My mom, who lives in Mumbai, India, has trouble understanding American politics. Recently she asked me to give her a brief summary of what's going on.
I explained, "There are two parties in American politics. There is a stupid party and there is an evil party."
In an attempt to put my own cards on the table, I confessed, "I am a proud member of the stupid party."
Then I added, "Sometimes, American politicians do things that are both stupid and evil. Those things we call bipartisanship."
I was kidding, of course, but the humor arises out of the element of truth in this description. Consider the charge of stupidity. Would the Republican Party be in the confused state it is now if Bush had appointed a vice president who was electable and actually sought the nomination?
I'm not saying Bush shouldn't have appointed Cheney the first time around. Cheney inspires irrational and paranoid loathing on the left--he's Darth Vader for the Michael Moore set--and this alone was good reason to keep him reasonably close to the Oval Office, not to mention the nuclear arsenal.
But when Bush ran for re-election, he should have sent Cheney packing. Then the GOP would have an heir apparent who would have an inside track to the nomination and who could claim up-close experience in the responsibilities of governance. If Bush had done this, he would have shown both foresight and concern about the future of the GOP.
Now let's turn to the evil party. What other term is appropriate to describe a party where Ted Kennedy's endorsement is actually counted as a positive? This is the moral equivalent of Republican candidates rushing to make campaign commercials with Larry Craig. Notice how the moral scoundrels in the GOP are typically hounded out while the moral scoundrels in the Democratic party generally continue to enjoy their prestige and good standing.
Any party with a sense of decency would ignore and marginalize Ted Kennedy. Besides, what constituency does this man represent? Is it really that important to lock in the votes of dissolute, philandering seniors who still go down to Florida for Spring break?
So here's the situation. Kennedy offers his blessings to Obama and offers to say some black masses for him. Meanwhile, Hillary's camp claims that Obama turned away while Hillary was shaking Kennedy's hand because she is a woman.
Given the irrelevance of gender to this situation, the Hillary team's reaction is downright comic. Yet the shrews at the National Organization for Women are echoing the cries of sexism from the Hillary camp. All that remains is for Obama to counter with the race card and accuse Hillary of making such charges because he is black.
As the election gets closer, I'll try to give my mom a more detailed account of the issues at stake. But I think I've given her enough to keep her informed, and entertained, at least through the primaries.
Reader Comments ( Page 36 of 37)
526. Shuting off the loud speaker when a student tries to say a prayer before a football game. How about giving the Gay club a school room to meet in, but not one for a Christian group?
_______________________
Because sexual orientation is not religiously motivated. Please think here. Would you like to give Muslims a room and Buddhists and JW and LDS and Scientologists and Hindus and Pan Indians and the Jewish? How about the Satanists? Man, we'd be all out of rooms and probably have to add on!
Can you stop seeing everything from the perspective of your cult and realize there are thousands of others?
Maybe we can spend the entire football game praying in accordance with every religious orientation in attendance, too.
And then we can then fill up the courthouse foyer with the exerpts from scriptures from every religion represented in this country until it resembles the museum of world religions.
Don't be ridiculous!
emma at 7:02PM on Feb 1st 2008
527. @ emma...
... it would look 'cool' though! LOL
not-pboyfloyd at 7:07PM on Feb 1st 2008
528. bump :)
dani at 7:14PM on Feb 1st 2008
529. stupid evil bumps
not-pboyfloyd at 7:14PM on Feb 1st 2008
530. @ dani..."SNAP!"
not-pboyfloyd at 7:15PM on Feb 1st 2008
531. Naahh...lovely lady lumps.
a born atheist at 7:23PM on Feb 1st 2008
532. not-pboyfloyd
I beeeeeeeat you!
Haha! J/K
Sorry, I waited for five minutes hoping someone would bump. I always hesitate because I'm afraid that will happen. Then my curiousity gets the best of me.
dani at 7:25PM on Feb 1st 2008
533. Yea... I was thinkin' the same thing.
Plus.. beaten by a nose hair!(one of those downy ones too... not the 'old man' insidees)
not-pboyfloyd at 7:27PM on Feb 1st 2008
534. OMG Dani - Thanks for the pic -- can I make that my wall paper. DJ is my new god and why not? What other god do I need? I can pray to him and he won't answer, if I stalk him at least I'll get a restraining order. That would be something at least. My god is great! Great goo-gily moo-gily that is.
TJ at 9:19PM on Feb 1st 2008
535. TJ
I thought you and emma might appreciate the picture as much as I did.
Your god comment gave me a thought. Why don't we start our own religion?
We can worship the Almighty Rock!
We can even make up our own rules like those old guys did for Christianity.
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord Dwayne in vain."
"Thou shalt covet his perfectly sculpted ass."
It's a start.
I'm also working on a prayer...
Our Rock, who art in Florida,
enormous be thy guns.
dani at 12:22AM on Feb 2nd 2008
536. After reading many of these post, I'm not sure which topic I should comment on. So I'll just pick one for now.
Abortion: Most of you argue the classic debate of, when does life begin. For me, if it's not a life, or baby, then your not pregnant. It really does not matter when you stop it, if brought to term it would be a new born child. It is used to much for birth control. Sex is not a game, it has responsibilities. If your not ready to handel that, then you should be more carefull or just wait. In this day and age you can't tell me that people can't find some other means of birth contol. I know accidents happen, but be ready to take responsibility for your actions. If you can't, don't play the game.
Just as a side note, I heard the number of all abortions to date, equals the number of illegals we have in this country. They are much more of a strain on our economy then those new citizens would have been.
Neal at 11:13AM on Feb 2nd 2008
537. After over 20 years of a Republican controlled Congress and over 7 years of excruciating George W Bush, I think most Americans are of the opinion that it is the Republican Party that is both Stupid and EVIL!
john at 1:00PM on Feb 2nd 2008
538. The killing of hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians is merely stupid...or more innocently, "mistakes were made". The killing of thousands of American servicemen is an innocent, stupid mistake, as well. The wounding and disfigurement of tens of thousands of brave, young American servicemen is just a small price to pay for stupidity, right Dinesh? I hope your family is the victime of a terrorist attack and they get burned beyond recognition and have to be fed by nurses and have their bottoms wiped for them. And may you just shrug this off as 'stupidity'. You evil, horrible man.
bgy1 at 7:12PM on Feb 2nd 2008
539. http://www.vietnamveteransagainstjohnmccain.com/
Paulie at 8:56PM on Feb 2nd 2008
540. You hve no right to even talk about what is stupid or evil,seeing as you never even fought or defended Our Great Country. Maybe you should go back to where your mother is ,and talk to them like you do to Americans,or are you afraid to do that?
Charles Ramsey at 10:02PM on Feb 2nd 2008