What is the Top Issue of the Campaign?

I've said it before, it's the economy. Not everyone agrees though that the economy will be the defining issue of the 2008 Presidential race. Some believe it is the candidate's positions on Iraq that will be the deciding factor. What is going on in Iraq has profound consequences for our economy. They are deeply interconnected.

I don't believe in wars for purely economic reasons unless they are a matter of survival. But, think of what happens if we pull all of our troops home. Does it have an impact on unemployment? Does it have an impact on jobs in the defense related industries? What about oil prices? Will a politically unstable Iraq be good for oil prices? The situation isn't great now but it is improving. What happens if we pull out before they can stand on their own? Will we be handing them over to Iran? It is very difficult to separate the issues.

The people in the U.S. want to see something done about the price of gasoline. They want their heating and cooling costs to come down. This fall, they will ultimately decide based on their perception of which candidate is best for their pocketbook. Every other issue will be secondary.

Aggressive Principled Diplomacy?

When politicians talk principles I get nervous. Why? Because with most, their track record is one of NO principles except that of power and greed. Do we trust one whose record demonstrates questionable principles with aggressive principled diplomacy? Which particular principles is he talking about? That's like someone saying, "let me be perfectly honest with you...." It makes you wonder if they haven't been honest previously.

A League of Democracies

The concept of a League of Democracies has merit. If....

If we would pull out, or at least limit our involvement in the U.N.
If it limited its role to specific areas that were not issues of sovereignty of member states.
If the members were unified in their stance against aggressive behavior such as that of Iran or North Korea.
If -- well, you get the picture.

Otherwise it just becomes another "death-by-committee" stroke by the purveyors of a one-world government. Please, Senator McCain, don't go down that road.