Tuesday, October 10, 2006

The Values Voters Were Right: Character Counts

I admit it, I have clearly underestimated the importance of the personal character and integrity of officeholders in a republic.

It turns out, Washington and Lincoln and FDR really were extraordinary, and extraordinarily good.

Because if a cheap little hood like George W. Bush can set himself up as dictator, dismissing Congress and the courts with a wave of his signing hand, and they (and the people) just roll over for him, then clearly a real leader, facing a real crisis, could have made himself Emperor without even trying.

I knew that we who loved democracy were carrying some deadwood, but apparently it's a substantial portion of the population.

The country I loved never really existed, did it?

//The Magic Eight-Ball says, "Outlook unclear."\\

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You've got to see this one! Nothing illustrates the contempt and ignorance the concerned parties have for both history and the American people like their indiscriminate use of sentimental, emotive rhetoric - and it doesn't get much more blatant than comparing Hastert's situation to the Battle of the Alamo!
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/politics/stories/MYSA101106.01A.political.alamo.361464f.html

You'll notice that, for all their faults, Texas Republicans were not so politically suicidal as to sign this letter, though it's a Democrat they go to for the condemning quotes.

Peni

john_m_burt said...

Oh, Peni, you have my deepest sympathy for having endured this.

Even I think that's blasphemous, never mind how it feels to an actual resident of San Antonio.