American_Jihad
Flaming Libs/Koranimals
Four Divisive Ways Sandy Is About To Get Politicized
11/2/12
James Poulos
Should Sandy be politicized?
Ive got news for you: were already there.
And its no surprise, as Jonathan Chait points out: Disasters are inherently political, because government is political, and preventing and responding to disasters is a primary role of the state. Chait contends that Republicans cant wall themselves off from the consequences of their policies, and that Democrats are right to politicize disaster response. Id caution that Dems really dont want to give the GOP a second look at elevating the federal emergency response bureaucracy to the top tier of the national security state pantheon.
More broadly, however, Chait follows convention in assuming that when we talk about the politicization of events and issues, what were talking about is how the two major parties will politicize them. Perhaps more interesting than how Obama and Romney will spin Sandy, however, are the ways in which American voters will make political sense of the storm. Here are five:
1. Run, Dont Walk From Obama.
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2. Rally Round POTUS.
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3. Cynicism Wins.
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4. Waterlogged.
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Put these four possibilities together, and what do you get? Weak Obama voters switching over to Romney. Weak Romney voters switching back to Obama. Strong voters in both parties more sure of themselves than ever. And weary, frustrated voters giving in to third-party escapes or the ultimate escape of not voting altogether. Those are all the fixings for a close election, measured by percent of the popular vote. But theyre also the ingredients of a not-so-surprising-in-hindsight electoral college blowout. In that sense, Sandys political impact might be fittingly disastrous a lopsided victory split right down the middle. Whoever wins in November will have the task of cleaning up that mess.
Four Divisive Ways Sandy Is About To Get Politicized - Forbes
11/2/12
James Poulos
Should Sandy be politicized?
Ive got news for you: were already there.
And its no surprise, as Jonathan Chait points out: Disasters are inherently political, because government is political, and preventing and responding to disasters is a primary role of the state. Chait contends that Republicans cant wall themselves off from the consequences of their policies, and that Democrats are right to politicize disaster response. Id caution that Dems really dont want to give the GOP a second look at elevating the federal emergency response bureaucracy to the top tier of the national security state pantheon.
More broadly, however, Chait follows convention in assuming that when we talk about the politicization of events and issues, what were talking about is how the two major parties will politicize them. Perhaps more interesting than how Obama and Romney will spin Sandy, however, are the ways in which American voters will make political sense of the storm. Here are five:
1. Run, Dont Walk From Obama.
---
2. Rally Round POTUS.
---
3. Cynicism Wins.
---
4. Waterlogged.
---
Put these four possibilities together, and what do you get? Weak Obama voters switching over to Romney. Weak Romney voters switching back to Obama. Strong voters in both parties more sure of themselves than ever. And weary, frustrated voters giving in to third-party escapes or the ultimate escape of not voting altogether. Those are all the fixings for a close election, measured by percent of the popular vote. But theyre also the ingredients of a not-so-surprising-in-hindsight electoral college blowout. In that sense, Sandys political impact might be fittingly disastrous a lopsided victory split right down the middle. Whoever wins in November will have the task of cleaning up that mess.
Four Divisive Ways Sandy Is About To Get Politicized - Forbes