Has the Republican Party lost the advantage on national security that it has had since the Vietnam war?

Question

Did voters stop trusting the democrats on national security because they got us into the Vietnam war or because they wanted to get us out? How will the war in Iraq effect the Republicans national security advantage over the next several decades.

Eisenhower would not have gotten us into the Vietnam war, and the American people knew it at the time, and formed the opinions based on that knowledge.

I am not asking whether you think the war is a bad thing, but if the people who think it is bad will hold it against the Republican party.

Answer 1

Well, like all things, it depends on your perspective.

To the average American, a few things seem true
1) The Iraq war is a colossal mistake and should be ended (somehow)
2) The Republicans are tough and will keep us safe
3) Democrats are weak, but will give us freedom
4) We (as a nation) are willing to trade some freedom for safety and security

Now, given those 'truisms' what should a politician do?

A) If you are a Republican, you have to talk about "Peace with honor" (does that sound familiar to anyone who studied the Vietnam war and the Nixon administration?) and remain "Tough on Terror" whatever that means

B) If you are a Democrat, you have to talk about being "Tough on Terror" to avoid sounding weak. The civil liberties argument makes you sound 'weak on terror' since most people are willing to sacrifice some freedom for safety.

NOTICE: Any framing of the security issue works into the hands of the Republican party. The BEST a Democrat can hope for is to appear Dovish enough to gain the Democratic Nomination, but Hawkish enough to win the issue in the general election.

The nation, as a whole, is against the war in Iraq, but is still very worried about security. Notice the way Republicans are working the border with Mexico issue as a security issue. That makes Republicans on the side of a safer America, while the Democrats make the freedom argument and look soft on terror.

Let's look at how the left wing of the Democratic party has been saying that "dissent is patriotism." I understand their argument from a civil liberties standpoint, BUT, most Americans don't make the logical leap with them, and thus the Democrats are still 'soft on terror.'

George Lakoff wrote a very interesting book, Moral Politics: How Liberals and Conservatives Think that defined liberals and conservatives in terms of their parenting styles

Conservatives: The world is harsh, but the strict father keeps us safe and teaches us to survive in it
Liberals: The world is tough, but the loving mother gives us love and freedom so we can grow into adulthood

Notice, the strict father KEEPS US SAFE. That gives the security issue to the conservative Republicans BY DEFAULT. In a scary world, the Republicans are going to win by default by being conservative. We innately trust that they will keep us safe. A Democrat has to PROVE that they will keep us safe.

Conversely though, we innately trust that a Democrat will take care of us (in troubled economic times for example) and not punish us for failing. A Republican has to PROVE that they will take care of us and not punish us for failing.

So in short, an international focus on security and troubled times in the world works to the advantage of Republicans; while an national or local focus on economic hardship or social problems works to the advantage of Democrats.

Interesting that Republicans have used the Religious Right as a shield against social problems by blaming the victims and claiming a moral superiority. Of course, when Conservatives are caught in compromising situations like using prostitutes or soliciting gay sex in a men's room, they lose that moral high ground and are extremely vulnerable.
Also, think of Bush's "Compassionate Conservatism." This was simply an attempt at glossing over the Democratic advantage on economic and social hardship.

This answer rambled a bit, but as always;

Hope it helped,
Good luck!

Answer 2

The Republicans will continue to support this killing machine til the Democrats take over and get blamed for not cleaning the mess up soon enough.
Viet Nam was a disastor. It was a holdover from WW11 called Indo China. The French were there and lost at Dien Bien Phu, they were surrounded by Viet Cong. They called on the United States to help out. That never happened of course.
Thousands of French Foreign Legonnaires died after exhausting ammunition and food. After surrendering 10,000 men, 3,000 managed to survive.
Then the United States sent in advisors under the Republican Eisenhower Administration and thus the Viet Nam war.
Democrats got blamed of course!
Thanks

Answer 3

mudmarine, national security is worst as a direct result of the collective Bush administration, both father and son.

1. They lied to Congress and lied to the American people about Iraq and the press has not as of yet published the real story behind Iraq.

2. Bush is NOT withdrawing from Iraq. We're in for the duration, 10 years or more, until we can get the Iraqis to capitulate! The Bush administration IS NOT promoting democracy around the world and neither are they promoting it in Iraq.

3. They are making Iraq a more dangerous place and making this world a lot less secure.

4. You will have problems with Iran and North Korea. You will not be able to get by Russia and China collectively and NATO and other European nations will not help this time as a war against Iran etc will get everyone involved in a World War III!

National security is at an all time low and our troops do not know this!

They are not fighting for freedoms, but fighting to promote a selfish and errant agenda, an illegal agenda, of the collective Bush administration!

Yours,
Max for America!


FIRST EDIT:

By the time that you and all of America wakes up, it may be too late! Bush-co knows what they are doing. They know that what they are doing is wrong and illegal. They pursue their selfish and bloody agenda, because if they don't sooner or later they will be indicted for the deaths of 4,000 US troops, people who did not need to die and who were NOT fighting to defend our freedoms!

The Iraq War was about a cover up of Reagan-Bush political wrongdoings and nothing else. I know because I was the negotiator (the firm that I worked for) as we put the whole thing together . . . but, no longer as good people will refuse the Bush administration's continual crookedness and corruption, which amounts to outright murder under the color of law! An approximately 1.8 million innocent Iraqis died, due to the deceit that was fostered. How many of you can sleep at night knowing that what you did was wrong, immoral, and murderous? Not to say, violations of the US Constitution, high crimes and treason!

This is a great no-no, which our nation MUST wake up to before it's too late! 2.4 trillion dollars spent on a mistake that could be corrected for less . . . and we risk a war with North Korea, Iran, China, and Russia!???

You've got to be kidding!

Being good and honorable pays! Crookedness does not. Should an inquiry be made and should the perpetrators of this great fiasco be indicted as traitors to the nation and US Constitution? Do soldiers enjoy dying for a lie? Would any soldier agree to dying in order to cover up Bush administration wrongdoing and learn later that everyone in this nation eventually discovered the wrongdoing!

How you vote on the above question more directly reflects on you (whether you value your life and the lives of your loved ones), rather than on me and this question, please be aware!

.

Answer 4

If my memory serves me correctly, Ike sent the first US troops to Viet Nam- probably as observers or advisors.

Given that 9/11 was on the republicant sleep, cause doob definately wasn't watching, I think you are being overly kind by saying have they the advantage - they have lost that and a lot more!

Answer 5

No,national security is stronger than ever.
The dems think security is a fense around the country,close in and tight to the borders.
Great security is layered and reaches beyond sight.

Answer 6

The Democrats are self destructing and it is caused by the panic that peace is being established in Iraq, Pelosi and Reid just keep trying to put out fires! The Far left is pissed at them, those in the middle are seeing how they pander to the hate America groups, I just hope they can keep it up til '08...

Answer 7

What makes you think you have decades?