This case has been on the radar for quite a while. It has been highlighted as a potential 'do as you say' and 'finally, we have a chance to end this nightmare' milestone...and now it is a millstone. While not deserving the meter's needle-pin that you use to slay us with, his inaction is indicative; is he is or is he ain't gonna slice away all the cancers that created the most successful presidency ever?
Is one of the hallmarks of the 1,000 Bush Accomplishments going to be that he was so over the top, that tyranny still remains excused after he has left? I am of two minds whether such tyranny was merely blowback, mere unintended consequences of paying back the GreedyBastards who paid for his coronations, of actual evil. Is tyranny an implied consequece of endless expansion for his friends in the war toys industry, endless angst for his friends in the drug industry, endless big brother sensationalism for his friends in the media, endless opportunities for the criminal banking/insurance industry? The stated goal of the neo groups was bankrupting the government financially...was it required to bankrupt the moral base to accomplish that goal?
My belief is that your guy Obama can't be a complete failure until he fails to perform miracles in each and every category required for creating a new democracy from the ashes he was handed.
His keywords have got to be Constant Vigilance. He can't let one thing go un-noticed since even perfection has such a large chance of failure. For we have seen that the American people are not studious and enduring types, and are easily swayed into becoming terrorists while crying about how mistreated they are. If the failures add up, if there is enough angst and apathy, it will be complete failure for that dream of a government for, by and of.
Sorry my response wasn't as clever and terse as yours. I just couldn't figure out how to say: If you have to bat 100 to survive, if you have to excise all the cancers and all the effects of them, is it complete failure to leave any behind? Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
Frank Delaney ~ Ireland
I'm not excusing anything: it just seems that the internet left have slightly less impulse control and tolerance for delayed gratification than my 10 month old son.
I also think that Tomalsky might be onto something:
OK, what I'm about to say isn't true of everyone, of course. But there is a general thing: liberals are happy being unhappy. Or worrying. We're (I very much include myself) big worriers. With reason: history teaches that the tide of change doesn't always flow in our direction, especially in recent years. I know a lot of people who couldn't quite believe that America could elect a man like Barack Obama, and still didn't quite believe it after it happened. In addition, there is a general tendency to accentuate the negative. Partisans of both sides focus on what has been lost in compromise, but there is a crucial difference in the quality of complaint. Conservatives tend to look upon compromise and shout: "Betrayal!" Liberals have more often tended to sigh: "Well, I figured as much." The blogosphere has given liberalism an often necessary jolt of the former disposition, but it's still the general reflex of the liberal mind (again, including my own) to assume the worst and nod knowingly as it inevitably happens.
In addition, there is a general tendency to accentuate the negative. Partisans of both sides focus on what has been lost in compromise, but there is a crucial difference in the quality of complaint. Conservatives tend to look upon compromise and shout: "Betrayal!" Liberals have more often tended to sigh: "Well, I figured as much." The blogosphere has given liberalism an often necessary jolt of the former disposition, but it's still the general reflex of the liberal mind (again, including my own) to assume the worst and nod knowingly as it inevitably happens.
Now, I don't know what the court decision tells us about the position the US administration is adopting: it may be that they haven't exactly decided how to handle the issue and are simply taking the most conservative position while they figure it out - it doesn't seem obvious to me that time is of the essence here. It may also be that people's worst fears will be realised. We'll see.
Also, my Irish friends all have the predilection of saying things like, "You man in charge there..." whether he is my man or not, just seemed appropriate given your message.
As you say, we'll see. But I think it is indicative of the normative behavior. They'll get rid of the headline mockable and defend the indefensible easier-to-defend.
I do disagree with Tomalsky though; the tide of Progressive does flow in our direction. There are many fewer kings or queens of consequence, many rich are asking to be taxed, and 'freedom from' is gradually being replaced by actual plain ol' 'freedom'. Never underestimate their intelligence, always underestimate their knowledge.
:) ~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~
