The Midterm Elections: Cohabitation, American Style!

November 14, 2006

If you’re a Democrat then last week’s elections were nothing less than a smashing success and a stinging repudiation of both President Bush and the Republican administration. The Democrats have control of the House, control of the Senate, and Rummy is out. The tenor of political discourse in Washington is changing quickly, and after a week of back slapping and fist pumping the Dems are getting to work. George W. Bush is still the President of the United States, but it’s the Democrats who have their finger on the national pulse and who appear to have a national mandate to clean things up and set things right, both abroad and at home. At the same time, they are looking to create a solid track record that will guide them to victory in 2008.

The Axis of Evil!! How Frightened Should We Really Be?

November 7, 2006

In light of Halloween, we thought a discussion about the “Axis of Evel” would be an appropriate topic. Since President Bush labeled Iraq, Iran and North Korea the “axis of evil” more than four years ago, arguing for the threat they posed as creators and contributors to international terrorism, it would be difficult to argue that the world is a safer place and that America (with or without the world’s cooperation) has forged an effective foreign policy in regards to these three countries. But for all the threats that Iraq, Iran and North Korea may pose, are they truly “evil” and do they truly threaten the world today? Are they truly the monsters that not only lurk under our beds but that are ready to pounce the moment we turn off the light? If so, then what do we make of American foreign policy over the past four years, and is there anything we can really do about the current situation, whether through diplomacy, sanctions, regime change or war? If not, then are we wasting valuable political energy and capital fighting phantom threats, or have we perhaps created real threats that didn’t exist before?