tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26542777.post117209062714642275..comments2023-10-26T01:59:40.483-07:00Comments on The Dividist Papers: Unity08 and fellow travellers Tony Snow and David Gregory promote Un-American activities.mwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11181222537529037359noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26542777.post-1172292379958397142007-02-23T20:46:00.000-08:002007-02-23T20:46:00.000-08:00I understand the research and I agree that it make...I understand the research and I agree that it makes sense.<BR/><BR/>With Unity08 I do not disagree with you. Unity08 still does not have a platform or a candidate. The good thing though is that platform will be chosen by the selected candidate without any type of "this is better for our party" influence. <BR/><BR/>This is a very sketchy situation. Almost too idealistic. Either Unity08 delivers, or it doesn't. I'd like to hope that all the arguing I've been doing on it's behalf in the blogosphere is worth it and not done in vain. I think they can do it.Rolyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15492904588067289058noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26542777.post-1172267563658748942007-02-23T13:52:00.000-08:002007-02-23T13:52:00.000-08:00One more thing. You said:"Personally, I do not bel...One more thing. You said:<I>"Personally, I do not believe abortion and capital punishment are the most important issues facing our country right now. Healthcare, social security, the war, and education seem to be important to me."</I><BR/><BR/>If and when Unity08 does pick a candidate and take a stand on issues, they will either be in agreement with your perspective as stated above, or not. If not, I suspect you will be considerably less enamoured with Unity08. Hence the false "Unity" of Unity08.mwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11181222537529037359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26542777.post-1172265505892977032007-02-23T13:18:00.000-08:002007-02-23T13:18:00.000-08:00Roly,I'll take these in reverse order. It surprise...Roly,<BR/>I'll take these in reverse order. It surprises me how frequently I get arguments like: <I>"divided government does not just mean executive and legislative branches in different parties, it also can mean [FILL IN THE BLANK]."</I><BR/><BR/>Sure it can mean a bipartisan cabinet, or it mean an ideological split within the Republican party as some argue, or it can mean an ideological split within the Democratic party as others argue, or it can mean gray hair vs. bald, or brown shoes vs. black, or it can mean anything else you want it to mean. <BR/><BR/><B>HOWEVER...</B><BR/><BR/>In this blog I reference historical research and analysis by scholars and economists who hypothesize causal relationships based on a specific definition of Divided Government: <I>one party controls the White House and another party controls one or both houses of Congress</I>. Now, if I am advocating (as I am), a voting strategy based on that research, the strategy will have no validity or foundation if I use a different defintion than the research on which it is based.<BR/><BR/>Example:<BR/>Economist and Reagan economic advisor <A HREF="http://westanddivided.blogspot.com/2006/08/divided-government-statistics-and-war.html" REL="nofollow">William Niskanen has shown that federal spending growth is restrained under divided government</A>, using this definition of divided government. I would like to see the growth of federal spending restrained, so I advocate voting to maintain divided government, <B>using the same definition of divided government that Niskanen does.</B> <BR/><BR/>If you have research showing the consquences on spending growth when we have a divided government defined as a mixed cabinet, or an ideologically split single party, then there is something to talk about. I am unaware of any such research. Until I see it, I'll stick with this defintion. <BR/><BR/>Back to the Unity08 boys. Although I have expressed my skepticism, I do not rule out supporting a Unity08 presidential candidate. In fact, I have signed up as a Unity08 delegate. Maybe they will nominate and run a strong Republican or Independent Presidential candidate that would fulfill my divided government preference with the likely Democratic Congress. I'd be perfectly fine with that. I just think the entire foundation of the organization is built on logical sand. Running against <I>polarized partisan politics</I> is a smoke screen to obfuscate the fact that they actually have taken no stands on any real issues and have no candidates. Hence my skepticism. I'd be delighted to be proven wrong.<BR/><BR/>Thanks again for stopping by and for the thoughtful comments.mwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11181222537529037359noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-26542777.post-1172211612839767382007-02-22T22:20:00.000-08:002007-02-22T22:20:00.000-08:00I'm gonna go out on a whim here and say that there...I'm gonna go out on a whim here and say that there are a few things I disagree with here.<BR/><BR/>Obviously you know I've been looking at Unity08. I agree that right now all they are is talk. But then again, so are both political parties.<BR/><BR/>And during this golden age of parties was a civil war. If anything the people felt compelled to go to the polls to voice their opinion. Although this is exactly what we want, we do not want it if it is going to cause more problems. Polarization is fine if the things that are polarizing are ways to fix problems that affect everyone. Personally, I do not believe abortion and capital punishment are the most important issues facing our country right now. Healthcare, social security, the war, and education seem to be important to me. If democrat and republicans are fighting like crazy over what is the best way to fix problems that are important and not about a hypothetical abortion scenario, I think we'd be a lot better off.<BR/><BR/>I am also going to go ahead and make an argument that opposing viewpoints within the same branch of government (a bipartisan cabinet for example) may actually be a form of divided government. If disagreement makes the executive branch more efficient maybe this is the way to go?Rolyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15492904588067289058noreply@blogger.com