The problem with poll politics
When you try to please everyone, you wind up pleasing no one. Take immigration. Bush is trying to appease his radical base, and fair, brilliant minds like myself. He's doing neither. Between, Malkin, "his plan is stupid" to my "his plan is stupid," one thing is becoming clear, W is a uniter afterall.
Watch his poll numbers on this (he who lives by the poll, dies by the poll). While he did have pretty words last night, by the time each side of the issue bashes him for his mollycoddling to the other side, most Americans will just remember one thing, "his plan is stupid." At least until he caves further and just focuses on enforcement.
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5 comments:
I think the use of "radical base" is just adorable. So NY Times.
Oh that's rich Mr. Fair and Balanced. Didn't you just write, "Charles Rangle is not a serious person" or even, "Chelsea calls to whine about her comments and Hillary caves. And, I kid you not, some people will actually vote for this person if she runs for president" and call Murtha "pathetic." Very, very neutral. Glad to see you're developing an O'Reily like thin skin.
However, I stick by my writing (which I never claim to be neutral, I'm generally making a point and editorializing, me and Limbaugh, we're bro's here). By my view, the position of building a giant wall across our southern border, staffing it with armed personnel, and rounding up and deporting 11 million people is a radical one. You can think its radical good, like Dell building computers directly for the consumer, or radical bad, I'm going to give my product away for free and value "eye-balls," but it is radical. To which I ask, "Why do you find the word 'radical' offensive?"
I don't see how I was appealing to neutrality...just fairness.
Perhaps you have used the term "radical base" as a technical term in which case my reading of it would have been in error and I apologize.
However, it sounds (much like your bashing of pre war intelligence)like parroting of the main stream dailies. The only word you left out was "extreme". Somehow people opposed to abortion or gay marriage become "radical" even though their views are mainstream. If you understand this phonomenon please explain because in my lexicon "radical" is usually a negative.
How can you think "radical" is a negative term, you grew up in the 80's. "Dude, like that is sooo radical" was a complement.
I get that you think radical is a bad word, but understand I concider myself to be fairly radical, and also part of the definition of radical is "extreme." Dictionary.com says:
rad·i·cal Audio pronunciation of "radical" ( P ) Pronunciation Key (rd-kl)
adj.
1. Arising from or going to a root or source; basic: proposed a radical solution to the problem.
2. Departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme: radical opinions on education.
3. Favoring or effecting fundamental or revolutionary changes in current practices, conditions, or institutions: radical political views.
4. Linguistics. Of or being a root: a radical form.
5. Botany. Arising from the root or its crown: radical leaves.
6. Slang. Excellent; wonderful.
So I think I used it correctly. The people who fought for civil rights were radicals, our founding fathers were radicals, and yes, some of your views are radical. Maybe you were offended that I identified part of the GOP as "radical," but I explained why earlier. I also think that when W says that rouding up 11 million immigrants is impractical, that he agrees that that's a radical notion, so I don't even see it as a slam against W, I believe we agree on this one.
If it makes you feel better, my own position, get rid of quotas and let folks in is very "radical," or if you prefer, "extreme" (as are many of my thoughts as laid out in this blog). If a libertarian candidate was out there saying that, he would be appealing to me, the radical part of his base.
Or, if you prefer, my stance on "gay" marriage, something you mentioned in your comment. I want full marriage rights for gays, or to get the state out of the marriage game. This is definitely a "radical" position. However, I don't think it's a negative characterization of my view, but it is the right one. Again, a democrat stating that position is appealing to me, and by definition on this issue, I'm the radical part of the dem base. I'm cool with that.
Radical dude!
By the way, it seems that most folks agree with my post. His position on immigration pleases no one. You can pick at my words, but my message is powerful kung fu.
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