Security and Compassion, Who's On First?

Written by: Eric Weis on Oct 24, 2008 11:53 PM EDT

Linked to groups: The Passaic County Green Party, DFA Passaic County , BlueWaveNJ, DFA New Jersey, DFA County Committee Project

Linked to campaigns: Obama for America

It may surprise you to know that I am not a total progressive, if by that term is meant having an almost total aversion to war.  I believe in justifiable war.  I despise wars which are executed poorly.  We had no business getting into Iraq, but once we were there, we should have done the job right.  Get in, get out and have a Marshall Plan with plenty of chocolates and chewing gum.

So now McCain is focussing again on the security issue.  It may be the only card with any value left in his hand.  Here is my take on it.  It is my belief that Barack Obama will be a Richard Nixon in reverse.  Nixon was able to open up China, despite his personal flaws (which in retrospect pale in comparison to present administration).  I believe that Obama will be surprisingly tough.  His father, grandfather, mother and maternal grandparents were all made of very stern stuff.  So is he. Otherwise Obama would not be in the position he is in.  Unlike midshipman McCain, Barack Obama had no father or grandfather to pave his way.

McCain's latest attempt to exploit Joe Biden's comments on security are just that - an attempt.  Biden could be right about a possible challenge to our security in the first term.  But it is equally possible that there will be no challenge as the world catches its breath. And it is also possible that an Obama presidency would start off with a demonstration of toughness (in Afghanistan, Pakistan or elsewhere). 

The presence of an ex-Navy flier in the White House does not in and of itself preclude a challenge.  It can be argued that there are forces in the world which would be happy to force limited conventional war upon the US, to stretch our already strained military as a way to bring the Empire down more quickly.  In any case, our allies have clearly demonstrated a preference for an Obama administration.  It is logical that they too want improved global stability and security.  A volatile, argumentative, irritable US President is not reassuring, and may well be an ingredient for reduced security.  If you are a terrorist and want more war, and if you feel that you are winning the war of will, then an impulsive fighter in the White House is an answer to your prayers.

Security is only part of the current news cycle.  The Palin/McCain campaign is exerting pressure on the old theme of compassionate conservatism.  It is said that they will repair the failed Bush agenda by funding it.  Hmmm, and just how does that impact a federal budget? So it is not only the Democrats who will spend us into silly oblivion, now we can rest assured that the compassionate GOP will also go for the gold.   But if you shout DEMOCRATIC SPENDERS long enougn and loud enough, the mud sticks.  We just need to hose it off and, with it, expose the rust underneath the new Republican facade - just a re-run of old tactics.

Those tactics intertwine with Sarah Palin's baldfaced attempts to exploit her own child. This has accelerated in the past few days.  It used to be that pols kissed the babies in the crowd. Now she sells her own baby to the crowd.  Words cannot express my feeling about that.  Family ought to be private and insulated.  Do we see Obama milking his grandmother's ill health, speaking to the press?  There is SUCH a difference.  One is cheap.  The other is class.

And why was Palin not talking about autism on day one of the campaign?  Why must she show her Toddler at every photo op?  Mention their love at every speaking opportunity?  I want to see Sarah and Todd Palin in 10 or 20 years, as they deal with the problems of autistic teenagers and young adults.  Tell us how much you know about this subject then.  Not now. Sarah, you don't know jack. Not yet.

Returning to policy, when Palin says they will spend $3 billion a year for five years - does that not fly in the face of John McCain's contention that he will take a hatchet to the US federal budget?  What is the McCain position on health care in general?  It preserves most elements of a private system, one that is not working for millions of Americans.  It is nice to see some compassion emerge from the McCain/Palin ticket, but it is too little, too late, and certainly ingenuous.

What's more, Palin is only now parroting Obama when she says, this is not a matter of budget, it is a matter of priorities.  She has finally got something right, but why vote for the copycat when you can vote for the original on the other ticket?

Finally, John McCain is trumpeting his defense of the middle class to just about every person in Pennsylvania.  He says that Obama will put the middle class through the wringer.  The Keystone State should be filled with sensible folk who can figure out who the true members of the middle class really are.  Hint:  It is not the ones with eight houses/investment properties, private jets, $150,000 wardrobes and $20,000 in cosmetics on the campaign trail.

For my money, this is turning into John the Obfuscater talking to Joe the Plumber.  John's reality is stuck somewhere between his head, his heart and his mouth.  Somewhere down deep, he knows how many houses they own, and how nice it is to fly in the private jet.  But these facts are frozen way down deep so that they never come out into the open.

It is my hope that a lot of plumbers know a clogged drain that is backed up with sludge when they see one.

- Arctic Eric

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Location: Wayne, NJ 07470