tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post939584234889197052..comments2023-11-05T01:40:27.910-07:00Comments on FOGG OF WAR: A Shameless DigressionAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08399019375564825616noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post-9084657398828111022008-01-08T12:19:00.000-08:002008-01-08T12:19:00.000-08:00The economy has a lot to do with this election, ye...The economy has a lot to do with this election, yes, and it always does. Voters tend to vote retrospectively, punishing incumbent parties for bad economies and rewarding them for good (see Achen, Bartels, 2003). <BR/><BR/>Though unfortunately, I think your optimism of the American voter is somewhat unfounded. In general, candidates with party backing, endorsements, and media attention do well. While Obama's rise over Clinton is an example to the contrary, this happens every now and then (Jimmy Carter is a good example), and is not quite a revolution in the nature of American politics.<BR/><BR/>And as for control; while we can decide who's in power every 2/4 years, we can't do much to prevent them from doing whatever they want once they get there, and thus, our level of control is very limited. Impeachment referenda (-ums?) are extremely difficult, so we must depend on the system to keep those we elect in check from being 2-year, 4-year, or 6-year oligarchs. I'm not sure I have as much confidence in the system long-term as you do; the Constitution is easy to ignore when public opinion is on the side of an issue.<BR/><BR/>We'll see what happens in 2008, but whatever happens, I doubt anyone in Washington is going to get too rude an awakening.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08399019375564825616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-681148865964431927.post-47580348229061650832008-01-04T11:12:00.000-08:002008-01-04T11:12:00.000-08:00Let me just summarize here for the hard-headed in ...Let me just summarize here for the hard-headed in the Media and in Washington because I feel like we’ve reached a rare moment of clarity:<BR/><BR/>The press, the pundits, the privileged and the parties themselves don’t get it:<BR/>- It IS the economy, STUPID!<BR/>- Among leaders, voters demand authenticity and conviction of belief first and foremost.<BR/>- People are tired of partisanship and demand action.<BR/>- The people of America are not beholdant to the past or the institutions of status quo (media, republican party, democratic party).<BR/>- The American people ARE in control and guess what!? They KNOW it and WILL act when necessary to change the course of the future.<BR/><BR/>If you’re in Washington or running for office and you’re not a candidate who understands this, you are in for a rude awakening in 2008.Aaron Hassenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04032870290862035239noreply@blogger.com