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Myself, I imagine Kerry is sincere when he takes up Dean's lines--it's a stance that seems quite close to the "crusading" that Kerry has always been comfortable with (another longtime (onetime) mass. resident here).
What worries me about Kerry is that he'll lack the attention span and discipline to govern effectively and manage an administration. Clark or Edwards or even Dean would be more like Clinton III, whereas Kerry would be bringing in lots of paleolibs who might really screw things up.
But look on the bright side, Kosfans, Kerry is far more liberal than you realize (more liberal than yours truly, and also, not coincidentally, more liberal than Dean). It would be interesting to see that old style liberalism improbably back in the White House--but I fear that the Repubs in congress would play Kerry like a violin.
by Ottoe on Wed Jan 28, 2004 at 11:21:19 PM PDT
2nd issue I dunno about K being a liberal, he distanced himself from the dems after 94
http://al-rodgers.dailykos.com/hotlist/add/2004/1/26/164635/034/section//Diary
He voted for Daschel instead of Chris Dodd in 95,
He made a big deal about affirmative action, at yale of all places in 92, yet failed to discuss the ole boy-legacy network.
He opposed health care reform from the start in 93, not even offering a substitute measure.
He's been mute on tax policy for 19 yrs.
He's been mute on higher ed policy for 19 yrs.
He's been morally against the d. penalty for his career, but he recently carved out an "exception" for terrorists.
He's made noise about school choice to the point that he criticized the low SAT scores of Education majors (talk about class warfare)
He was against Gulf I but for Gulf II
and just this weekend at a town hall meeting, he said he didn't have any problem with mandatory drug testing of public school kids, a violation of Probable cause clause of the 4th amendment.
and its an error to characterize Dean and Clark supporters as Paleoliberals, we know better than that, we read. And we love at least one of them, if not both.
McCain: He's Constipated and Ready to GO
by Al Rodgers on Wed Jan 28, 2004 at 11:59:23 PM PDT
[ Parent ]
I dunno about K being a liberal, he distanced himself from the dems after 94
Certainly he's been a hypocrite from time to time when he needed to be politically ... but in his overall approach and attitude, he's very much a knee-jerk liberal. Nothing wrong with that.
He voted for Daschel instead of Chris Dodd in 95
Is it your impression that that leadership fight was understood as moderate vs liberal? I'm not so sure. Dodd may be from the NE but he's a neoliberal like the rest.
On your other points on Kerry--hey, as I say above, I agree he's a hypocrite who's willing to bash the left when it's politicallly convenient. But he always comes home--his instincts are 100% traditional liberalism.
Just an anecdote; when I do that "find the candidate who agrees with you on the issues" online test the scores I get are Kucinich 90%, Kerry 85%, and then the rest all around 70%. That's because, of course, Dennis & JFK are willing to actually admit that they're anti-Death Penalty, (in Dennis's case) pro-legalization, etc ... anyway, it's indicative of Kerry's flaming liberalism. Which I think it would be fascinating to see elected, don't get me wrong.
I don't imagine any Dean or Clark supporters (at least not here) think that their candidate is a Paleolib--but I also imagine that many or even most of those supporters are themselves Paleolibs. Hence their outrage at positions like those you list Kerry insincerely taking.
Myself, I prefer candidates who take some such moderate/conservative postitions sincerely. (Hmm, maybe there's a problem with how that online issues test is structured!) And I love Clark and like Dean and Edwards.
Kerry I respect but not for his policy smarts--and I imagine an administration of his would run into some serious problems in the first few years working the Ira Magaziners out of its system.
by Ottoe on Fri Jan 30, 2004 at 02:55:13 AM PDT
wide narrow
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