American-European Relations Won’t Change No Matter Who Becomes President
October 30, 2008 / 12:49 pm • By Dr. Melissa ClouthierDr. James Joyner has an excellent piece at The New Atlanticist. He rightly notes that circumstance dictates relations more than personality. Personal interest and state interest will trump even the most obnoxious personality.
I would note this, however. Dr. Joyner quotes Sir Christopher Meyer who makes the comment that Obama would be considered more conservative in Britain than the most conservative over there because even Obama isn’t calling for nationalized medicine while nationalized medicine is a given in Britain. The problem with using this example is that health care is already nationalized in Britain. Socialism is stubborn. Once a “benefit” is given, it isn’t taken away. It’s “reformed”. So, Obama, were he in Britain would be for expanding services and protecting bureaucracy. So I beg to differ: Obama would most certainly not be a Tory if he were in Britain.
The main substance of the argument, though, is a good one.
