My incendiary comment of the week

Parent Cafe
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<p>As for the “appropriateness” issue, today’s OpEd piece by Rosa Parks captures it well:

The Republicans want to reduce the Kings to the safe bland banality of a Hallmark card, an token acknowledgment of equality without any obligation to address any essence of same.</p>

<p>FS, you’re quite write, politics and funerals don’t go together. Pass the word, including to Marc Antony and those observing the funeral of Pericles. It’s odd that often your adjurations towards virtue leave one side disarmed and impotent; the rhetorical tactic, invoking virtue in the service of vice, should perhaps be examined.</p>

<p>Brownie, if battle is offered, I will not shy away. I will not let you and yours ruin my country without giving as much a fight as I can muster. In the words of Major Pitcairn at Concord Bridge, “If they want war, let it begin here.” You guys started it, I damn well aim to help finish it, on my terms. And when we win, we’ll do so without some of the more odious techniques you’ve enlisted in your cause, including such unprecedented tactics as mid-census reapportionments to shore up your standing in the House and holding House votes over the traditionally allotted time, by hours if need be, until you could bribe or twist the right arms to squeak out what you wanted. But dispensing with long-established customs such as Senatorial holds and ramming through polarizing leglislation and judicial appointments on narrow votes…you’ve got it, baby. As Isaac Asimov observed, it’s a poor atom blaster that doesn’t point both ways. Aggregation of power in the Executive…we’ll have to see how the current conflicts play out, whether Republican lawmakers will be more loyal to their president or their institution. If the former, the long knives will come back to haunt you…or do you <em>really</em> believe that you’ll hold power forever? I swear to God, many of you act as if you do.</p>

<p>Driver, your Mommy/Daddy psychobabble makes even less sense than your poltics, stemming, I fear, from a misplaced delusion of adequacy.</p>

<p>Xiggi, when your side hold all the levers of power, the Dems speak with many voices. Specific platforms will evolve from candidates over the campaign. And, if you look at legislative voting patterns, the Democrats have a much greater tolerance for not voting in lock step. Some in my party think we should start mimicking yours and punish wayward legislatgors; I’ve argued against it. </p>

<p>As for the last election, the Dems <em>were</em> more united. Rove’s technique of appealing to the base boosted GOP turnout as well, though I realize that you folks think a 51-48 margin is a “mandate.” If you go back and look at the returns, Independents were very close to split. Now, you can look at virtually every poll out there and the Independent block is tilting heavily towards the Democrats; on every single issue, including terrorism and national security, they are polling closer to Democrats than Republicans. At this point, I don’t think we’ll have enough gains to take back either the House or Senate but I think we’ll get enough numbers to make it much more difficult for Bush.</p>

<p>And I don’t think most Republicans are worth having a dialogue with either.</p>

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<p>My misplaced delusion of adequacy requires me to point out that the famous quotation “Don’t fire unless fired upon–But if they want a war, let it begin here” is usually attributed to Capt. John Parker, in command of the Lexington militia. Major John Pitcairn, of His Majesty’s Royal Marines, was Parker’s adversary (and a very noble guy, too btw). But that is small beer–or perhaps, in your case, small California Chardonnay–compared with your opening remark…I was unaware that Rosa Parks had an op-ed out today about CSK’s funeral, but you are apparently channeling her spirit, which is intriguing. I can only wonder where you’re getting your other political insider info from…</p>

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<p>TD:
What happened to that shirt with the ink? or rather the Ink on the shirt?</p>

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<p>Brain cramp, though the association is forgivable: Rosa <em>Brooks</em>. In today’s LOS ANGELES TIMES, should you wish to read it in full. The non-trivial points remain intact.</p>

<p>By Major Pitcairn, to Major Pitcairn…okay, it was the noble to Dem to the imperious Republican. I’ve been misattributing that for at least 25 years. Congrats, you’re the first of hundreds to catch it.</p>

<p>ITM, I still haven’t made it to the store to buy the stuff. It’s the kind of errand I detest. Mayhap and perchance tomorrow…I have the neatly written out list with all the suggestions.</p>