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Thu 4 Nov, 2004 12:15 am
The election is over, and now I hope we can focus on policies and positions (as opposed to personalities and parties).
Mid-East Conflict
One of the things I was hopeful about with Bush is what seemed to be a willingness to make bold moves in the mid-east conflict.
Some of that was very likely related to trying to sell the war in Iraq but he did set some precedents and went on record as saying America supports a two-state solution.
He even set a goal for statehood in 2005.
The Palestinians have had too much political instability for much movement on this front, and this administration seems to have forgotten about the mid-east once the invasion of Iraq got underway, but maybe Bush will go for legacy and actually put some weight behind a resolution.
I hope he does, I hope he makes an earnest effort at pushing both sides toward a teritorial resolution.
Gay Marriage
Now that the election is over, I'd like to see if this was election politics or if he really does want to push this issue.
Government Spending and Taxation
Bush has been very agressive in forwarding a more fiscal conservative agenda with his tax cuts. With his increased spending and seeming lack of concern for the deficit it makes me wonder if he's setting a future administration up for the social cuts.
With an actual popular vote mandate and Republican control of the government I wonder if this will be pursued in this second term.
Post 9/11 Government Freedoms
I'm far less concerned than most here about these moves by this administration. But I am curious to see if they will be pursued even further or perhaps even reversed to some degree.
I doubt the latter.
The plan
If the first term was Iraq/tax cuts, then what will characterize the second term? I doubt that foreign policy in the second term will be as agressive, there are no targets as easy to sell and hit as Iraq and I think much of the "invade other countries" political capital was spent.
But this Administration is ambitious, so what do you think this upcoming term will be like?
I think that if he does go for a 'simplification of the tax code' as McCain indicated this morning, that will be a good thing. The tax burden isn't so unbearable until you add the filing burden. I'm concerned about his plans to privatize social security. Though it sounds like a good idea on its face, the devil will be in the details. Since I'm always suspicious, I will be looking to see if he turns it into a giveaway to investment firms.
I am really really curious to see what he is going to do about the deficit. Spending has to slow down as we are approaching the borrowing limit. And it may well be that cutting social programs won't do enough to reduce it at this point.
I am a little bouyed by the fact that he appears to be more serious. Maybe he's learned something. Maybe he really will try to move closer to the center. Maybe he'll take less vacations and keep a closer eye on his evil little minions. Maybe.
One of my great concerns is the cutting of social services. I feel that both parties have already gone too far and that it will accelerate now. There is so much waste in the military and other areas the cuts shoud come from.
I hate to inject my fears in this upbeat thread.
I think I will just check back in a couple of weeks or months.
Speaking of the middle east though; I read this morning that Arafat is in a coma. What effect will that have on anything?
revel wrote:Speaking of the middle east though; I read this morning that Arafat is in a coma. What effect will that have on anything?
I just heard he died. I wonder what policies will and won't be implemented now because of that change...
Basically the palestinians are left hanging in the wind. They have no leader, and Israel will never let them select their own as it is almost guaranteed that leader will have something to do with Hamas. There will be no peace process. There may be a two state solution, but the palestinians will get only the West Bank while Israel annexes the rest.
I think it is more likely that the palestinians get only gaza than that they get only the west bank.
Which one are they pulling out of now? Oh, you're right. I even looked it up but wrote it backwards.
I'll stick to stuff that has to do with Mexico-US relations.
If I try to be very optimistic, I can say that in the next years we'll be able to work with a government who's not up for reelection, and has 4 years experience.
We'll see if Bush is for real in the migration agreement.
If judging by myself is any indication, most Americans don't know the difference between Gaza and West Bank or much of anywhere else over there. I will have to look it up on a map and see what you guys are talking about.
Still, it is sad about Arafat even if he was a poor leader, he was a virtual prisoner for a long time.
I wonder if he did die, what if anything Bush will say about it. I wonder what Sharon will say about it. I wonder what is going to happen now. To me this seems a big deal.
In my house we speculate that Arafat was poisoned, but we lean that way on this topic.
Dang, I was hoping this was going to be Craven's prediction thread. I really like/fear those.
Quote:If the first term was Iraq/tax cuts, then what will characterize the second term? I doubt that foreign policy in the second term will be as agressive, there are no targets as easy to sell and hit as Iraq and I think much of the "invade other countries" political capital was spent.
Oh, don't worry.
It's just a matter of
raising more capital, just like a business.
The next convenient terror attack on the US will cement this one in nicely for Bush. Bank on it.
Cycloptichorn
Unfortunately, I have to agree with Cy on this one. Bush has said things even in the last couple of weeks that indicated further invasions and actions against other countries. They got glossed over, missed by the media, but anyone listening to his campaign speeches heard it - though it obviously didn't register what he was talking about.
(I'll see if I can find examples)
With what he is calling a mandate from the election, he will now be able to say he told us before that he was planning whatever moves he makes.
revel wrote:If judging by myself is any indication, most Americans don't know the difference between Gaza and West Bank or much of anywhere else over there. I will have to look it up on a map and see what you guys are talking about.
Still, it is sad about Arafat even if he was a poor leader, he was a virtual prisoner for a long time.
I wonder if he did die, what if anything Bush will say about it. I wonder what Sharon will say about it. I wonder what is going to happen now. To me this seems a big deal.
Bush said, "God bless his soul," I believe... a journalist broke the news during the white house press conference this morning, which is where I got the news...
Einherjar wrote:I think it is more likely that the palestinians get only gaza than that they get only the west bank.
The Gaza strip is a hellhole where NOBODY should be living. Nothing good can come of anybody living there.
The muslim world needs to be forced to find a place to put the "palestinians", at least 500 miles away from Israel. No rational person could possibly ask Israelis to accept them as neighbors at this juncture.
On Google News it's still showing Arafat as alive, but ...
Quote: Yasser Arafat Kept on Life Support
link
ebeth, I was going to post the same article.
I can't believe that Bush said, "God bless his soul" with a straight face after his brush off of Arafat all this time.
gungasnake, why should the Palestinians be the ones to have to find somewhere else to live when they were there first?
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