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November 11, 2003
The Water's Edge
I notice that when a Democrat dare criticize the President's foreign policy, right-wing hacks (though not all Republicans or conservatives) start shouting "politics stops at the water's edge" pining for some good ol' imaginary time when this was the case.
I also notice that few of these same hacks seem to mind when Bush injected politics into international trade by imposing protectionist tariffs on steel. It's good to see that the EU countries realize they are dealing with someone with no principles (other than winning) and are threatening hitting Bush back by imposing tariffs on goods from swing states like Florida he can't afford to lose in 2004.
Look: I'm all for free trade and I'm completely against tariffs of any kind, especially the nakedly political ones Bush has imposed. In fact, I'm willing to believe that the steel tariffs did him more harm (putting Michigan and Wisconsin out of reach) than good, as I doubt Pennsylvania is any more competitive now for him than it was in '00 and any Democrat who can neutralize the gun issue should be able to take West Virginia anyway. That said, if retaliatory tariffs from the EU (even if they never materialize) help more people in Florida or anywhere else realize how unabashedly unprincipled most all but especially Bush's economic policies are, well then my general attitude is you reap what you sow.
Posted by Chris at November 11, 2003 07:54 PM
Comments
Well, hacks will be hacks, not much you can do about that. (The leaked intelligence memo comes to mind.) However, you and I both know that thinking conservatives opposed the steel tariffs as well, and hope that the EU's obstinance regarding them will be a welcome oppurtunity to eliminate them.
Posted by: zachary d smith at November 12, 2003 09:26 AM
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