quote:
Shiloh:
Percy,
My suggestion that there may be a relationship between the election and the administration's current position is this: give them an inch and they'll take a yard. There may well be a sense that no public mandate is really needed, afterall, since none was needed in the election. It's the ol' I-can-do-whatever-I-want mentallity.
Perhaps I'm reading this all wrong. But it is a concern of mine.
Indeed, the election fairly clearly demonstrates a lack of mandate.
I do have a different idea of the connection, however - Americans, being the ever-gullible, knee-jerk, rally-around-the-flag types that we are, are easily wooed to otherwise unsupportable positions by war or the threat of it.
Bush was wavering around, then 9/11 came. Makes the requisite "tough guy" speeches, and his approval soars.
The mid-term elections nearly all revolved around the threat of war - those seen as being bigger supporters of war pretty much won.
Oversimplification, sure, but that played a role im many an elecetion, I have little doubt.
And of course the economy is tanking, corporate scandals rock the country, and the debt soars.
how else is a guy to get support for tax cuts for the rich and the gutting of environmental laws?
Why, start a a war!
Wag the dog, baby.
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