Both Democrats and Republicans have come out swinging in order to define the other side as either too liberal or too conservative.
Tom Roeser devoted his Sunday column to pointing out Obama’s liberal policies.
As a screed to the party faithful that is fine, but Kerry is up on Bush by 11-15 points in Illinois so this hardly seems like an effective strategy. In another strange twist, Roeser seems to think that Obama would vote for an automatic pullout in Iraq. This strikes me as a strange criticism when the GOP nominee has said he’d vote for no more money in Iraq.
As they might say, the devil is in the details because minority voters want vouchers under the condition that they are real vouchers and not some pittance that will only help a few. Ryan’s proposals are unlikely to be very helpful. Small scholarships only help in Catholic schools–of which there are limited spaces. Remember the theory behind vouchers is that they will spur development of more choices, but to only give an amount to cover a Catholic school misses the fact that the Archdiocese often subsidizes tuition and always subsidizes buildings–the existence of current buildings is a tremendous benefit to a school. Trying to run new schools on the same cost–even if one included the subsidy would be nearly impossible. Add to that the problem of students having a high proportion of special ed kids and the costs only increase further.
Now, if Ryan is serious about public school choice and opening up schools like New Trier to out of district students—go for it Jack! Just let me know how you handle the bourgieous riot outside of your house in Wilmette.
Axelrod, Obama’s political consultant, suggested that Jack! was too extreme. Is he any more accurate? Well, I tend to think he is too conservative for Illinois, but I’ll get into that over time. The key to paint Obama as too liberal is to tie him to issues that people see as silly positions on the left. Unfortunately, neither Roeser or Byrne identify such an issue in their arguments. They might reinforce conservative beliefs about Obama, but not much else.
“This strikes me as a strange criticism when the GOP nominee has said he’d vote for no more money in Iraq. ”
I find this hysterical. Ryan’s statement was the dumbest thing I’ve seen a politician say all year, and I just say Condi Rice on the Today Show. So to attack Obama on this…well, that line of attack will soon be inoperative, I assume.
My favorite line from Mr. Roser’s column: “The election will be of major significance, but not *** because Obama is an African American. Blacks have served in the U.S. Senate before, including one from Illinois.”
There are currently ZERO African Americans in the U.S. Senate — since Reconstruction there have been ZERO African American men elected to the Senate — but apparently Mr. Roser doesn’t consider that “of major significance.”
Must we get into negative numbers to be significant?
Too Liberal. Yikes. I take it that is straight out of the NRSC playbook? Hey if it works in Mississippi.(rolleyes) Or has the sex freak allegations so turned off the wingnuts that they are trying to shore up his right flank? He strikes me as a candidate in search of a constituency.
Please do not consider Roeser the voice of the Republican party.
Is Jack to conservative for Illinois, no. Is Obama too liberal for Illinois, no. Is it nice there is actually a real difference between them?
Yes
Actually Austin Mayor, there was one Black US Senator male! His name was Edward Brooke and he represented Massachusetts in the Senate:
http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/people/A0809073.html
Oneman, I’m not so sure about Jack!, especially with the trends of the last few years. When I’m back to health, I think you made an interesting post the other day about whether someone as conservative as Jack! can win–I disagree, but you made some very good points. And good point about Roeser–he is essentially an old crank–I should have included Rauschenberger’s quote which I think is the best strategy for the Republicans–run against Chicago Democrats and knock down the downstate vote for Dems and hopefully pull out some collar county turnout.