Next week in 2301 we will discuss Federalist #10 and how it accounts for the problems that the interplay of interests pose in a free society. We will try to think of this in terms of the current interests that exist in the U.S, Texas and the local community.
Peter Beinart raises a point worth pondering. Over the past decades, the culture wars have been a divisive force in American politics. In addition to conflicts over the economy and foreign affairs, these have divided the population based on values questions that come to fruition over issues like gay marriage, abortion and civil rights. He suggests that part of Obama's success is that he stays away from these cultural issues. Further, Obama seem to be able to stay away from them because the American public seem to be less interested in them.
This doesn't mean that he is ignoring them, just downplaying them by trying to make concessions, even if they are superficial, to social conservatives who are driven by these issues. Thus the invitation of Rick Warren to speak at his inaugural. He concludes that if he is successful in driving cultural issues down, and expanding his coalition, his brand of liberalism could dominate politics for some time.
