Comments on: Developing a Democratic Foreign Policy Vision http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jordan Tama http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-3169 Jordan Tama Fri, 17 Nov 2006 19:32:58 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/#comment-3169 In response to a few of the questions raised by Kaizen and R. Osman: 1) I called the election a landslide because Democrats won 29 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate, without losing a single seat of their own. A gain of 35 congressional seats is a huge victory because incumbents today have big advantages stemming from their fundraising ability and the way congressional districts are drawn. Democrats also made large gains at the state level, taking over six governorships and control of several state legislatures. 2) While voters did not vote directly on the Iraq war, exit polls indicated that most Americans oppose the war and that many Americans voted for Democrats primarily because of their opposition to the war. 3) I don't know if Nancy Pelosi is familiar with the Princeton Project, but I know the Princeton Project codirectors, Anne-Marie Slaughter and John Ikenberry, have been meeting with people on Capitol Hill to spread the word about the Project. In response to a few of the questions raised by Kaizen and R. Osman:
1) I called the election a landslide because Democrats won 29 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate, without losing a single seat of their own. A gain of 35 congressional seats is a huge victory because incumbents today have big advantages stemming from their fundraising ability and the way congressional districts are drawn. Democrats also made large gains at the state level, taking over six governorships and control of several state legislatures.
2) While voters did not vote directly on the Iraq war, exit polls indicated that most Americans oppose the war and that many Americans voted for Democrats primarily because of their opposition to the war.
3) I don’t know if Nancy Pelosi is familiar with the Princeton Project, but I know the Princeton Project codirectors, Anne-Marie Slaughter and John Ikenberry, have been meeting with people on Capitol Hill to spread the word about the Project.

]]> By: James Hackney http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-3138 James Hackney Fri, 17 Nov 2006 04:49:40 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/#comment-3138 It seems to me that the election was lost more because of corruption and a perception of moral degeneracy than the war. I think few of us can come to grips about what we think about than Iraq. There is a huge gulf in the range of people between those who want us out yesterday and those who believe that we will win something which cannot be won -- the love and support of the Iraqi people. (Wait, there is no Iraqi people, only blood thirsty sects murdering each other. Something they did long before Saddam who, at least, stabilized things.) This will never happen. Because of the loss of so very many friends -- I survived with a price -- in Viet Nam, I want all the boys and girls home now. We cannot effect any change. Though it may be unpopular to say so, getting out of Iraq tomorrow would only hasten the rise of the inevitably murderously corrupt regime that is characteristic of our Semitic cousins, and would, perhaps, be the best possible thing that could happen. Doesn't anyone understand how many Iraqis we have caused to die for a future more bleak than the present. All in a dream: since they have never experienced combat (much less any sort of deprivation), send your commander-in-chief and his #2 to Iraq for a year.... It seems to me that the election was lost more because of corruption and a perception of moral degeneracy than the war. I think few of us can come to grips about what we think about than Iraq.
There is a huge gulf in the range of people between those who want us out yesterday and those who believe that we will win something which cannot be won — the love and support of the Iraqi people. (Wait, there is no Iraqi people, only blood thirsty sects murdering each other. Something they did long before Saddam who, at least, stabilized things.) This will never happen.
Because of the loss of so very many friends — I survived with a price — in Viet Nam, I want all the boys and girls home now.
We cannot effect any change. Though it may be unpopular to say so, getting out of Iraq tomorrow would only hasten the rise of the inevitably murderously corrupt regime that is characteristic of our Semitic cousins, and would, perhaps, be the best possible thing that could happen.
Doesn’t anyone understand how many Iraqis we have caused to die for a future more bleak than the present.
All in a dream: since they have never experienced combat (much less any sort of deprivation), send your commander-in-chief and his #2 to Iraq for a year….

]]> By: R. Osman http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-3137 R. Osman Fri, 17 Nov 2006 04:34:21 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/#comment-3137 Does Nancy Pelosi know about the Princeton Project? Have you talked with her about it? What is her opinion? (Has she ever heard about "Across the Aisle?") If nothing else, the Princeton Project offers a very good basis for starting discussion about what needs to be done. Good luck. Does Nancy Pelosi know about the Princeton Project? Have you talked with her about it? What is her opinion? (Has she ever heard about “Across the Aisle?”)
If nothing else, the Princeton Project offers a very good basis for starting discussion about what needs to be done.
Good luck.

]]> By: Kaizen http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/comment-page-1/#comment-3131 Kaizen Thu, 16 Nov 2006 20:49:24 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/2006/11/16/developing-a-democratic-foreign-policy-vision/#comment-3131 In quantitative terms what is your definition of "landslide election victory". Or is your statement a representation of your opinion instead of fact? "Last week’s election results clearly represented a rejection by the American people of the Iraq war." - sounds more like a plausible interpretation of the results than a decisive outcome. To "clearly represent" you would need the results of an election that asked voters specifically to vote on: "Do you support the Iraq War" vs. "Do you not support the Iraq War". Additionally use of "the" American people tends to suggest a majority of Americans. You may want to check voter stats (# of eligible voters that actually voted for instance) prior to using terms that suggest a majority of all Americans support or reject a particular issue. Semper Fi In quantitative terms what is your definition of “landslide election victory”. Or is your statement a representation of your opinion instead of fact?

“Last week’s election results clearly represented a rejection by the American people of the Iraq war.” – sounds more like a plausible interpretation of the results than a decisive outcome. To “clearly represent” you would need the results of an election that asked voters specifically to vote on: “Do you support the Iraq War” vs. “Do you not support the Iraq War”. Additionally use of “the” American people tends to suggest a majority of Americans. You may want to check voter stats (# of eligible voters that actually voted for instance) prior to using terms that suggest a majority of all Americans support or reject a particular issue.

Semper Fi

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