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The environment in the US is so jingoistic that it is political suicide to vote against certain national-security measures, even ones that you disagree with. T
by tanzam75 13y ago
The environment in the US is so jingoistic that it is political suicide to vote against certain national-security measures, even ones that you disagree with. This is particularly true for Democrats -- they must vote hawkishly if they want to get reelected.
This is why "Only Nixon could go to China." Only someone who built his career on anti-Communism could stretch out a hand in friendship, because that made him immune to political attacks.
The only person who is currently allowed to get away with this sort of stuff is Rand Paul -- and his father before him. You used to routinely see 420-1 votes in Congress for things that are objectively nonsensical -- and Ron Paul would be the 1.