# If Iraq doesn't become an issue again in 2012 then what will become an issue? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [January 10, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059 "2012-01-10T17:22:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/21 "2012-03-19T19:22:55Z")
Umm, Iran. I don’t think there’s any other option, really. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/22 "2012-03-19T19:30:20Z")
Naw, the main issues will be the economy and unemployment. The election will hinge on these things. There will be plenty of political rhetoric and plenty of side issues (the price of gas, for instance), but really it hinges on how the economy is doing and what the unemployment rate is…and whether people think that we are going in the right direction right now, or whether they believe that we need a change to get us on the right track. Everything else is just part of the circus, including Iran. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/23 "2012-03-19T19:55:20Z")
Well, Romney is [trying desperately to make it all about the price of gasoline.](http://www.boston.com/Boston/politicalintelligence/2012/03/romney-says-obama-should-fire-gas-hike-trio/ovSZr8iYrNNvRFM2elGqTL/index.html?p1=Well_Politics_links) Based on my not having switched the TV channel fast enough last night, Fox News is going to be banging on that nail all summer ("Blonde female anchor breathlessly opining “And some analysts are saying gas will hit $4.20 by summer.” ). Even by election year standards, Romney’s “Everything is Obama’s fault” schtick is getting old. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/24 "2012-03-19T20:02:53Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > Umm, Iran. I don’t think there’s any other option, really. Afghanistan? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2012, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/25 "2012-03-19T20:04:12Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > I prefer Obama stick to not making blustering chest-thumping statements for domestic political consumption and then giving the Iranians money. What, you can think of a better way to handle it? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/26 "2012-03-28T03:21:36Z")
Looks like I’m right about [Afghanistan](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/world/asia/support-for-afghan-war-falls-in-us-poll-finds.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper). ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/27 "2012-03-28T04:24:49Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Looks like I’m right about [Afghanistan](http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/27/world/asia/support-for-afghan-war-falls-in-us-poll-finds.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper). We might have to declare victory and pull out . . . ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/28 "2012-03-28T04:28:41Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > Umm, Iran. I don’t think there’s any other option, really. . . . 😕 No option but for Iran to be an issue? Or what? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/29 "2012-03-28T05:56:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Naw, the main issues will be the economy and unemployment. The election will hinge on these things. There will be plenty of political rhetoric and plenty of side issues (the price of gas, for instance) Aren’t unemployment and the cost of gas aspects of the economy? That’s like saying that the decisive states will be the Midwest and Michigan. ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/30 "2012-03-28T13:12:37Z")
It would be helpful if, when you quote you’d actually attribute it to whoever posted what you are quoting, if you have a question about what they were saying. [QUOTE=Chronos] Aren’t unemployment and the cost of gas aspects of the economy? [/QUOTE] It depends. Technically, I suppose they are all related, and that ‘the economy’ can be broken down into several aspects, including unemployment and the price of gas. But in people minds and perceptions they can be discrete issues (i.e. they can think of ‘unemployment’ as being a key issue while ALSO thinking of ‘the economy’ as being a key issue, even if in reality they are related). The price of gas, while also related, seems to be another thing that people think of separately, and seems to be a political football in THIS election so far, which is why I mentioned it. So, I don’t seem to be getting your objection here. Could you expand on it? Are you merely picking nits, or do you disagree with my overall statement that it’s not going to be about foreign policy (Iraq or anything else) that the election will hinge on, but instead on domestic issues such as unemployment and the economy, with side shows focusing on stuff like the price of gas? -XT ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/31 "2012-03-28T17:28:20Z")
Oh, I agree that those things are going to be most significant. I just thought it odd the way you were breaking it down like that. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/32 "2012-03-28T17:30:16Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Aren’t unemployment and the cost of gas aspects of the economy? That’s like saying that the decisive states will be the Midwest and Michigan. I think the issue people are going to vote on is the issue of how the country is doing. That, and the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2012, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/33 "2012-03-28T17:48:14Z")
I think the issue people will vote on is which candidate they would rather have as president. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/34 "2012-04-03T13:51:23Z")
So, it turned out the correct answer was contraception. Who saw _that_ coming? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/35 "2012-04-03T13:57:03Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > So, it turned out the correct answer was contraception. Who saw _that_ coming? Everyone who brought contraception. [rimshot] ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/36 "2012-04-03T14:00:21Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > So, it turned out the correct answer was contraception. Who saw _that_ coming? Well, the economy is improving, Obama kicked the Republicans all over the map on the national security issue, the number of people who get the heebie-jeebies about gay people is falling slowly but significantly, flag-burning is a non-issue, and personal scandals aren’t sticking. So the usual GOP hot-button points aren’t working. When in doubt, talk about sex. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/37 "2012-04-03T14:01:25Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > Well, the economy is improving, Obama kicked the Republicans all over the map on the national security issue, the number of people who get the heebie-jeebies about gay people is falling slowly but significantly, flag-burning is a non-issue, and personal scandals aren’t sticking. So the usual GOP hot-button points aren’t working. > > When in doubt, talk about sex. What ever happened to federal-deficit scaremongering!? ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/38 "2012-04-03T14:59:00Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > What ever happened to federal-deficit scaremongering!? They decided that they’d rather focus on cutting taxes than dealing with the deficit, plus people are more worried about their own debts than the national one. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [April 4, 2012, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/39 "2012-04-04T22:21:49Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > When in doubt, talk about sex. > [@](#): > > Although scandal was never far from the White House, Clinton was handily reelected in 1996, buoyed by a recovering and increasingly strong economy. “Bill Clinton” _Encyclopaedia Britannica_, 2007 ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059/40 "2012-05-16T17:10:30Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > So, it turned out the correct answer was contraception. And same-sex marriage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-iraq-doesnt-become-an-issue-again-in-2012-then-what-will-become-an-issue/609059.md?page=3)