If you are reading the opinion pages from both the red and the blue you can’t help but notice the combination of exultation and depression engulfing the 5% of the ideologues on both the right and the left. They all seem to forget the huge amount of us in the middle that neither consider this an overwhelming mandate for the Republicans nor the death knell of the Democrats.
All the hand wringing on the left seems some what ridiculous when you look back at the campaigns major issues and indeed the candidates themselves. Bush and Kerry both graduated from the same schools, both are members of the secret society Skull and Bones and both were frat boys I am sure. Both are rich white men. Certainly at this point both would have to be considered Washington insiders. According to Ralph Nader the candidates and the parties are almost twins.
Similarly on the right we have talk about the pre-eminence of the Bush campaign team and the positive impact it will have on major conservative initiatives. Let’s not get carried away. Yes they have a 55 vote majority in the senate but part of that majority includes some liberalish kind of eastern Republicans who aren’t quite on board the God express.
On the major issues of the day there seemed to be very little difference between the parties. Bush and Kerry policy on Iraq for the most part was the same. The need to see it through, establish democracy, do reparations and get the Hell out. On Iran both Bush and Kerry are happy to give the Europeans plenty of latitude to see whether or not talk can diffuse a rapidly escalating situation. On North Korea there was some disagreement as to whether to continue the six party talks or institute a bilateral approach but both recognize North Korea as a potential hot spot.
Other issues in which there appeared to be a difference might only be one of perception. Bush favors a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage yet endorsed civil union. So in the end if marriage or civil union correct any rights inequities isn’t it the same thing but by a different name?
Stem cell research was mostly a smoke and mirrors issue. Stem cells is a nascent issue. Although holding out some great promise there is nothing distinctly on the horizon to indicate that this promise will come to fruition. There wasn’t much difference between the two candidates. Bush was the first president to approve federal funding of stem cell research and is sure to go forward albeit a bit more slowly than Kerry might have.
On the whole menu of remaining issues including United States Supreme Court nominations there is likely to be the same type of result that we normally get. A lot of weeping and moaning and gnashing of teeth with enough horse trading that result in a consensus being built.
So let’s stop the incessant whining about how stupid middle America is and let’s cancel our reservations for the flight to Canada and lets stop crowing about how out of touch Hollywood and the eastern liberal elite is and let’s relax and get down to business American style.
