Fellow Libs Discuss Future Political Prospects Reason has an article out discussing how people who self-identify as fiscally conservative and socially liberal are aligning themselves in America's nutty maelstrom of politics. Based on polling data, seems libs are doing an about face from the Repubs due to perceived nastiness and culture war fiascoes:
The real McCain, whoever that is or was, may still believe that major swathes of the Religious Right represent "agents of intolerance" in our politics. But he has decided to stake both his election and the Republican Party's future upon them—from the barely coded racial refrain of "Who is Barack Obama?," to the rallies with shouts of "terrorist" and "kill him," to the corrosive choice of pipeline-prayer Sarah Palin as his running mate and heir apparent.
Tax cuts or no tax cuts, a party that can be roused in time of deep crisis only by fear and tribalism—a party that a supposed moderate is now deeding to its most extreme elements—can scarcely serve as a safe home to liberty or the voters who cherish it.
Sure, everyone loves the grass-roots activism of Joe and Tito, but a presidential candidate needs to move beyond the street-level insults slung at the opposition to prove that he/she is competent. Sure, I'd love to grab a beer with those guys, but I remain skeptical that they have background and expertise to conduct tough diplomacy with some of the world's more unsavory characters, which is why it is bizarre that the Republican campaign has pushed this anti-elite meme so hard. One thing I learned from the military is that you want your leadership to know what the fuck they are doing, and being a "swell guy" is a bit irrelevant. That's why the Palin 2012 buzz is registering about a 0.4 on my interest radar, because her communication strategy seems obsessed with relating to the hardcore, folksy, Evangelical base of the Republican party. Call me a limp-wristed "elite", but the Republicans' preoccupation with culture war issues like stem cell research, gay marriage, and Obama being some anti-American mutant seem rather silly when serious issues are at stake. I just want a Prez who's not going to get us all killed, is that too damn much to ask?
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