Waffle

I thought I'd hang around and double your readership for a moment. Got to about 4 or 5 on the list and realized it reaked. The 'undisputable' opinions backing these 'facts' have been dubunked many times over. I know you're ears ring from too many concert decibels, but if you were truly hunting for the truth, you'd easily argue through most all of these positions. But that's not your intention is it. Say Kerry gets elected based on all this total BS. Where do you want him to lead us? Without strong leadership, we are doomed. The only good thing is that Hillary would kick Kerry's butt in '08 and at least hang some balls back on the Presidency. Well, that's enough. I'll leave you back into oblivion.

Thank you for taking the trouble to respond on what is indeed a very sparsely visited weblog.Noting that you usually hang out with the big boys (WashingtonMonthly, Obsidian Wings), where your opinions reach more people, I don't see why you bother. Is it because strident opposition to President Bush has to be neutralised by fact-free, unspecific counter-assertions wherever it is posted?

I don't suppose you'll be hanging around to read this answer (after all, you've said in so many words that you'll 'leave me to my oblivion'), but I must thank you also for giving me something to point to whenever conservatives claim that they, and they alone, are all paragons of civil discourse. The arrogant, supercillious tone of your two postings here will help me shatter that myth for a long time to come.

The question about John Kerry is worth an answer though. On Iraq, I expect him to take the situation as he finds it, put someone competent in charge, and work towards a situation where the coalition troops can leave without the country sinking into anarchy. I don't expect a miracle: the broad outlines will probably be similar to those of President Bush's policy, but with added competence in the execution.

On the Greater War on Terror I expect Kerry to avoid a second Iraq, and restore diplomacy abroad and civil rights at home and in the vassal states to their rightful place alongside the well-judged use of force. I explicitly don't expect a peacenik presidency.

On the economy, I'd want Kerry to implement some conservative policies. Instead of spending like a drunken sailor as Bush has done (with the difference that a drunken sailor has to stop at some point), he should work towards balancing the budget, paying off the national debt and restoring the value of the dollar. Part of me would love to see the Euro become the international reserve currency, but I would expect such a change to be painful for everyone involved.