Sunday, October 12, 2008

Obama will win

Obama will win the election.  Not a terrible thing.


The global recession is going to require the United States to start a massive jobs and infrastructure program.  Taxes will have to be raised.  Health care for the unemployed will have to be sorted out.  These are all things that the Democrats are much more poised to handle.  McCain's heart just wouldn't be into it.

I seriously wonder if we are witnessing a paradigm shift.  I predict in 20 years, this election was the year that the business/corporate world switched allegiance from the Republicans to the Democrats.

I think we might see a break-off of the far left from the Democratic Party, which will eventually start to be viewed as the new center.

The Republican party will need to take the next four years to re-identify itself.  I imagine that Palin will play a big part in its turn to social conservative populism.

The mystery to me is what affects the changing demographics will have on the parties.

Whatever happens, I definitely see the United States listing to the left politically.  Good or bad, well that's for the history books to decide.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Many problems with that essay:

* A recession does NOT require a "massive jobs and infrastructure program" -- Roosevelt tried that, and turned a severe recession into a national calamity, as the "forgotten man" was strangled.

* You NEVER want to raise taxes during an economic crisis! You need the economy to expand, not collapse!

* What on earth makes you think the business/corporate world is Republican? The world of financial dealmakers and corporate manipulators is packed with "limousine liberals". The overwhelming majority of Wall Street traders and market makers are liberal Democrats. And just take a drive down Sheridan Road past the mansions on Chicago's North Shore and observe all of the Obama signs and few McCain signs.

I do, however, agree with you that we may be seeing a shift in the political parties. Conservatives have soured on the party that walked away from conservative principles to bring us deficits, massive new spending programs, and lackluster center-of-the-road dealmakers like Bush I, Dole, Bush II and McCain.

P.S. The only time "it's" has an apostrophe is when it is a contraction for "it is". The possessive adjective form does not have an apostrophe.

mmazenko said...

We are, most likely, see a paradigm shift, as is wont to happen throughout history. Realistically, both parties have the best interest of the country at heart, and both parties have plenty of evidence to support their position.

The economy does tend to function efficiently and effectively, and it can often do so best with a freer market. Conservative points about free enterprise and low taxes are well heeded as they do tend to work. However, the free market can be a nasty place where rights are at risk and one man's gain can be the catastrophe of far too many. Sweatshop labor is efficient and cost-effective, but its existence violates our morality.

The Democrats, if they rule pragmatically, can be effective agents of change, and the Republicans should keep them honest. Government can be efficient and effective and the answer to many ills. Its just not the only answer, and it's not always efficient.