In his speech last night Arnold Schwarzenegger said:
... If you believe that this country, not the United Nations, is [the] best hope of democracy, then you are a Republican ...
Huh? The charge that liberals and Democrats fetishize the United Nations as the best hope of democracy is ridiculous, and I'm not sure that anyone has ever seriously advanced that argument.
Sure, the U.N. is institutionally committed to human rights and democracy and the Secretariat, which cannot act independently of what the members decide, does take some steps to try and advance human rights and democracy.
Liberals and Democrats are more likely to actually believe that the U.N. is a forum and a vehicle where the United States can advance democracy, by being able to communicate with the representatives of other countries. It does not preclude other channels of communication, such as through alliances with countries that share American values.
Posted by robe0419 at September 1, 2004 5:03 PM