Quote:
Originally Posted by Dylflon
Strangler, I wasn't arguing with you per se so much as I was expressing my distaste that being left leaning is automatically a thing that can break the deal for you as a politician in the states even after the 8 years you all just went through.
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I don't think left
leaning is something that can break you in the US. Barak is not left leaning, his voting record and stated beliefs would put him more sprinting left and digging a foxhole. A socialist by any other name is still a socialist.
Americans in general share strong opinions about a few issues:
1) Freedom - Any healthcare program that removes the ability of the common person to choose their own doctor, specialist, etc. will be shot down. Its too personal a choice. You can translate that to any social program aimed at the middle class. I believe that there should be a more comprehensive plan, but completely socializing it would be a disaster and most Americans realize this. Thats why the Clinton plan was utterly squashed in the 90's.
2) Sovereignty - In the end Americans do not care what France, England, Germany, Canada, etc. think about what America should do. We like to have a dialogue open, but in the end Americans believe that our leader's responsibility is to national interests, and not international interests. Diplomacy is going to be a HUGE weaknes for Barak
3) Safety - People are tired of Iraq, but most Americans realize we cannot leave anytime soon. Barak needs to come to that if he expects to win.
These are concerns that the average American has, IMO, and until Barak can move himself away from those ideas, involve consumer choice in a national healthcare plan, guarantee he will choose what is in America's best ineterests before those of the UN and come up with a reasionable plan for withdrawing from Iraq, he will not win any national election. At least thats how I see it.