Dwayne Monroe wrote:
>
>]
> But after listening to the debate (and thanks to Seth for the link -
> <http://www.munkdebates.com/debates/>) it hit me: liberals -- and
> 'cruise missile liberals' in particular -- are at a serious
> disadvantage when arguing with conservatives on "defense" issues. The
> problem is that they agree with their quasi-opponents on the basics:
> the 'need' for US supremacy , the 'it's a dangerous world therefore we
> need lots of carriers' trope, the perfection or near perfection of
> "American Values", Iran as five-minutes-away-from-nuclear-weapons
> threat to world safety, etc.
You have put your finger on one instance of a common liberal weakness, which someone on this list labelled "Crackpot realism." Treating abortion as a moral issue is an instance . Proposing health plans that do not destroy the insurance companies is another. Defending social security by any other tactic than demanding its enlargment is yet another. Admitting the need to "do something" about terrorism. And so on.
Carrol