[extropy-chat] Politics

[David Lubkin]

Robert J. Bradbury wrote:

>Regarding claims for success -- Who would *not* have
>been able rise to the opportunities presented
>in a post-911 environment? Who would not have recognized
>the need to remove leaders who represent potential
>future threats?
>
>It seems very unlikely that it could get any worse.

I've seen too many movies where someone paraphrased those words....

It could be much worse. And has been, historically, relative to the 
challenges of the time.

I don't know if Gore would have effectively dealt with 9/11, but we have 
had quite an assortment of naive, corrupt, criminal, reckless, and/or 
incompetent presidents who I would not have wanted in office then. (These, 
ironically, are the most revered by the public and by fellow politicians.)

To your request for a specific counter-example, an obvious candidate is 
2000's #3, Ralph Nader. Could you really see him as an effective 
Commander-in-Chief? Would Libya be disarming today under US President 
Nader? Would Saddam and the Taliban be gone?

Or, for that matter, some of the LP's candidates. Are you really confident 
in a President Marrou?


-- David Lubkin.