Roland Burris IS the junior senator from Illinois, whether or not Harry Reid likes, or accepts, it. The theatrics surrounding Burris's constitutionally-accurate appointment and the Democratic Congress's attempts to keep from seating him have provided a heyday for the 24-hour news cycle, but simultaneously displayed the ugly underbelly of American politics no single savior (sorry, Obama) can overcome.
Rod Blagojevich is, no doubt, a scumball politician, among the worst of his kind; not just because of the pallor of his actions, but the brazenness of them. And yet, his appointment of Burris, as anyone with even a passing understanding of the rule of law in this country understands, was entirely constitutional, legal and, from all indications, above-board. The desire to punish and restrain Blagojevich should never have become Burris's burden. A healthy debate can be made regarding Burris's acceptance of Blagojevich's offer, considering circumstances, but absolutely none can come regarding the appointment once made.
And yet, the Democratic Congress (save for those who still have a few aggies in their possession - I mean you Dianne Feinstein!), under the 'leadership' of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, have made several concerted efforts to block Burris's appointment, including refusing him entry with all other Senators this week on the grounds that his appointment paperwork had not been signed by Illinois' Secretary of State (not a constitutional requirement). This means that on the very day Reid and others were sworn in for their latest terms, during which they promised to protect and preserve the U.S. Constitution, their first act was to go against their oath and ignore the Constitution.
In the days since, Reid, in particular, has behaved even more badly. First, he made a point to publicly say he did not "work for" President-Elect Obama. While accurate, given the separate/equal government branch system, it signaled nothing more than the start of a pissing match regarding just who had the power to chart Washington's course. Next, he apparently tried to broker a deal with Burris that would allow Burris his constitutionally-dictated appointment (as if it were Reid's to allow), as long as Burris agreed to vacate the seat in two years and not run for reelection. Burris wisely declined. Later, Reid followed that up with an idiotic, poorly delivered and even more poorly disguised bit of racist condescension by way of a press conference following a 'private' meeting with Burris, during which he said the following about the U.S. Senate's only African-American member(-to-be): "He presents himself very well. He's very proud of his family, got two Ph.D.s and two law degrees. And he talked about how proud he was of everyone having those degrees." Was Burris expected to exit the meeting room carrying Reid's briefcase and reply to this glowing assessment of his character and accomplishments with, "Why, thank you Massa Reid?"
Let me be clear: Rod Blagojevich is emblematic of a great deal that is wrong with American politics. Greed, corruption, money, power, position, self-interest, hubris and a complete disregard for law should have no place in government; rather, they have become its hallmarks. But, let me be equally clear: Harry Reid is equally emblematic of what is wrong with American politics. The focus of our elected officials should not be on elections, reelections, fundraising, power, leverage or who you like and who you don't. As such, I have a message for Senator Reid and those like him:
Save political theatre for Mark Russell. Get to work. Get your heads out of your collective asses and get over yourselves. You are only career politicians because the people you devalue and disregard allow you to be. The more ridiculous you become, the more we pay attention. And, believe me, after the past eight years, we're paying attention.
We hear lots of talk about "the first act of Congress" and what it should/will be. My suggestion? Read the Constitution. Read it and keep rereading it until you get it through your thick skulls. That should be act one. Act two? Dump Harry Reid and elect Senator Feinstein as Majority Leader. After all, Reid will have plenty of rereading to do.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Garden of Ignoble Ignorance
"When ignorance gets started, it knows no bounds." - Will Rogers
Fifteen days. The countdown began almost immediately after his reelection, of course, but has grown only more insistent in the years, months and days since. In fifteen days, George W. Bush will no longer be President of the United States, leader of the free world or, in any conceivable way, capable of impacting policy or progress from this point forward. Americans, many gleefully report, will finally be free of him. Free of him, perhaps, but free of ourselves?
Debates rage about just how awful the Bush presidency has been, as a nation consumed by list-making argues about just where to squeeze W. Between Harding and Pierce? Below Nixon and Buchanan? While there are certainly worse pastimes (The Real Housewives of just about anywhere, for example), most Americans (myself included) don't know enough about American presidential history to accurately assess such a ranking. (Sad, since immigrants seeking legalization are required to recite American history as part of an oral exam few "natural" citizens could pass.) What qualifies someone or something as "best" or "worst"? There are legitimate standards to be applied, but in the end, don't we all come to such blunt conclusions based on a subtle assessment of our "gut instincts"? We do when unchallenged to do otherwise - the real Bush legacy.
It takes human beings all of two seconds to make a "snap" judgment about a new person or situation (time enough for W. to wink and come off as the born-again Christian with whom most Americans wanted to have a beer); thankfully, human beings possess the capacity to use that "snap" as information with which to move forward, continuing to assess and reassess as more information becomes available. Bush survived into a second term precisely because in his instance, and, at his insistence, additional information was neither forthcoming, nor valued.
Americans did not give Bush a second look - they were either horrified by his mismanglement of the English language and wrote him off, or they were enchanted by his folksy, no-nonsense style and followed him blindly toward the promised land. Only well into his second, disastrous term, when the mendacity in the run up to the Iraq war became impossible to ignore and the economy entered a free-fall affecting Wall & Main street (let's forever retire this phrase, heretofore), did the American people take a second, harder look and wholeheartedly reject everything they saw. His disapproval ratings have made history, further bolstering the raging debate as to whether he is our nation's worst president. He will leave office two weeks hence with the lowest American support of any U.S. president since such polling began. But before we rejoice, happy at his constitutionally-dictated end, we should pause and consider this: How did he, and we, get here?
Bush ushered in an era of ignorance, prideful in its rejection of critical thinking and questioning status quo and hateful in its degradation of experience and higher education, turning these things into "elitism," something somehow more distasteful than violating the international rules of law. For this, he should be roundly criticized, harshly judged and never missed. But, the fault does not lie solely at his cowboy boots. We Americans bought it - hook, line and stinker!
The so-called "elites" ignored Bush, certain he'd become a one-term, Supreme Court-appointed do-nothing, mocking his syntax and simian stylings and thusly playing their elitist parts to perfection. The so-called "real Americans" adored Bush, certain he provided the strong leadership our uncertain times (9/11, global terror, the impending End of Days, natch) required. Whatever side our snap judgments took us to, none of us (or at least most certainly not enough of us) sought more information or gave value to the information available to us. We allowed those snap judgments to thrive and bloom in a garden of ignoble ignorance, planted by Bush and continually watered by us. While American men and women died in combat, lost their jobs and homes, gave away constitutional rights to an overreaching government and allowed their representatives to sanction state torture, we did nothing but count the days until we'd be free of him.
Well, we're almost free of him. Aren't we lucky?
Fifteen days. The countdown began almost immediately after his reelection, of course, but has grown only more insistent in the years, months and days since. In fifteen days, George W. Bush will no longer be President of the United States, leader of the free world or, in any conceivable way, capable of impacting policy or progress from this point forward. Americans, many gleefully report, will finally be free of him. Free of him, perhaps, but free of ourselves?
Debates rage about just how awful the Bush presidency has been, as a nation consumed by list-making argues about just where to squeeze W. Between Harding and Pierce? Below Nixon and Buchanan? While there are certainly worse pastimes (The Real Housewives of just about anywhere, for example), most Americans (myself included) don't know enough about American presidential history to accurately assess such a ranking. (Sad, since immigrants seeking legalization are required to recite American history as part of an oral exam few "natural" citizens could pass.) What qualifies someone or something as "best" or "worst"? There are legitimate standards to be applied, but in the end, don't we all come to such blunt conclusions based on a subtle assessment of our "gut instincts"? We do when unchallenged to do otherwise - the real Bush legacy.
It takes human beings all of two seconds to make a "snap" judgment about a new person or situation (time enough for W. to wink and come off as the born-again Christian with whom most Americans wanted to have a beer); thankfully, human beings possess the capacity to use that "snap" as information with which to move forward, continuing to assess and reassess as more information becomes available. Bush survived into a second term precisely because in his instance, and, at his insistence, additional information was neither forthcoming, nor valued.
Americans did not give Bush a second look - they were either horrified by his mismanglement of the English language and wrote him off, or they were enchanted by his folksy, no-nonsense style and followed him blindly toward the promised land. Only well into his second, disastrous term, when the mendacity in the run up to the Iraq war became impossible to ignore and the economy entered a free-fall affecting Wall & Main street (let's forever retire this phrase, heretofore), did the American people take a second, harder look and wholeheartedly reject everything they saw. His disapproval ratings have made history, further bolstering the raging debate as to whether he is our nation's worst president. He will leave office two weeks hence with the lowest American support of any U.S. president since such polling began. But before we rejoice, happy at his constitutionally-dictated end, we should pause and consider this: How did he, and we, get here?
Bush ushered in an era of ignorance, prideful in its rejection of critical thinking and questioning status quo and hateful in its degradation of experience and higher education, turning these things into "elitism," something somehow more distasteful than violating the international rules of law. For this, he should be roundly criticized, harshly judged and never missed. But, the fault does not lie solely at his cowboy boots. We Americans bought it - hook, line and stinker!
The so-called "elites" ignored Bush, certain he'd become a one-term, Supreme Court-appointed do-nothing, mocking his syntax and simian stylings and thusly playing their elitist parts to perfection. The so-called "real Americans" adored Bush, certain he provided the strong leadership our uncertain times (9/11, global terror, the impending End of Days, natch) required. Whatever side our snap judgments took us to, none of us (or at least most certainly not enough of us) sought more information or gave value to the information available to us. We allowed those snap judgments to thrive and bloom in a garden of ignoble ignorance, planted by Bush and continually watered by us. While American men and women died in combat, lost their jobs and homes, gave away constitutional rights to an overreaching government and allowed their representatives to sanction state torture, we did nothing but count the days until we'd be free of him.
Well, we're almost free of him. Aren't we lucky?
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