Monday, May 23, 2005
The US Senate: Madison is in tears
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!" - Darth Vader, after learning he had killed Padme.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!" - Jack Bauer, after Habib Marawan fell to his death.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!" - Paul Zummo, after learning about the Senate compromise.
At first I was concerned about the news of the compromise. Then enraged. Then worried. Then sleepy. Then enraged again. And now I am merely annoyed, but I am not sure my annoyance is with the weak Republican leadership, the demogoguery of the American left, the conniving little brat that is John McCain, the moderates in this country who hold themselves to be the bearers of the light and truth in this Nation, or the state of the US Senate.
The obvious problem with this deal is the vague terminology of "extreme circumstances." Either this was a clever ploy by the Democrats to lull the Republican leadership with a false compromise that in the end means nothing, or this was a rhetorical bone that the party threw to its base while acknowledging ultimate defeat. In reality, probably the latter. If the Democrats attempt to filibuster a nominee to the Supreme Court who has already has been confirmed by the Senate to a lower Court, can they really claim that such an individual is an "extreme" circumstance? Of course the way Democrats bandy about that word John Mardshall would be considered an extremist, so we can't really be certain what will happen.
Even if the Democrats are the ultimate losers, or are just ultimately losers, Bill Frist deserves every bit of scorn that will be unleashed at him from the right. Put simply, Bill Frist proved himself to be an unworthy leader, and if he were a Parliamentary leader, probably would be forced to resign his leadership. That such a deal could be worked out under his nose by several renegades from his own party does not speak well of his leadership qualities. Any chance he thought he even had for the presidential nomination has come and gone.
As for John McCain, well, let's just say I will admit to few mistakes in life, but voting for this two-faced, spineless, media (rhymes with bore) in the 2000 New York State primary was the biggest mistake of my life. Echoing Krempasky, he is dead to me.
It is galling to me that 12 Senators -talk about minority power - can so dominate one House of Congress. In some respect this reminds me of the Great Compromises of 1850, which in fact were not so great in the long run. But a select few Senators managed to work out a series of compromises that temorarily saved the Union. We all know how that turned out. It is funny, but in reading the comments on this matter, both left and right are enraged. As well they should be. Both sides feel betrayed by the moderates in their parties, and in a sense they were. Moderates have appropriated this mythical image in the United States, as though they uniquely care about the greater good. But moderation has accomplished nothing. A run through of all the great moderates in history quickly reveals this:
There, done.
But most maddening of all is the fact that the Senate has become a joke. It is an institutional farce filled with grandstanding, obnoxious, egotistical would-be Emperors whose sense of self-importance precludes them from doing anything to improve this republic of ours. The filibuster is not a mechanism to guarantee institutional independence; rather it is a device to demonstrate the Senate's pomposity.
Publius foresaw the Senate as being a semi-aristocratic institution that would temper democratic passions. But the passage of time, as well as the unfortunate passage of the 17th amendment have destroyed whatever luster there once was to this body. There's a reason Jack Kennedy is the only person in the past hundred years or so to be elected to the Presidency from the US Senate. Would you want any of these individuals to lead our country right now? Didn't think so.
Watching the self-congratulatory press conference earlier tonight made me physically ill. Star Wars may be science fiction, and George Lucas an embarassing political satirist, but he certainly was dead on in his depiction of the Senate.
Worthless.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!" - Jack Bauer, after Habib Marawan fell to his death.
"Nooooooooooooooooooo!!!" - Paul Zummo, after learning about the Senate compromise.
At first I was concerned about the news of the compromise. Then enraged. Then worried. Then sleepy. Then enraged again. And now I am merely annoyed, but I am not sure my annoyance is with the weak Republican leadership, the demogoguery of the American left, the conniving little brat that is John McCain, the moderates in this country who hold themselves to be the bearers of the light and truth in this Nation, or the state of the US Senate.
The obvious problem with this deal is the vague terminology of "extreme circumstances." Either this was a clever ploy by the Democrats to lull the Republican leadership with a false compromise that in the end means nothing, or this was a rhetorical bone that the party threw to its base while acknowledging ultimate defeat. In reality, probably the latter. If the Democrats attempt to filibuster a nominee to the Supreme Court who has already has been confirmed by the Senate to a lower Court, can they really claim that such an individual is an "extreme" circumstance? Of course the way Democrats bandy about that word John Mardshall would be considered an extremist, so we can't really be certain what will happen.
Even if the Democrats are the ultimate losers, or are just ultimately losers, Bill Frist deserves every bit of scorn that will be unleashed at him from the right. Put simply, Bill Frist proved himself to be an unworthy leader, and if he were a Parliamentary leader, probably would be forced to resign his leadership. That such a deal could be worked out under his nose by several renegades from his own party does not speak well of his leadership qualities. Any chance he thought he even had for the presidential nomination has come and gone.
As for John McCain, well, let's just say I will admit to few mistakes in life, but voting for this two-faced, spineless, media (rhymes with bore) in the 2000 New York State primary was the biggest mistake of my life. Echoing Krempasky, he is dead to me.
It is galling to me that 12 Senators -talk about minority power - can so dominate one House of Congress. In some respect this reminds me of the Great Compromises of 1850, which in fact were not so great in the long run. But a select few Senators managed to work out a series of compromises that temorarily saved the Union. We all know how that turned out. It is funny, but in reading the comments on this matter, both left and right are enraged. As well they should be. Both sides feel betrayed by the moderates in their parties, and in a sense they were. Moderates have appropriated this mythical image in the United States, as though they uniquely care about the greater good. But moderation has accomplished nothing. A run through of all the great moderates in history quickly reveals this:
There, done.
But most maddening of all is the fact that the Senate has become a joke. It is an institutional farce filled with grandstanding, obnoxious, egotistical would-be Emperors whose sense of self-importance precludes them from doing anything to improve this republic of ours. The filibuster is not a mechanism to guarantee institutional independence; rather it is a device to demonstrate the Senate's pomposity.
Publius foresaw the Senate as being a semi-aristocratic institution that would temper democratic passions. But the passage of time, as well as the unfortunate passage of the 17th amendment have destroyed whatever luster there once was to this body. There's a reason Jack Kennedy is the only person in the past hundred years or so to be elected to the Presidency from the US Senate. Would you want any of these individuals to lead our country right now? Didn't think so.
Watching the self-congratulatory press conference earlier tonight made me physically ill. Star Wars may be science fiction, and George Lucas an embarassing political satirist, but he certainly was dead on in his depiction of the Senate.
Worthless.
# posted by Paul Zummo : 10:11 PM
