Comments on: Reason #2: Obama will make the election about foreign policy

By: OHIO JOE

OHIO JOE — Thu, 29 May 2008 19:21:30 +0000

Nevermind complaining about the influences of our two system. If the war is so unpopular, I am sure you could get the Liberal Republicans as well as the Conservative Democrats to join you in ending the war. There is a reson you don’t have the vote and you dare not say too loudly what that reason is.

By: Giacomo

Giacomo — Thu, 29 May 2008 15:49:02 +0000

Our government uses a two-party system that disenfranchises third-parties. Unless we had an proportionate share of Independent congressmen as we have Independent voters (which won’t happen), the Republicans will continue to exercise an inflated-influence on this war.

The Democrats may have the votes they need by 2008, but right now it’s impossible. Bush, and his Republican allies, have made any major effort to end combat actions in Iraq impossible.

By: OHIO JOE

OHIO JOE — Thu, 29 May 2008 14:56:43 +0000

I am well aware of the 2 thirds needed. The war passed with over 2 thirds in the first place and if as you claim, 2 thirds of the country are dead set against the war, you should have no problem getting 2 thirds to override any veto.

By: Giacomo

Giacomo — Thu, 29 May 2008 13:02:45 +0000

Ohio,

Do you have any idea how hard it is to override a veto? It takes 2/3 the votes of the House and the Senate. There is NO WAY the Democrats have enough votes from the Republicans to do this. They’ve tried.

This war is directly connected to George W. Bush and the blind partisanship of his Republican stooges.

By: OHIO JOE

OHIO JOE — Thu, 29 May 2008 12:04:25 +0000

If the war is so unpopular, it does not matter who the President is, you override his veto. This fact is, either the Democrats know the war is not that unpopular or they just do not want to get the votes to stop the war.

By: Giacomo

Giacomo — Thu, 29 May 2008 01:59:40 +0000

Ohio,

As long as Bush continues to rule us like a king with his veto-pen, the only way Democrats can end this war is to win the White House (or impeach Bush and Cheney, but that would look way too… Republican. )

By: OHIO JOE

OHIO JOE — Thu, 29 May 2008 00:45:54 +0000

Giacomo, this country is not flat out against this war. At best 30% hate it and another 30% have mixed feelings. You guys run the Congress, put up or shut. If this war is so bad, you guys would have ended and perhaps you guys would not have voted for it in the first place. Maybe Mr. Obama never voted for the war, but much of your party did and you refuse to end it.

By: Giacomo

Giacomo — Wed, 28 May 2008 18:53:32 +0000

I think it’s quite presumptuous for you to make such outlandish generalizations about US public perception as a Brit. (I mean, it’s like you guys haven’t learned anything since the American Revolution. )

America isn’t superficially anti-war; we’re flat-out furious about this war. Public polls consistently show that Americans view the Iraq War as a mistake by a 2:1 margin (source: pollingreport.com/iraq). A 2:1 margin isn’t superficial, it’s sweeping! It shows that the Democrats and the Independants (plus a few anti-war conservatives) are unified against the Republican Party pro-war agenda. This is a winning coalition for the Democrats should Iraq be a major issue in November, and it will.

The Neoconservatives are warmongering fascists who want America to conquer the Middle-East just as like the Imperial British. Was McCain going to make Iraq a crucial facet to his campaign? Of course he was! Fortunately, Sen. Obama will fare better against this argument than Sen. Clinton would; Sen. Obama never voted for the war.