flowers and abortion

Politics.

Lately that seems like a dirty word. I'm reading a book that explores philosophy from the classical era of Greece to the recent past. Back in the Greece of Plato, Socrates & Aristotle, politics wasn't a dirty word. It was a subject that all the citizens would discuss and vote on. Of course that was a true democracy in that every citizen voted on issues, we live in a representational democracy where we elect officials and they're the ones that actually vote on issues. That might be what makes the difference.

In regards to the Supreme Court nominees, I have a pet theory that I've been toying with for a few months. I've mentioned it here once before but it's been a while so I'll toss it out again.

The Republicans in general and the party leadership of the GOP in particular hate abortion. That's easy to know because they tell us about it every day. Over and over. And as a result they get a lot of financial donations, endorsements and most importantly VOTES. Quite a few elections in the past decade have been decided by a very narrow margin, not the least being the past two presidential elections, and abortion has often been what allowed the GOP to win.

Why do I bring that up? Well, that preamble sets the stage for this idea. The GOP can't afford to let Roe v. Wade fall. Without the potent abortion issue to campaign with, a number of elections could go to the Democrats which would shift the house and possibly the Senate as well. And most definitely the West Wing would belong to the party of the donkey once more. This is a nightmare for the Republicans and so it has occurred to me that maybe, just maybe the GOP, in the person of George W. Bush, is nominating Justices to the Supreme Court that could believably uphold Roe v. Wade without it looking like the GOP was actively trying to get that result.

This would preserve "Right to Life" as a GOP issue and still keep the party faithful thinking that they got screwed by the Supreme Court yet again. The GOP likes folk to get upset at the Judicial Branch since it's the Legislative Branch members (and a few key members of the Executive Branch) that get elected and need to stay popular.

What do you think?

Comments

Anonymous said…
hmmm....? I haven't thought of it that way.
Anonymous said…
I too am in the middle of reading Aristotle,Plato,and Socrates.........all to do with criminal philosophy,politics and punishments. Very interesting stuff. I would agree with what you mention here, mind you, i am only going on my limited knowledge of the American government using it in comparison to the Oz government.
Anonymous said…
It is not implausible, Utenzi. I would believe almost anything of Bush and Co. these days.
Anonymous said…
Interesting theory. I just figured Dubya had one of those magic eight balls that you ask a question, shake it and the answer magically appears.
utenzi said…
That's actually long been my alternate theory, Keb. Great minds think alike!
Anonymous said…
I'm beginning to think you are a bit paranoid. However, I do love to watch you think!

I think a lot of politics is manipulation and you aren't totally wrong. I'm just not so sure that you are understanding what's actually important. I think the whole Roe Vs. Wade thing is to detract from other issues, not a main issue itself.
utenzi said…
Teresa, I just don't agree. The third rail of US politics used to be Social Security. You screw with that and your political career is over. But as George W has deoonstrated, that's no longer true.

Abortion is the new third rail. Gore and Kerry/Edwards have found that out since both elections, according to exit polls, were decided on 'family values' issues. Essentially abortion and gay marriage. If you want to be elected president you have to be against abortion--and that's an issue that the GOP owns.

Should this be such a huge issue? Of course not--but at least for now it's a huge issue if you want to get elected.
Anonymous said…
I can't imagine Bush and co. are that bright, or that good at planning ahead...though, it is an idea with some plausibility.
utenzi said…
Probably true, but it's the party leadership that I attribute this strategy to. They're the ones that run the Republican party--and over the last few decades they've outwitted their Democrat counterparts time after time.
Anonymous said…
Nonsense... Bush has been able to make no dent in the SS issue. And I dare say regardless of what happens with that one, his political career is over. Done deal.

Just because you don't see the real issue, doesn't mean that I'm wrong is saying that it isn't the issue. It's what they "say" the issue is. It's a scare tactic, like telling kids they'll go blind if they masterbate. Maybe that's why so many people seem to close their eyes during sex....
utenzi said…
I don't know, Tazz. If your partner is closing his eyes--you might take a hint from that! Grooming is very important.

Bush has been screwing around with SS and medicare. He's a lame duck and has no fear!
Anonymous said…
LOL. You are amusing!

Bush has been trying to mess with everything. I think he thinks something may eventually work out, but I think he just wants to leave a legacy -- good or bad. I'm not so sure that he's really had an impact on very much though. Most of what's been passed has been watered down versions of things the Republicans wouldn't allow to happen under the Clinton administration.

However, as a small concession to Bush, not all of his disasters were a result of his actions. He did inherit some problems when he took office. He just is unprepared and doesn't have the support system in place to handle problems when they come to light.
Anonymous said…
I never thought about it that way. Interesting theory, Utenzi. I hope that pans out b/c this is a very important to me.
Anonymous said…
I would like to point out that Ancient Greece really was not a true democracy in that they had a very limited percentage of the population quailied to be citizens.

As for your theory.. interesting, but as I live in a red state I really don't want to test it.
utenzi said…
Lora, you're quite correct in what you say. Neither women nor slaves were ever able to become citizens and people who moved to Athens weren't automatically granted citizenship either--but it was still a pure democracy. Sparta was even worse with only a few percent of the people living there having citizenship--but they weren't interested in democratic rule anyway.
Anonymous said…
The Karl Rove wing is just devious enough to have already adopted this strategy. Very clever thinking, sir.
Anonymous said…
I think it's ironic that Republicans say they want to get government off our backs and yet want to get in my face about personal choices. Also ironic...most right to lifers don't have much to say about the war and all the lives lost with that...Iraqi and otherwise...and children.

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