Wednesday, October 10, 2007

Why electing a Democrat matters

Not because Hillary will foreswear torture and illegal wiretapping and secrecy and renditions. Not because she will embrace the joys of checks and balances in January 2009.

She won't.

It matters because the Republican party will miraculously rediscover the Constitution the day she takes office.

And because, unlike their invertebrate Democratic colleagues, they will find ways to hamstring her regardless of the number of seats they hold in Congress.

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Been reading your Machiavelli lately, huh? Keep the forces in balance, always playing against each other while you move toward your goal.

Well, the problem is it doesn't work for humans. At best it works to preserve systems. For us flesh'n'blooders, its a sure way to die a slow painful death.

Try again.

TA

12:16 PM  
Blogger nocasa said...

I disagree with TA and think this is a as salient an observation as I have seen throughout this whole sorry period in our history.

The fact NO executive will give back a "power" that has been ceded to him. And the corollary is no executive will avoid temptation to use that power and further its scope.

I don't think that is Macchiavelian the way TA I think meant it. But it is the nature of those who seek power in the first place.

Does anyone have any faith that we will elect someone who will give back the powers that Bush has?

That's ok. I'll wait for you to stop laughing for an answer.

9:49 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

At first, I misread nocasa's comment. Certainly the bulk of the comment seems to AGREE with my position. To wit, if the power is never given back, not even a little bit, the only possible result is that more people die. So, now what is the prescription for this sorry state of affairs? To try and slow down the machine? How the hell does that help? The best that's ever been done is to slow down the RATE OF INCREASE in the scope of the machine. No 'leader' ever gives back power, no machine or system is ever tamed. There is only one example throughout history of how you get rid of oppressive government. What else is there to say?

TA

4:09 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home




see web stats