Making a Dent in Liberal Disinformation: How Kerry SURROUNDS the Issues
by Lester Dent
Tuesday, October 26, 2004
Senator Kerry dropped a bombshell in the second debate when he mentioned his faith had gotten him through a war. I hadn’t realized he had been in combat. It took some research, but I discovered that he had served in Vietnam.
Things suddenly became clear.
While his critics refer to his shifting stances on a whole gamut of issues as ''flip-flopping'' or ''waffling,'' I realized that these characteristis are actually tactics developed by a combat veteran. He doesn’t flip-flop, he surrounds an issue and outflanks it. Undoubtedly he became familiar with the tactic on the narrow rivers in Vietnam, as Swift Boats surely used the tactic of surrounding. Well, I’m sure he used it.
Take the issue of the draft. Senator Kerry said ''I don't support a draft.'' He went on to say, ''Now, I'm going to add 40,000 active-duty forces to the military.'' In addition, he has also stated that he will double the size of the special forces.
The Special Operations Command at McDill Air Force base in Tampa, Florida, oversees some 46,000 soldiers, so he is pledging to add an additional 46,000 troops. That’s 86,000 additional troops. Let’s assume that these numbers include support troops (the people who shuffle the papers, cook the food, drive the trucks, and fix the jets). Current enlistment goals for the Army, Navy and Marines combined are about 84,000 recruits a year, which are being met. Mr. Kerry proposes more than doubling that. How? Draw them in with great pay? An enlisted soldier, after training, earns less than a barista at Starbucks.
Shall Mr. Kerry inspire a sudden doubling of recruitment to patriotically fight the wrong war, in the wrong place, in the wrong time and die for a mistake? Unlikely. Senator Kerry doesn’t support a draft? His lips say ''No, no, no,'' but his eyes say ''Yes, yes, yes.'' The combat commander has created a diversion of speaking against a draft while marshalling his troops requiring a draft. He has the issue surrounded. When the adversary (that feckless 18-year-old) lowers his guard, BAM! ''Greetings from the President.''
Senator Kerry pledged in the second debate: ''I am not going to raise taxes.'' He qualified that by saying that he would only raise taxes on the top 1%, which according to him would have raised $89 billion in 2003. In the next breath he said he would raise the child care credit by $1000. Five million families apply for that credit each year, which would take away $5 billion of his tax on the ''rich.''
Then he said he would give a $4000 credit to college students. Over 16 million American students attend college each year, so this plan could cut an additional $64 billion from the tax revenues. That leaves $20 billion from increased taxes on those making $200,000 or more. From this $20 billion he will recruit, train, pay and arm 86,000 troops, conduct research on new sources of energy, nationalize healthcare, increase intelligence spending, increase Homeland Security spending, cut taxes on businesses to aid job creation, and bribe other nations to join our coalition (see first debate, ''What do you need, what do you need now, how much more will it take to get you to join us?'') Simply not possible on $20 billion in revenues. Obviously taxes will need to be raised across the board to pay for these programs. Again, the brilliant military strategist says, “Look, over there! What was that?” When our attention is distracted, we are hit by the taxman. As the special forces of the IRS roll over our troops on an unprotected flank, we appreciate the military acumen of our new commander in chief.
Taking both sides of every issue is militarily sound in that it allows people to hear what they want. Kerry has the voter surrounded. Face one direction, and you see the anti-war candidate. Face another, and you see the candidate who pledges to attack Iran if sanctions don’t work. Look north, and you see the man who will never let other countries veto our exercise of military power; look south, and you see a president who submits military actions to a global test. Ahead of you is the team that regrets empty chairs because soldiers are in Afghanistan, while behind you is the candidate who says more soldiers should be in Afghanistan. To your right is the senator who wants to improve intelligence, and on your left is the legislator who voted to gut intelligence spending.
Dick Morris developed the tactic of ''triangulation'' to gain President Clinton a second term, whereby Republican issues were co-opted in part by the Democrats. Senator Kerry brilliantly expands this to encompass pledging to be all things for all voters. He stands astride every issue with his ''plans'' and rhetoric which leave the bemused voter turning warily to spot the direction the real policy will emerge.
Where will Kerry eventually come from? Try reading “The New Soldier” by John Kerry. Paraphrasing George C. Scott’s ''Patton,'' upon successfully predicting where Rommel would attack: ''Kerry, you magnificent bastard, I read your book!'' |
