"The tragedy is not that those who rose so high should fall so low. The tragedy is that those who had so low an appreciation for our government should have risen to such high positions in it." Herbert Block - 1974... Picked this snippet up from Digby, of course Block was talking about Ford and Nixon and the inexplicable and perhaps criminal pardoning of the the latter by the former. You can argue all you want about that, it's ancient history... personally, they should have tried Nixon and given the episode and him and the country and the rule of law some closure and credibility. And, inadvertently saved the future from a debate that is, quite frankly, irrelevant. All republicans are crooks, always have been, always will be... What moved me about the quote and it comes from a piece I recommend you read, is it's relevance to the shoddy bunch presently leading this country to nowhere, they despise government, they despise the rule of law, they despise intrusion, they despise the environment, they despise international treaties, they despise tolerance, they despise equality, they despise a 'Modern Society', so why in the hell are they running this country and not living on some off-shore island tax-shelter counting their pennies and bossing Macaca around all day long... they can afford it and America is just not going to work for them as a Democracy! Beats me why they even bother, there must be something deeper here, illuding me, something about the psyche of an affluent, power crazed, middle aged, white, hypocrite-cow-poke-wannabee that I'm just not getting... I can see I am going to have to ponder deeply about this... got it!
3 comments:
Long time since I checked your blog!
I started writing all kinds of thoughtful responses to this post and finally I realized that it's impossible to discuss all the aspects of this group in power.
It isn't enough to say "all Republicans are crooks" because you leave out the stiff-necked, imperialistic, priggish righteousness with which they view the world.
Yes they are crooks but they also believe that they are right in what they do. Anyone who tries to stand in the way is not only wrong, they stand in the way of God's good work.
Example: the Bible says that God gave Adam the earth (and some other crap leaving Eve out entirely) so therefore it's ok to dig for oil in a pristine wilderness or add more logging roads or whatever.
To show His approval God showers the Repugs and their friends with more wealth and power. If God didn't like what they did, He would punish them, wouldn't he?
(This thinking is also valuable when dealing with homelessness, poverty and the displaced citizens of Katrina. If "those people" did the right thing like go to Ivy League colleges etc, they wouldn't be begging for handouts. God punishes them for making bad choices)
And since God rewards the Repugs with power and more money, doesn't God want them to reach for even more of these good things? Shouldn't they share it with others who value God's will, such as Halliburton?
eh. I have so many other spins on it ("We rape the land and kill the laws because we can" is another law they live by) I'd love to sit a few hours with you and a few other good people to discuss it ala Steve Maher.
Just don't get discouraged. You may never get rich (or maybe you are?) but at least you'll know that you have a conscience and a soul* and can sleep at night.
*godless pagan that you are ;)
You are a righteous babe, and you make me laugh. Of course you nailed the right wing firmament, it is because they 'believe' they are right that makes them so intolerant, arrogant and belligerant. But where did that thinking arise? What bible were they reading? In the end it is a melange of God manipulation, corporate irresponsibility and greed. All, perhaps reflect a part of the American psyche that the founders tried very hard to bury in the Constitution only for this ragtag band of unitary executive freaks to dig up and usurp. The 'Great Society' frightened these shit kickers to almost death and they have been fighting back like cornered rats ever since, no way are the American people going to be allowed to make decisions ever again because, everytime they do they take away a little piece of our power.
I'm not rich, but to me, wealth comes in many guises, you being one.
I sleep like a lamb... for at least four hours a night.
But where did that thinking arise? What bible were they reading? In the end it is a melange of God manipulation, corporate irresponsibility and greed.
It's all Old Testament Bible. Man was given dominion over the earth, the patriarchal ruler of the family who should live by "an eye for an eye."
They prefer the Old Testament because it's convenient and doesn't require anything more than knee-jerk reactions to a complex world.
The New Testament's Sermon on the Mount gives conservatives the heebie-jeebies. It's so dangerously liberal!
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Btw - Glad I can give you an occasional laugh. It's always a pleasure to trade ideas with you :)
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