Reply #19: 04 won't be a wedge issue values election

[papau]

04 won't be a wedge issue values election


In October/November 04 we will be talking about

Iraq - and the draft, and deaths, and friends pulled from jobs to be in the military in Iraq

Life and death and ability to improve personal physical security,

Our job - how secure it is, has our kid found a job, or is a friend in danger of losing a job -Employment for friends and family - increase in wealth for the common man. The economy will be finally stopping its slide - but at a cost of huge deficits that will make the future worse because of tax cuts that have caused the recovery to falter - as it did after the Reagan tax cuts for more than a year - with too many people unemployed or underemployed, a the president not doing enough to fix it, and indeed with the 80's result of the unemployment rate that existed when Reagan took office being the same of higher when Reagan/Bush left office - indeed the first administration since Hoover to have a net job loss over its four years..

Free Trade versus fair trade that protects American jobs will mean more than "Bush is a good guy".

Social Security cutbacks planned by the GOP under the disguise of a private account push, all the while noting the GOP lie that the fact that in 2017 SS will pay out more than it takes is a crisis, when all it is an indication that taxes on the rich will need to be raised so as to repay the SS system for the money stolen to finance tax cuts for the rich

A Health care coverage bill that takes 400 billion - and then gives 30% of that to special interests rather than paying for drugs - and indeed prohibits the government from asking for lower prices for drugs sold in America.

And things like same sex unions will be either not be discussed - or those doing the talking will be thought of as idiots for having the discussion when far more important priorities are at stake.

There can be no time wasted on wedge issues that divide us when the question is how to get back to peace and prosperity.