I will not be appearing in any political debate in the near future, but I feel confident of one issue that will come up in the soon-coming Bush-Kerry debate: Kerry's so called flip-flopping on the issues. If I were Kerry, I think I might respond something like this:
Your [Bush's] campaign has done a good job of pushing that flip-flop angle. I had to laugh at your commercial with me windsurfing going back and forth with the waltz music in the background. I'd give whoever came up with that one a raise.
Of course I could accuse you of the same thing before the war. You shifted from one rationale to another trying to make one stick. Was Iraq importing uranium from Africa? No, that one didn't seem to work. Did Iraq have close ties with Al-Qaeda? No, one meeting when bin Laden hated Saddam Hussein doesn't pull it off. Liberate the Iraqis? Well, a good goal, but nobody wants to sacrifice 1000 Americans unless our safety is really at stake. Weapons of mass destruction? That one seemed to work the best. And although it turned out there weren't any--in fact that they couldn't have hurt a flea--well, that was the one that really convinced people like me in the Senate to vote with you on the war.
But I'm not going to accuse you of flip-flopping, President Bush. I'm not going to accuse you of flip-flopping because throughout all these variations your underlying inclination was always clear: you wanted to go to war. And underneath all these comments of mine that you have spliced together in your ads to make me look flip-floppy are also some fundamental inclinations I have too. I don't like to send Americans to their death, and I think our money is better spent helping struggling Americans than bleeding our economy overseas in a costly conflict that not only did not directly bear on our national security, but that actually has made the world less safe for Americans, both here and particularly abroad.
Regardless of the political winds of the moment. History will not look kindly on you, President Bush. Our grandchildren will shake their heads in puzzlement and shame for the disgrace you have brought us in the world.
Anyway, I think I'd respond something like that. Good day.
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6 comments:
Mr. Schenck I do have to say I agree with you on the flip-flop issue. I do, however, have one question. Who do you support, if you don't mind me asking. Bush or Kerry? It seems that you like them almost equally.
Is this a Trojan Horse question?
In my heart I don't truly support either of these candidates.
My inbred biases are Republican and I lean Republican politically and economically. But morally the Democratic party tends to be the one that promotes core Christ values like peacemaking and helping the helpless.
I don't think I can vote for Bush in good conscience. But can I vote for Kerry? Aye, there's the question.
Who is more helpless than the unborn?
If I thought a vote for Bush this election would save the unborn, I would vote for him without any hesitation.
Thanks for blogging with me, O mysterious one. Are you one of the voices I've been hearing lately in the back of my head?
P.S. Just kidding.
Hello! I am a former student of yours (Philosophy 101 or whatever the most basic Fine Arts requirement class is...) and I thought this article was very well written. I posted it on my blog on a well known liberal leaning political blog http://emilie123.dailykos.com and got numerous comments. Anyways, thanks again for challenging the status quo that GOP doesn't necessarily equal GOD.
Emilie (Rains) Moore
IWU Class of 2001
Hey Emile! Fun blog have you. I'll have to go back to pick up on where you're at now (unless you check back here and want to tell me yourself). You're obviously married unless the "Moore" bit is some scam you're running.
This blogging's a blast, although I'm surprised that a few people are finding it--I've told no one. It's probably that Patriot Act, CIA or something!
As for campaigns, I often feel I could write better speeches for these guys than the people they're paying (and I mean for both parties). Then I go back on my medicine and everything's white as rain.
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