Delaware Liberal

Monday Open Thread 8.26.13

Booman warns us to beware the “Do Something” mantra on Syria:

The problem in Syria is that the opposition is no longer preferable to the regime and the regime is beyond redemption. Until I see evidence that contradicts it, I am not going to assume that Samantha Power is unaware of this conundrum just because she wrote a book condemning historical indifference to genocide in the West. The assumption is that she favors military action because she’s always argued that we should not stand idly by while evil regimes slaughter their own people. But all that tells us is that she is morally opposed to doing nothing when we can intervene at an “acceptable risk.” The problem in Syria is that there are no acceptable risks.

Indeed, it is a no win situation for the US. Edward Luttwak: “It would be disastrous if President Bashar al-Assad’s regime were to emerge victorious after fully suppressing the rebellion and restoring its control over the entire country… But a rebel victory would also be extremely dangerous for the United States and for many of its allies in Europe and the Middle East. That’s because extremist groups, some identified with Al Qaeda, have become the most effective fighting force in Syria.”

The safest course of action is to avoid a no win situation.

VIRGINIA–GOVERNOR–Meyers Research: Terry McAuliffe (D) 48, Ken Cuccinelli (R) 44.

COLORADO–GOVERNOR–Quinnipiac: Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) 47, State Senator Greg Brophy (R) 40, Hickenlooper 47, Scott Gessler (R), 42, Hickenlooper (D) 46, Tom Tancredo (R), 45.

Here is a helpful chart from the Cook Political Report that shows, despite the pundrity, that the Democrats have a pretty clear advantage in next year’s Senate elections.

Recent polling shows that Begich, Pryor, Landrieu and Hagan are all posting very good numbers. The only one I am worried about losing among those four is Pryor’s seat in Arkansas. Meanwhile, I think the Dems will win one of the two Republican competitive seats in either Georgia or Kentucky.

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