Author Archive: Bill Black

The Worst

I often try to think back to Vietnam and ask myself whether today’s situation is really worse than Vietnam. It feels a lot worse, but that may just be because it is now and memories fade. Many of the atrocities, both real and mataphorical, that outrage us today, also occurred during Vietnam. Bad or deceptive intelligence, threats against consitutional rights and torture were part of the bill of particulars against Johnson and then Nixon. Of course, in Vietnam, there were 55,000 dead and we’re only up to 3,500 now. But still, why does this feel so much worse.

Well, one reason is that it was so predictable, which makes it even more tragic. You would think that the experience of Vietnam would have educated us at least enough to avoid the same mistakes again. Of course, Bush learned nothing from Vietnam, except maybe how to use connections to avoid any inconvenience visited upon himself.

But the real reason this is worse is because the misbehavior during Vietnam was wrong and those doing it knew it was wrong. They truly believed that the constitutional violations, the torture and the skewing of intelligence was necessary for some great good. But they also knew that, if it came out, they’d be screwed.

On the other hand, this crowd is actively trying to institutionalize the misbehavior. They are advancing consitutional theories that justify Presidential authority beyond all precedent. While they have tried to hide their activities, when caught, they seek to justify them under the unitary executive, which is another name for fascism.

That’s why it’s worse. Past “crimes” were always pretty much understood to be crimes. These crimes are portrayed as patriotic duty. In this way, they are trying to change the country into something different than what it was. As I read recently somewhere, Bush and Cheney gave an oath not to proect the American people or the physical boundaries of the United States. Their oath was to protect the Constitution. An oath they have violated repeatedly and continue to do so.

God Save the United States of America. That’s what it will take, I fear, for us to survive the next 18 months.

Bye, bye Bill

Bill Richardson is toast. I was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. He has an earthy appeal, a regular guy candor that makes him seem like a straight shooter. I know people who’ve worked for him and one of his closest advisors is a guy I know well and respect.

Then he appeared on Meet the Press. John Dickerson of Slate magazine takes him apart for his performance and he makes a good case. But, for me, it was the question at the end where Russert referenced the fact that he had claimed to be both a Red Sox fan and a Yankees fan. And he had the quotes to prove it. Here’s the end of a tortured explanation:

GOV. RICHARDSON: I, my favorite team has always been the Red Sox.
MR. RUSSERT: You’re a Red Sox fan.
GOV. RICHARDSON: I’m a Red Sox fan.
MR. RUSSERT: End of subject.
GOV. RICHARDSON: End of subject.
MR. RUSSERT: You better get rid of this book.
GOV. RICHARDSON: Oh, no! I’m also a Yankee fan. I also like…

Forget it! He’s dead to me.

Rep. Artur Davis

Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL) is my new hero. He participated in a debate on the Lehrer News Hour last night with Rep. Dan Lundgren (R-CA) focused on Monica Goodling’s testimony on the DOJ issues before the House Judiciary Committee. Davis was awesome, articulate, knowledeable and reasoned. Lundgren was his typical, toady self. Lundgren dismissed her admission that she used political criteria in hiring attorneys at Justice as some kind of minor infracation that should be forgiven because she admitted it. Can you imagine what Lundgren would be saying if the same set of facts applied to Janet Reno’s Justice Department?

But Davis nailed the issue and it’s worthing reviewing the entire session. But I found this to be the killer quote:

“Another quick point. If Monica Goodling acknowledged that she used political considerations with respect to the hiring of career AUSAs, then how can we not believe that political considerations were probably used to select the U.S. attorneys? It’s a state of mind. And if you’ve got that state of mind and your administration has that state of mind, I don’t think it just fades out.”

She said she might have applied politics to hiring at the Department more than 50 times. And we’re supposed to believe that politics played no part in the US Attorney firings??

Come on!

Einstein and Religion

Andrew Sullivan posts a great quote from Einstein on the relationship between science and religion that is very insightful and very comforting, in a way. It gives religion the respect I think it deserves when considered in the cosmic magnitude in which it is properly placed. In other words, it characterizes religion as something vastly larger than abject devotion to some old guy with a long, white beard. God is beyond comprehension, but also necessary to understand “what it all means.” Why is there anything? The God that is discussed in popular religion is dramatically inadequate to what we ascribe his/her role in existence.

This is my favorite sentence in the longer quote:

[I]t seems to me that science not only purifies the religious impulse of
the dross of its anthropomorphism but also contributes to a religious
spiritualization of our understanding of life.

Immigration

The immigration issue leaves me cold. I just can’t get emotional involved. I’m struck by the intense emotional exhibited by both sides, but particularly those most vehement against illegal immigration. I think I’ve just figured out why they are so intense. I think they view American citizenship as some kind of precious possession and the illegal immigrants are stealing it, which enrages them.

I differ with them in that I look at American citizenship as a lucky break, an accident of birth. So, when someone unlucky enough to be born poor in Mexico comes over the border, I don’t take it personally. And I don’t consider them evil.

I know there are practical reasons for seeking a way to control immigration. And I recognize the resentment felt by those whose jobs are threatened by illegal immigration (these, of course, are the people desperatey trying to protect the ability of Americans to pick fruit and vegetables, bus tables in restaurants and clean hotel rooms).

But I do think the anti-immigrant forces are in some ways un-American. But I also think George Bush is generally un-American, except, oddly, on this one issue.

Go figure.

The Godfather

I concluded my issues management course at the George Washington Graduate School of Political Management with class entitled “Issues Management and the Godfather.

Oh, I wish I had this video for the course. It is priceless.

Hillary

Hillary Clinton had a great come back on the Today Show today. Matt Lauer was trying to get her denounce Jimmy Carter for his entirely justified critique of George W. Bush. To paraphrase:

“Doesn’t President Carter’s comments cross a line in criticizing a successor?” Lauer said.

“Well, I’ve said some pretty critical things myself,” says Hillary.

“Yeah, but you’re not a former President,” Lauer said.

“Not yet,” say Hillary with a smile. Laughter could be heard among the crew.

Nice one.

When you’re hot, you’re hot

Amazing how, when things are going good, the media finds all kinds of ways to validate that premise. A year ago, the Democrats, according to the media, couldn’t get out of their own way. Even with the multiple disasters plaguing the Republicans, there was not way the Dems could win the House and the Senate was totally out of reach. Our own incompetence and infighting would preclude our ability to take advantage of the problems facing the Republicans. Of course, we were also told that Republican juggernaut would protect them from electoral disaster.

What a difference an election makes. Case in point is today’s front page story in the Washington Post on how the Democrats are way ahead of the Republicans on the Internet.

I guess we now benefit from the media’s pack mentality. I’ll take it.

Heroes

One of the amazing things about George W. Bush is how he has revealed as heroes people for whom I’ve had nothing but contempt over the years. That’s the real dividing line in this Administration. People who subordinate their will to King George and prosper (or get the Medal of Freedom) and people who have an independent will and are destroyed (the list is too long to show here, but some examples, Paul O’Neil, Colin Powell, John Dellulio, etc., etc.) Who’d have thought that Ashcroft could be a hero, but you’ve got to admire the guy for his sickbed repudiation of Gonzalez and Card.

Well, here’s another. Ron Paul. It’s a testament to the decline of the Republican Party that Guiliani apparently got the boost from his exchange with Paul at the debate. But, the fact is, Paul was right. And click the video below to see him elaborate.

Les Miserables

I saw Les Miserables. I may be one of the last people to see the play. Don’t have time for a full review. It’s a spectacular work of art. Every word is sung and since I barely got there in time to take my seat, I didn’t get a chance to read the plot digest, which would have helped. It’s a little complex and confusing at the beginning.

The most powerful moment in the entire performance is when Jean sings “Bring Him Home” to a sleeping soldier. What a killer! I first heard this song at the Memorial Day Concert on the Capitol lawn by the guy to created the role on Broadway. It is a gut wrenching prayer asking God to ensure the safe return of the soldier. You couldn’t help but think of soldiers currently in Iraq. While the actor was singing, you could hear sniffling all throughout the theater and many people daubing their eyes.

A great play.