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Pastimes : Kosovo -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MNI who wrote (13895)	8/3/1999 9:41:00 PM
From: D. Long	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 17770

It seems strange that so many political parties have become rather schizophrenic. The Christian Democrats and the Greens are an example in Germany, both the Democrats and Republicans here in the US. The Republican party to many Americans has become synonomous with the Religious Right, an unfair assumption but it must be admitted that they have a heavy hand in influencing the direction of the Grand Old Party. The Democrats have become inflicted with Clintonian Third Way-ism, which isnt an -ism at all but a sort of unprincipled fence straddling wishie-washie-ness. What a strange time to be interested in politics. :) Hopefully the analysis by Stratfor is right on, and Americans really dont have to worry much about the upcoming election. Its a relieving thought. I do believe however that Stratfor missed an important point about what is important about this election. That is primarily what concerns the military. The US is no doubt the most stretched its been in decades, and who wins this election may decide whether we return to Jimmy Carter era military ineptitude or Reagan era strength. It will in any case decide in a very important way the role of the US in the near future. Also, the election will decide the fate of the budget. While it is mostly a moot point if it is spent to pay down the debt or as a tax cut (paying down the debt is just buying out government securities from private investors, most of whom would also be the beneficiaries of a tax cut: the top 40%), it is important whether Gore or a Republican will decide what to do with the theoretical surplus. Spend it, or return it? Wait it out and see if it materializes, or blow it in one budgetary orgy? There are some important things to consider about the election, even if it wont impact US domestic or foreign policy much. The implications for the future are, IMO, what are at stake. Derek