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Political Update
Wow. It's possible to actually learn things from Quizilla quizzes. I am shocked, I tell you, shocked.
For example, I never knew that there was a Communist anthem sung to the same tune as the Maryland state song.
And, to continue despot's heel and bloody revolution theme: I'm suddenly really tempted to go Kerry for the Democratic primaries, only because he's buying banner ads at sites I visit :P And they say Dean knows how to work the 'net-- anybody who's not ashamed to have their name associated with ff.net has *my* support. Even if they are really stupid bush-bashing ads, as opposed to anything that might make me like Kerry over any other Democrat. Anyone can bash Bush; it's too easy. The thing that amused me most about the miserable failure googlebomb was that all the other search results *also* spoke about Bush's policies.
No, honestly, I still like Dean. Only because he agrees with me on *all* the issues, (except a few where I'm more conservative, like gun control and civil unions), and he's running basically the same campaign that I would, only better. Except his website isn't Opera-accessible (as opposed to Kerry, who has ads on Opera). And it's not as much fun now that most people think he can win. And when I read the things the deanies post on ljs and blogs about 'integrity' and 'down-to-earth' and 'time for a change' I want to spew. Do they not recall that that's what got our *current* president elected? Dean is different because he thinks he can win as a liberal and a populist, which has been missing in a mainstream candidate since, oh, Carter. And that is *all*.
For example, I never knew that there was a Communist anthem sung to the same tune as the Maryland state song.
The people's flag is deepest redAs compared, of course, to:
It shrouded oft our martyred dead;
And ere their limbs grew stiff and cold
Their hearts' blood dyed to every fold.
Then raise the scarlet standard high!
Beneath its folds we'll live and die.
Though cowards flinch and traitors sneer
We'll keep the red flag flying here.
The despot's heel is on thy shore, Maryland, my Maryland.I can't decide which version I like better, truly.
His torch is at thy temple door, Maryland, my Maryland.
Avenge the patriotic gore, that flecked the streets of Baltimore,
And be the battle queen of yore, Maryland my Maryland.
I hear the distant thunder-hum, Maryland my Maryland.
The Old Line bugle, fife, and drum, Maryland my Maryland.
She is not dead, nor deaf, nor dumb--Huzza! She spurns the Northern scum!
She breathes - she burns - she'll come - she'll come! Maryland! My Maryland!
And, to continue despot's heel and bloody revolution theme: I'm suddenly really tempted to go Kerry for the Democratic primaries, only because he's buying banner ads at sites I visit :P And they say Dean knows how to work the 'net-- anybody who's not ashamed to have their name associated with ff.net has *my* support. Even if they are really stupid bush-bashing ads, as opposed to anything that might make me like Kerry over any other Democrat. Anyone can bash Bush; it's too easy. The thing that amused me most about the miserable failure googlebomb was that all the other search results *also* spoke about Bush's policies.
No, honestly, I still like Dean. Only because he agrees with me on *all* the issues, (except a few where I'm more conservative, like gun control and civil unions), and he's running basically the same campaign that I would, only better. Except his website isn't Opera-accessible (as opposed to Kerry, who has ads on Opera). And it's not as much fun now that most people think he can win. And when I read the things the deanies post on ljs and blogs about 'integrity' and 'down-to-earth' and 'time for a change' I want to spew. Do they not recall that that's what got our *current* president elected? Dean is different because he thinks he can win as a liberal and a populist, which has been missing in a mainstream candidate since, oh, Carter. And that is *all*.
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I pretty much feel similar re: Dean, esp. about the fun-loss factor. (Though I tend to lie left of Dean, like on Israel and the utility of judiciously applied deficit spending.) And very much so about cringing when faced with the corniness of the the cultic members of Dean's following. There is a messianic flavor combined with the inability to describe politicians in language other than that used by the most trite mainstream media descriptions. "Time for a change"? What the hell is anyone doing saying that?
If they say "a change" in relation to Bush they happen to complete morons. Yes, I suppose it's true that it's fucking time for a change, but that's because Bush is screwing the country/world over, not because we've reached some magical "time for a change", it's been such a "time for a change" for nearly 3 years, and it doesn't really say much about Dean.
If they mean "a change" from "politics as usual" they probably should be taken out and shot. There are certian meanings of this, populist understandings for example, that might escape a cleansing of the retarded people in America, but such writers suck at word choice. I suppose they could mean "a change" in the alignment/power structure of democratic party if they're just really cliche-infested freaks. That doesn't imply they don't suck.
But you know, integrity can be nice in an elected official (one reason of the top of my head: it's a very nice feeling when you can actually have a mainly virtous hero in politics (say Paul Wellstone or one of our over-idealized pre-20th century presidents)). Not that I expect anyone with great gobs of it to become president anytime soon (perhaps one with more than Bush, but gee, that's hard).
Though I think Dean's "You Have The Power!" might out-cheese them all. At least he didn't literally say "The Power is Yours!" (I hope).
No, no small mercies at all.
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Where exactly is 'left' on the Israel issue? My position is 'get out of there and let them go to Gehenna on their own responsibility,' which is actually pretty close to my standard foreign policy position on everything; I'm a DR-style isolationist. From what I can gather, Dean is taking no actual stand on Israel, except saying 'wouldn't it be nice if they could all just get along?' Not that I could tell for sure, since I can't *read* his bloody *website*.
Um, sorry, coupla pet peeves there.
Integrity in a politician would be great. I happen to think both my senators, for example, are reasonably honorable people. But, I guess I don't think it should be part of a campaign, or why you vote for someone, since it's not exactly something that can be easily judged from the outside. It's really easy to lie about being honest; you have to earn my trust.
*And* it's not necessarily the most important trait in a politician, either. People should expect everyone in power to be dishonest as f*ck, that helps keep 'em honest, then integrity can come as a pleasant surprise if it happens. Trust your leaders to tell you the truth, and you let them get away with saying things like Iraq is buying nukes from Africa, or I will keep America out of the war. It's dangerous.
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Yup. Uh....
--C