I have figured out the best reason to re-elect George Bush this year. I am under no pretense that everybody agrees with this idea, but I think few people have considered the unique opportunity that re-electing our current president provides for the American political system.
If George Bush is re-elected he will not leave any heir-apparent in the Republican party which would give moderate republicans four years to get to work in the effort of taking back their party from the extreme rightists that currently control it by the time that they have to hold a primary election to select their next presidential candidate – someone who is moderate rather than someone who is willing to talk moderate.
Before every presidential election the party that is not in control of the White House holds a presidential primary to choose their guy, but the party in powe rarely does that. If President Bush is re-elected both parties will be holding serious prmary elections – there will be no real incumbant in either party and moderates in both parties can make their voices heard so that we do not end up like this year without a good candidate on the ballot – that includes all the third party candidates.
One of the resons that I find it rather easy to write this before the election is because my vote is already cast based on geography. Because I live in Utah my vote will be counted for President Bush no matter who it is I would like to support. Perhaps I am trying to find a reason to support the vote that will inevitably be recorded for me in the electoral college.
so basically we should wait 4 years to start fresh instead of right now? Might re-electing Bush embolden the Christian right even further? Aren’t the most radical political agendas held in reserve until the second term?
I just don’t see a Bush re-election bringing the moderate Republican wing to the forefront.
I do not see a Bush re-election automatically bringing the moderates in the Republican party to the forefront either, but if John Kerry wins we will have an incumbant in the oval office again so it is not really a fresh start in 2008. This year the democratic candidate was chosen on a very dangerous “anyone but the incumbant” attitude. I don’t believe that produced a moderate candidate for the Democratic party.
In order for it to be a fresh start we would need to rally the moderates from both parties to take control of their respective parties. There is nothing automatic about my idea.
Perhaps it would be good to note again that I can only say this because my vote was cast – based on geography – before John Kerry became the democratic nominee.