| Subject: Re: Diplomacy |
Author:
pjk
|
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
Date Posted: 11/ 4/04 4:30:57pm
In reply to:
krz
's message, "Re: "Diplomacy is Winning w/out the appearance of Victory" metternich" on 11/ 4/04 7:40:17am
now that it's over, we need some changes.
1. this is the time for the GOP to move to the center, not to the rIght. no gloating; no power moves. realize how many people HatE you and do your job well in context of that sentiment and be influenced by it.
pjk: we can hope, but I see little chance of this happening. I hate saying that, but that is what I perceive. I don't want to say it is NOT going to happen, it's just that I see the GOP moderates continuing to get pushed aside and having little sway anymore within the GOP. I think if the moderates can get together and force the Frists, Delays, Cheney's and Rove's to reckon with them, then there's a good chance the party may moderate. Some pundits have predicted fissures in the GOP, forecasting a fracturing of the party that would render it much weaker than we see it today - the same has been said about the dems. I won't believe it either way until I see it. But I do think that the evangelicals continue to successfully entrench themselves in the GOP and are becoming the dominant voice/face of the party - hence all the hoopla about how the evangelics gave Bush his victory b/c of the FMA, rhetoric on abortion, stemcell, etc. Bush owes them big time so it would be a big risk for the GOP to put them in their place every now and then.
2. no rewards for the Vulcan Cold Warriors of the Neoconservative group. don't let the success go to your head. put a leash on the hAwks. no more pre-emptive wars.
sounds good to me
3. finish the iRaq business NoW. be decisive. act with firmness and authority and we can accomplish something good. waver and watch it fall apart. capitalize on the mandate and finish this part of the job. use the momentum to our advantage. it can be done.
pjk: hard to see us getting out of there in the next four years - but it's 2004... who knows what things will look like in 2006. Next Spring will be a good indication if the road is longer or shorter.
4. accept the oliVe branch from abroad. foster and nurture the window of goodwill. regain what was lost. [see metternich quote]. re-approach eurOPE after a deep breath and collaborate with contracts and the like. Kerrify Iraq after we finish the ugliness... we started that; we need to finish our own b'idnis. then get global [euro]. unlike the complexities of the UN, NATO+france is our timetested alliance that serves a purpose albeit transmorgrified by time, politics and need.
pjk: difficult to resestablish trust... but ya gotta start somewhere
5. regime shake-up:
out: rummy (i like him but it's a graceful time to bow into the pasture of service to country)
pjk: I think rummy has been a disaster.
in: john mccain
pjk: would that keep him from running in '08?
out: ashcroft (too scary)
pjk: bigtime
in: lieberman
pjk: kerry!
out: powell (his choice)
in: giulianni
pjk: I never really gave giuliani much thought, but over the last year I've grown to dislike him very, very much. In fact, he disgusts me. The way he campaigned for Bush and gratuitously jumped on the bandwagon of rhetorical divisiveness was uncalled for. For me, he lost all of the goodwill he amassed in his handling of 9/11. Blaming the troops for not finding the explosives in Qaqaa showed how low he was willing to go to deflect criticism for Bush.
6. bush should let it all hang out and do something to radically concede to the leFt. you pick it: healthcare, oil drilling, gay marriage, anythIng to be a significant leader of the country and show the willingness to unite by concrete action.
Surprise me! I think the conventional perspective from the left is that Bush and Co. will only get worse, will play yet rougher, will pander yet more to the left behinders. There are already signs. The first being words like "mandate" or "nationwide support." There are very big battles ahead - how to reform medicaid/care and social security probably being the biggest.
I think the "easiest" area for Bush to make his mark with the left, center and the rest of the world would be to go 180 º on the environment and make that one of the top 5 issues.
[
Next Thread |
Previous Thread |
Next Message |
Previous Message
]
| |
Feedback: 