At 07:49 PM 9/16/2004 -0700 David Brin wrote:
>Typically, John admires the one democratic president
>who was a certifiable psychopath (though extremely
>admirable in other ways.) JFK
Actually, I have made no such comment about "admiration." I simply
pointed out that he was the last Democratic Presidential Candidate to be
perceived as stronger on Foreign Policy than his Republican opponents.
(Well, Johnson over Goldwater probably rates there too - but I wasn't
thinking that far at the time.) Certainly, by Nixon-McGovern the roles
had been reversed.
>Weak on defense? The numbers don't help you John.
Dr. Brin, you are making the mistake of assuming that I, like you, must
believe that my opponents are very nearly absolutely evil/wrong. I am
hardly trying to argue that Democrats since JFK have advocated America
curling up into a ball and surrendering. I am merely pointing out that
since JFK, they have been perceived to have become much weaker on defense
in comparison to the Republicans.
FACT: In the 1970's the Democrats became strongly associated with the
radical peace movement.
FACT: Jimmy Carter was perceived to be very weak in his response to the
Iranian hostage crisis.
FACT: Democrats largely opposed Ronald Reagan's "Strong America" foreign
policy, in everything from his rhetoric, to fighting various "hot theatres"
of the Cold War, to opposing Reagan's defence buildup.
FACT: The Democrats ware largely associated with opposition to the First
Gulf War - a War fought with UN approval and the largest coalition the
world has ever seen.... and also arguably the most successful war the US
has ever fought - certainly to that point in history. (I know that you
would quibble on not also liberating Iraq - but the Democrats were far more
opposed to liberating Iraq in 1991 than the Republicans.)
FACT: Following the most devastating attack on the US since Pearl Harbor,
the Democrats have nominated a veteran anti-war activist from the radical
peace movement, and a man who voted against fighting the spectacularly
successful First Gulf War - despite UN authorization and the largest
coalition the world has ever seen.
FACT: Americans perceive the Democrats as "moving Left/becoming softer on
National Security issues" since JFK.
JDG
_______________________________________________________
John D. Giorgis - [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"The liberty we prize is not America's gift to the world,
it is God's gift to humanity." - George W. Bush 1/29/03
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