Macon's reasons

How did I miss Macon's reasons for voting for President Bush? My comments:

War: not eye-to-eye, but I generally agree. I still can't believe how anti-nationbuilding Bush was in his first campaign, and now...

Supreme Court: yes. Strict Constructionism is best.

Culture of Life: the classic liberal tweak here is: what about war and the death penalty? Not saying I buy that, but do you care to address it?

Economy: I think President's have a bigger impact than you think they do. I think they're leadership in tax policy and in spending (eg, budgets, deficits, debt) is huge.

Unilateralism: you keep saying this means France, Germany, and Russia and I keep saying no it doesn't (of course, I may not be who you're dismissing when you write 'the critics' ;-). Maybe it does for everyone else, but not for me. A more diplomatic run-up may have led to a more multi-lateral rebuilding, which would have been a major advantage. France and Russia were on the take. Who cares about France anyway? But Russia's more important in that region, and a potentially emerging ally. Why alienate people we don't have to. As I've said before, what I really would like is Chinese, Indian, and Russian peacekeepers. Then it's an Asian deal instead of a Western deal (public perception wise). The UN isn't much good. The Security Council is particularly oudated.

WMDs: Kerry thought they had them because the Bush Administration's intel told us they did. I don't think this was a case of lying, but a case of ultimately interpreting scanty evidence to a desired outcome.

Quagmire: It's hard, true. But 'Deal with it' is too curt for those who didn't support the war in the first place or who feel we were mis-led there or who fear the ghosts of Vietnam (and Afghanistan). And committing to indefinite unilateral rebuilding is a really tricky thing. Bush gets four more years to work on it.