A recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal (Rudy and the Right) suggests conservatives should "get over" abortion for the sake of a GOP victory in 2008. Skipping past the absurdity of vetting candidates to pre-select the winner almost 12 months before the actual primary, the Wall Street Journal is exhibiting the same general trend of the political parties in recent years. Shut up about ideas and support the party.
The debate is not unfamiliar on the left, though the issues are different. The political parties each have their respective bases and they want to be able to alienate them to poach from the other side. A common refrain in the 2006 elections was that abandoning the GOP for Perot "gave us 8 years of Clinton." The message, "vote for us or else and by the way, to hell with you and your ideas."
This idea suggests that the American nation should be led from the top down. Namely, those elites in power will tell us what ideas we get and we better fall into line. Asking us to shun ideology in our voting preferences suggests the only way to decide how to vote is who benefits our pocketbook the most. In short, it suggests our votes should be for sale.
The WSJ seems to believe that people should forget about what they think society should be about, forget about justice, and forget about civics. It's all about money. The WSJ says we should support Giuliani because of his stances on the economy and taxes (and others). That leads to only one logical conclusion.
It's time to sell our political allegiance to the highest bidder. If it's not about ideas, it's about money and it's time I get paid. That's why I'm selling my political allegiance. If ideas are out then corruption is king.
Sure, people might suggest that this is amount to encouraging vote buying but let's be honest, vote buying happens now. So if the GOP or the DNC want my allegiance, they need to make it worth my while. They want power, so what's in it for me?
Article comments
1 - Dave Nalle
From the first part of the title I thought we were going to get to read an obit for the late and unlamented Jerry Falwell.
Dave
2 - John Bambenek
Yeah, I guess there's a timing issue there. :)
Though I'm not sure Falwell and my politics precisely match.
3 - Lee Richards
There's already a long, long "For Sale" line ahead of you: Romney, Clinton, McCain, Reid, Rudy, Pelosi, Edwards, etc., etc.
4 - Nancy
This is why I think campaign spending should be severely limited by law: I don't care if Clinton has amassed $30 million already, or anybody else has piled up the money, either, from either party. MY VOTE ISN'T FOR SALE! Something political maggots will never be able to comprehend, because selling themselves like the whores they are is ALL they comprehend.
5 - Redhead Infidel
I believe a political lackey would be very handy to have around. I have bid competitively for your allegiance.
Of course, I expect this to be relatively expensive - considering that many Americans are willing to sell our heritage and birthright for the price of cheap lettuce and a manicured lawn. I'll consider it a worthy price to pay to have you at my beck and call.
Just so you know up front: I plan to treat you like total shit, and then expect you to faithfully vote for whatever compromised crap candidates I manage to scrounge up. You won't have a problem with that, I presume. Just pretend you're a Republican, and you should feel right at home.
6 - bliffle
Unfortunately, the market is flooded with such offers, so yours is almost valueless.