Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The GOP as the "foreign policy party" and the declining importance of social issues
Jonah Goldberg spoke last night at the University of Minnesota, and Captain Ed was there to introduce him and live-blog the speech and Q&A. There's a lot of interesting stuff in there about the shifting politics of global warming, but I thought that this insight was the most interesting:
The GOP is turning into the foreign-policy party, and the evangelicals take that very seriously -- apparently seriously enough to deprioritize the social issues on which they normally focus.
I think this is right, and it explains why -- paradoxically -- Rudy Giuliani leads the pack among likely Republican primary voters. Even though Giuliani has no experience in foreign policy, he has emerged as the most articulate Republican -- and possibly the most articulate politician of either party other than Joe Lieberman -- on the strategy behind and conduct of the wider war against Islamic extremism. Many Republicans who care deeply about social issues and ordinarily would oppose Giuliani support him because he says so well what George W. Bush says so poorly. And, unlike virtually all leading Democrats, Giuliani repeatedly explains what ought to be done, instead of incoherently demanding only that something else be done.
8 Comments:
By 
RandomThoughts, at
Wed Mar 21, 04:02:00 PM:
It might be what politicians are talking about, but that doesn't mean thats how the public will vote. To think that foreign policy will be the determining factor in choosing the next president could be dangerous.
People vote on local issues more than they do on global issues. Sure, Iraq is a big issue, but today, I am not sure war and terrorism can stand up to the fear Joe Six-pack has of losing his job or not being able to afford healthcare (or his six-pack.)
Being able to tie fighting terrorism to Joe Six-pack's concern can be key, but if he doesn't have a job or can't afford a good lifestyle, will he care?
By Purple Avenger, at
Wed Mar 21, 05:12:00 PM:
With unemployment at or near historic lows (and below what I remember being claimed as the structural unemployment rate only 20 years ago), why do you imagine a big employment collapse in the next 18 months?
By 
, at
Wed Mar 21, 07:21:00 PM:
I believe that Giuliani once kicked Arafat out of some NYC function when he was mayor. That alone tells me that he is more qualified than 99% of the people that are currently working in the government to handle foreign policy. Plus, he already crushed the Left once when he turned New York City around.
By RandomThoughts, at
Wed Mar 21, 08:31:00 PM:
Purp, I don't expect high inflation, high unemployment or other bad domestic issues, but I do think that the domestic issues will be more important than foreign policy.
By Assistant Village Idiot, at
Wed Mar 21, 09:52:00 PM:
RT, I think I agree, but I am uncertain whether you are referring to the actual employment and healthcare, or the impression that the Democrats can create about it?
By Purple Avenger, at
Thu Mar 22, 06:47:00 AM:
but I do think that the domestic issues will be more important than foreign policy.
The current congress seems to agree in larding up spending bills with lots of pork in an blatant attempt to buy votes.
Pork: the "new direction" as well as the "other white meat".
By The Mechanical Eye, at
Thu Mar 22, 11:35:00 AM:
I think the idea has merit - the Democrats have been excellent at pointing out Bush's foreign policy disasters (to the point where I'm aghast I voted for his re-election), but this makes them sound like a bunch of sniping critics as opposed to a competing school of foreign policy.
I wouldn't make much of this strength, however, if the president continues to look like an incompetent with regards to the middle east.
DU
By Dawnfire82, at
Mon Mar 26, 09:44:00 PM:
"I wouldn't make much of this strength, however, if the president continues to look like an incompetent with regards to the middle east."
True to a degree, but realize that the public could never stomach the (ruthless) leadership and (brutal) policies necessary to handle the Middle East with any kind of deftness.
Mailing the body parts of family members to terrorists tends to discourage future attacks, and nothing twists a nation's arm who is dependant on exports quite like mined harbors.
