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The campaign coverage of the New York Times is pushing a common corporate media myth.
Worries about the economy now dominate the voters’ agenda, even more so than the war in Iraq, which framed the early part of this campaign. While change has emerged as an abstract rallying cry in the campaign debate, what the voters mean when they talk about change is clear — new approaches to the economy and the war, according to the poll. Issues that have loomed large in the Republican debate — notably immigration, taxes and moral values — pale by comparison.
The idea that the economy and the war are two separate concerns is typical in corporate press, which wants to do everything in its power to mute opposition to the conflict.
In the real world, the US/Iraq war and the US economy our closely related. The hundreds of billions of dollars being spent on the war are hurting the overall US economy. That war also is increasing the price of oil, which is devastating the world economy.
In a US recession based partly on economic insecurity, deployment in Iraq is vastly increasing economic insecurity for way too many military families. War-inflated budget deficits are being used by the Bush regime to push for cuts in programs for people here at home, adding to economic insecurity and pushing the non-wealthy into further debt.
Stopping the war in Iraq is an important bread and butter issue as well as being the most important moral issue of our time.
While I agree with your statement, if you pulled all of the troops out of Iraq, would that have a short term or long term effect on the economy? I don't think it would give an immediate benefit.
I get a sense that the other countries are now angry with the U.S. for Iraq, and for trashing their economy with subprime loans.
Great points , the USA has alway ALWAYS been a WAR ECONOMY. Look what happens when we try even utter the words "military base closings" Our biggest export are the weapons of war, the stocks and corps doing the best in the markets are "security/survaillance" and the weapons manufacturers.. No we certainly cannot seperate the two. But as over reaching Empires go, this is par for the course..and the end will match up with Empires of times gone by..all the pieces are in place.
Other countries are mad at us for more than even the points you mention, its called in CIA terms "blowback" and we got a long history of being the bully on the global playground. Now i am not a blame america firster, just telling like history reports. (the real history, not the glossed over crap that passes for education in our public schools)
monty: Shifting capital flow back into the country from abroad, which ending the war would do, would certainly help the economy. Also, stopping the war would reduce economic insecurity.
War stimulating the US economy when it was an industrial economy. Now, war slows the economy by slowing consumer spending, the current engine of US economic growth.