Romney's enigmatic foreign policies

[luzribeiro.livejournal.com]

In this election year, many commenters are asking the question (and for a reason) what the US foreign policy would be if Mitt Romney wins the presidency. Some argue that Romney might take the neocon path and try to save change the world by force. You know, preemptively. To shape it to America's liking (whatever that may be supposed to mean). Others say he'd rather be closer to the more traditional Republican line. Many conservatives are suspicious about him, particularly on his foreign policy. They believe he is only adopting the conservative rhetoric out of political expedience, hoping to consolidate the conservative vote before the election.

But most are unanimous that Romney's possible foreign policies would be largely defined by the foreign-policy team he ends up surrounding himself with. The way Obama picked up the likes of Brzezinski soon after his own victory. And he has already started shaping quite an awkward mongrel of a creature in that respect. One consisting of various factions. But he'll have to pick a side eventually. One scenario logically puts Bob Zoellick in the Secretary of State position, an appointment that wouldn't be very well received by the neocons. Another scenario sees former US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton on that chair.

( The various schools of thought, and why should they matter )

This is what democracy looks like?

[kayjayuu.livejournal.com]

In the last two weeks, we have been treated to the way in which the two major parties conduct their own personal affairs, among people with whom they usually agree and whose support they need/want/seek out/spend millions of dollars on. This has meant the public has been exposed to the whole sausage-making process, especially thanks to social media and YouTube. In times past, all this happened but remained "in Vegas," as it were. Now, when you say you are going to have the most open and accessible convention in history, well... that's what happens, then. Everybody gets to see your true colors. ( And I'm not even talking about ideology. )