I did manage to read all the comments on the Pledge, and realized that I needed to make a deeper comment on why Im so unhappy with the suit and the decision.
Ask any political professional what they look for in a campaign and they will tell you wedge issues; they want a black-or-white issue where they can pin their opponent on one side and where a substantial block of voters are on the other.
There are a few major wedge issues right now.
Gun control.
Abortion.
Affirmative Action.
School Vouchers.
And, potentially, the Pledge issue.
Modern campaigns are about two things: solidifying your base and splintering the opponents. How do you do this?
Nixon did it very damn well. The classic Democratic base from the 40s to the 60s was ethic urban, labor, civil-rights supporters, and the academic intelligencia.
Nixon used race and fear of the New Left to split traditionally Democratic voters off from Humphreys base, and won.
Ever since then, we see it in use in elections. Davis is trying to use it on Simon with abortion and gun control. Simon is trying to use it on Davis with affirmative action.
Down the coast from me, in Newport, theres a break called the Wedge. Its an incredible bodysurfing and boogie-boarding spot, because the waves are big, steep, and break close to shore.
The problem is that every year, a few people get broken necks from being slammed there
because the waves are big, steep, and break close to shore.
And the problem with wedge politics is that while this is a great way to win elections, it makes it damn hard to govern.
Date: 07/30/2002 00:00:00 AM
Dean, The truth shall set you free. You’re right to acknowledge the need politicians feel to use wedge issues. Not all Dem’s are godless commies like the Rep’s would have us believe. Fmr Prez Carter wrote a new book on his Christian beliefs. He may not be the best prez, but he isn’t a commie, either. Reagan may not be the best himself, but he’s not the evil tyrant that Dem’s want us to think, too. Wedge issues are just partisanship gone haywire.
Date: 07/19/2002 00:00:00 AM
ALThere might have been enough people to go thru the messiness of lobbying, but who would have listened? And degrading the man who brought the suit as having ‘hurt feelings’ is a low blow- well below your usual good sense and debate skills. This is a typical tactic of dittodebate, reframe the issue from a Consitutional issue to attacking the people involved.Sounds like your feelings are hurt more then his! Look, this suit and ruling didn’t ‘screw us’, it reaffirmed a Constitutional principle. I’m certain there are laws that are both unconstitutional and offense to you personally…just because your view might be unpopular with the majority, would it be right to label as dismiss you as being some sort ‘hurt feelings’ whiner?
Date: 07/19/2002 00:00:00 AM
First, the Reeps were praying (they do that a lot) that the Dems would bite on the issue; the Dems and their consultants were smart enough not to.I’m indifferent to whether anyone in congress would have stood up for this individual and his hurt feelings. I do believe that there are enough people, like me, who would be willing to lobby, petition, campaign, and do all that messy work that makes up politics to have a shot at changing the Pledge.Not now; the issue is radioactive politically for years.Mr. Hurt Feelings got his 15 minutes, and screwed the rest of us.A.L.
Date: 07/17/2002 00:00:00 AM
These are good questions; I think I have some answers…I’ll move it up to the blog when I get some time tonight.I’ll leave you with the short version:We are asking our politicians and by extension our polity to define itself not by some common articulation of where we ought to go and what we ought to do, but by a series of increasingly refined statements of what we are against and why we are separated from the rest of the people we live with…More later.
Date: 07/17/2002 00:00:00 AM
What is the difference between a “wedge issue” and a contentious one in which society or government must make a choice that will ultimately make a lot of people unhappy no matter what happens? I’m not quite so certain there really is such a thing as a wedge issue. The presumption of the thinking is that somehow, we’d all vote the “reasonable” way if some terrible politician didn’t pick that one issue that divides us. But that’s what politics is about. If we all agreed on something, it would sail through the legislative bodies. Which, believe it or not, happens quite a bit.If you can’t distinguish yourself from your opponent on the issues, why should you be elected? On your personality and character? But isn’t that what some people are always complaining is “shallow?”