THE COMING FOREIGN POLICY SELLOUT | 2000-03-25
Belatedly, Bush people have begun to hit the real weakness of the McCain-Feinfold-Gore "reform" program. As their poll numbers against Gore went steadily down, they became desperate. And, as I have pointed out before, it is only when they get desperate that respectable conservatives ever make a point (See December 25 article, "Bush Actually Makes A Point"). After being beaten half to death with the issue, they are finally pointing out that this so-called reform would cut Republican financial sources but leave union bosses absolutely free to spend all they want to.
But on the gun issue, Bush people are, like all respectable conservatives, utterly helpless. Former Democratic Texas Governor Ann Richards, whom Bush beat to become governor, was discussing the fact in a recent debate that she opposed the concealed weapons law Bush signed. No one asked her the obvious question, whether those permits have been misused at all in Texas.
As liberals have already pointed out, Gore is going to beat Bush to death with that concealed weapons law, not because it wasn't a success, but because respectable conservatives can't deal with it.
But the one gaping difference between regular Republicans and McCain that was almost totally unmentioned was the one that a Southern nationalist might find most critical. That is the difference in foreign policy.
Only Buchanan is pressing this issue.
The use of American armed forces to mix ethnic groups in Europe is of critical importance to the left. It is something Gore and McCain are united about, with McCain the more fanatical. Liberals don't mention it, which indicates they don't want it emphasized. Naturally, if liberals don't want it mentioned, respectable conservatives aren't going to bring it up.
Respectable conservatives will not discuss an issue where liberal policy is potentially disastrous. Such issues are also the ones on which they are most likely to sell us out.