Will the Mid East War be the" Mother of All Wedge Issues" for the GOP?

[Armstead]

I have a sinking feekling that we may be seeing the October Surprise a few months early. And, whether for political purposes or not, I think the GOP has just been handed the Mother of All Wedge Issues.

And I have a sinking feeling that this could be saving the GOP's ass in the upcoming elections.

Being at war (or at least with a region in a crisis that directly affects us) could have the same effect as 9-11 and the Iraq War build-up. The "base" of the GOP at least will more fervently rally around Bush. And it could make moderates more hawkish and vote for the strong manly GOP.

Meanwhile, the Democrats are offering nothing as an alternative to the Neo-Con agenda.

And worse, this one is dividing Democrats/Liberals/Progressives more deeply among ourselves than we could have imagined....Look at all of the fights here on DU between those who are in favor of Israel's actions and those who are against.....Hell, I've usually stayed far away from the I/P subject here, but I've been sucked into it too.

All this firepower SHOULD be aimed at Republicans in the elections. But if this is still raging in the late fall, the divisions on the left will dishearten many and alienate us from each other.

I hope to God I'm wrong. But this makes the immigration issue pale by comparison as a wedge issue. And it makes the usual wedge issues like Gay Rights seem like nothing.

Karl Rove must be drinking champaign these days.

[DYouth]

1. The Democrats have outdone themselves being gleeful

over the indiscriminate bombing of Lebanon, so probably not.

The issues will probably center around Iraq and the corruption scandals.

[Armstead]

2. I think this will overshadow everything else....

...especially if it continues to escalate.

[DYouth]

3. We'd have to have one heck of a dumb populace to

actually get bought off by a GOP line like that, though.

But then again...

[Armstead]

4. Um, remember 2002 nd 2004....Alas

After many attempts to convince myself otehrwise. I'm finally accepting the fact that we do have an awfully dumb populace...Or at least a suvbstantial percentage of an awfully dumb populace. Otherwise, we'd have found our way out of this mess by now.

[norml]

5. We'll win by speaking the truth, and by taking actions based on reality

not by going along with lies, for the sake of some non-sense.

[Armstead]

6. But we're having an impossible time agreeing on that with this one

This is a wedge issue that not only divides left from right, but left from left.

[norml]

7. Sort of like the run up to the Iraq war in 2002?

See how much going along with stupid lies, and the beating of the war drums, for the sake of some non-sense got us then.

Don't let them get away in 2006, with what they did in 2002.

[norml]

9. I'd be more concerned about the Green Party draining away some of our...

...support, by un-ambiguously opposing the PNAC/AIPAC agenda.

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&tab=wn&ie=UTF-8&scoring=d&q=%22green+party%22+israel&btnG=Search+News

[Armstead]

10. That's true....This really is about the Neo-Con agenda

And the complicity opf the US should be challenged more by the Democratic leadership.

[On the Road]

8. I Think You Are Correct

It's not enough to turn the election aroud completely, but it will probably moderate GOP losses.

Unless it's all over and forgotten by November. Which may be why Bush is fanning the flames. Seriously -- I do not put it past him.

[Armstead]

11. He may not be acting politically.....But he sure is fanning the flames

..But so is the political establishment on both sides of the aisle, with a few worthy exceptions.