War, Abortion, Guns
ILLUSTRATED: In the three days prior to this posting, several major events will force issues upon both political parties.
Civil War in Iraq- The name of the game in Iraq is Sunni political buy-in, not a drop in the body count. The Maliki cabinet lost Sadr supporters and the Sunni on Shia violence escalates. The political disintegration of the government means that Iraq is nowhere near a functioning polity. Add to that, or should I say subtract from that, half of the educated and professional class which has fled, and it seems Iraq is near lost. In terms of domestic politics, the unspeakable car bombings, of a few hours ago, will resonate even more as people realize that Iraq endures several Virginia Tech-style tragedies every week.
Guns and Virginia Tech- Folks, on this one, don't focus on banning guns, focus on better health and communities, hey "healthy communities" sounds catchy. It's one thing to ban automatic rifles and guns, but these were semi-automatic pistols used. One tactic to use debating a dogmatic gun supporter is suggest that your opponent opposes bombs, bazookas, and homemade chemical weapons. Thus even they support restrictions on arms. You support hunters and personal defense weapons, so you are arguing over a narrow range of weapons.
Right to Choose- In 2008, there will be a slew of state ballot measures further restricting a woman's right to choose. Today's Supreme Court ruling is the first step in killing Roe, not outright, but by one thousand cuts. In general, the pro-life forces want to focus on people values and their gut reaction to the procedure which, anyone must admit, is intrinsically horrible. Pro-choice forces must focus on the American people's libertarian instincts and frame the debate in terms of law and policy. Be vivid and concrete. One political consultant I admire always brings a coat hanger and handcuffs when he talks about this issue.
Civil War in Iraq- The name of the game in Iraq is Sunni political buy-in, not a drop in the body count. The Maliki cabinet lost Sadr supporters and the Sunni on Shia violence escalates. The political disintegration of the government means that Iraq is nowhere near a functioning polity. Add to that, or should I say subtract from that, half of the educated and professional class which has fled, and it seems Iraq is near lost. In terms of domestic politics, the unspeakable car bombings, of a few hours ago, will resonate even more as people realize that Iraq endures several Virginia Tech-style tragedies every week.
Guns and Virginia Tech- Folks, on this one, don't focus on banning guns, focus on better health and communities, hey "healthy communities" sounds catchy. It's one thing to ban automatic rifles and guns, but these were semi-automatic pistols used. One tactic to use debating a dogmatic gun supporter is suggest that your opponent opposes bombs, bazookas, and homemade chemical weapons. Thus even they support restrictions on arms. You support hunters and personal defense weapons, so you are arguing over a narrow range of weapons.
Right to Choose- In 2008, there will be a slew of state ballot measures further restricting a woman's right to choose. Today's Supreme Court ruling is the first step in killing Roe, not outright, but by one thousand cuts. In general, the pro-life forces want to focus on people values and their gut reaction to the procedure which, anyone must admit, is intrinsically horrible. Pro-choice forces must focus on the American people's libertarian instincts and frame the debate in terms of law and policy. Be vivid and concrete. One political consultant I admire always brings a coat hanger and handcuffs when he talks about this issue.
posted by Teka Thomas at 10:31 AM
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