do anything for our money. Is this a natural phenomenon or can we (and should we) do something to improve things?
Of course, Rush Limbaugh is not unhappy with the present relations with Europe. He doesn't like Europe.
Controlled Media Whores
To most of us, America has always been the home of free speech, a nation where all opinions could be heard, a nation where the mass media is not totally controlled by the government, by religious organizations, or by political groups.
Of course, we have all known that Rush Limbaugh and other right wing talk show hosts were strong conservative Republicans and don't tolerate liberal views on their programs. However, the extent to which these conservative talk shows, FOX News and other TV networks (ABC, for example), and many, if not most of the newspapers, are directly controlled by billionaires with a strong conservative Republican bias, was not known until recently. Even more of a shock to me is how many of the reporters could be compromised by the Republican billionaires for a monetary payoff. What a bunch of whores!
I am a Chemical Engineer by profession and have worked with many chemists and laboratory technicians who perform various laboratory tests on a myriad of items. Nothing, absolutely nothing, destroys the reputation of these chemists and technicians like being caught "penciling in" phony test results. When discovered penciling in results, the guilty individuals are severely punished and the word is "unofficially" spread around so the disgrace sticks to the individual. It is a cruel but effective means of controlling the quality of laboratory testing.
And yet, in the media industry, more and more of people supposedly reporting news are found to be reporting (penciling in) fake news, receiving a nice monetary reward in the form of new business, and then being rewarded with government contracts!
Folks, whatever happened to truth? Whatever happened to checks and balances?
The Bush administration had pretty well abandoned the big government approach to helping US citizens prior to Hurricane Katrina striking New Orleans. For example, at one time, the once proud agency, FEMA, had assisted Americans during many disasters and was well thought of. The Bush administration gutted the agency and put in a Bush crony, Michael Brown, to head the agency.
Then came Katrina and where was Brown. He obviously didn't know what was going on and was such an embarrassment, Bush had to fire him. Meantime, over 1,000 New Orleans citizens died.
Bush had some nice praise for Brown at a press conference the day before he unloaded him:
"Brownie, you are doing a heckofa job!"
The jaws of most New Orleans spectators dropped when those words were spoken.
Well, so much for placing golfing and drinking buddies in high places.
One Last Thought on Issues. A lot has been written and debated on specific issues of the 2004 election. I have discussed these issues above, however, it should be noted that the 'underlying issue' in the election of 2004 and in the midterm elections of 2006 was, essentially, the conservatism vs. liberalism issue. That issue will not fade until one side or the other gives way. All other issues, are, to some extent a play on the conservatism vs. liberalism issue.
At this time, I see no compromising between the Republicans (conservatives) and the Democrats (liberals or progressives as they now like to be called) . The fight goes on!
1. Katrina & New Orleans. This web site is about issues and there is little doubt that the poor federal, state, and local response to Hurricane Katrina played a role in the 2006 Congressional Elections. The three stooges could have done as good a job with the New Orleans recovery effort as the Bush-Brownie duo did.
2. US Politics, 2008. The Democrats won both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Will moderate politics reemerge as a result.
3. Global Warming. Global Warming is the next big threat to civilization. Is Al Gore right?
The midterm 2006 elections shaped up to be about a new set of issues from those discussed in 2004. Old political issues have only been temporarily shoved aside, however, and the conservatism vs. liberalism political issue is still the most important background political issue.
Updated: 08/02/08
e-mail me @ vanc13@cox.net
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