Conservatives play into the hands of the “roust your
enemies” right and the “love your enemies” left when
they buy into bogus arguments.
Reasonable Nevada conservatives should know better, understanding
that neon signs and self-advertisements just invite gambling against
odds. There is no more percentage in heeding political posturing than
in throwing dice at a craps table.
Political talk and posturing amount to small side bets in history,
which critical thinking demonstrates. Super-partisans take positions
due to a strange admixture of malleable ideology and short-term
maneuvering.
A bizarre recent example came when former Vice President Dick Cheney
accused President Barack Obama of dithering over Afghanistan.
Dick and his lapdog boss, President George W. Bush, shorted
Afghanistan while going long elsewhere by putting more troops between
Iraq and a hard place. Their gamble was neo-conservative nonsense, not
conservatism.
None of this means the current president gets a pass regarding
Afghanistan. Without Pakistan next door, it would be an in or out
Hobson’s choice. But the choice is in some or in more.
Obama’s gig is nuanced dancing, so he’ll try to square the
circle, but know this: If Vietnam was purgatory, Afghanistan is
hell.
Obama’s decision is important, but whether he makes it
tomorrow or next week makes little difference. What bothers me is that
his decision-making on other issues up to now shows he doesn’t
understand if you’re in for a dime, you’re in for a dollar.
Or billions. The 21st century won’t be lost at war, but in
finance.
The point isn’t to criticize the Bush and Obama
administrations, even though I just did. My point is that in
politics—which is war without bloodshed—short-term
decisions are rationalized for long-term goals and bring longer term
spinoffs. The same goes for war, which is politics with bloodshed.
Abraham Lincoln freed the slaves—not for their benefit but to
win a war and preserve the union. He was lionized for all three. You
would think the party that he and Republican colleagues spawned would
enjoy legions of African-American supporters.
The GOP, a party of business and foreign policy, wound up instead a
century after Lincoln’s martyrdom with Republicans Barry
Goldwater in 1964 and Richard Nixon in 1968 employing a Southern
strategy to garner votes.
It worked for Nixon short term, but really antagonized blacks.
Today, the once solidly Democratic South is mostly Republican, but the
GOP is a declining party.
As economics remind us, risk for immediate gain can bring long-term
pain. Politics, war, business and life have much in common.
Years ago, Democrat Lyndon Johnson talked big while pursuing guns
and butter, then quit in failure and handed Republican Nixon
inflationary trends plus Vietnam. Nixon talked peace, pursued war and
fought inflation with anti-conservative wage/price controls. Inflation
denied merely became inflation delayed. Peace with honor
wasn’t.
Who are politicians kidding? They rationalize on the run, fitting
facts to arguments rather than vice versa.
Conservatives want to preserve and promote the good. Politicians
make similar noises, but to retain or regain their party’s power.
Obama talks like all things to all people can work, a fool’s
errand. Cheney talks ad nauseum of battling terrorism, but his and
GWB’s single-minded crusade meant we bit off more than we can
spit out.
Talk, once cheap, certainly isn’t now. Deadeye Dick charges
dithering but it is ready, fire, aim advice once again. Basketballer
Barack blathers on about everything and builds a record that looks like
ready, aim, and aim again.
However, the dice are about to roll. If we must play, the odds say
bet the pass line.