Cobb: One Two Punch

September 27, 2003

One Two Punch

Interestingly enough, I'm not much of a partisan. There was never a time in my life when I got much of a charge from 'being' a Republican or a Democrat. Instead, I like what I hear periodically and I say 'good'. Other times, I find something revolting and I say so.

Right about now, I think I'm suspect to a gathering sense of revulsion and nausea. This reminds me of two other occasions, vaguely. The first was when I learned that there were American subcontractors on the '10,000 foot runway' on Grenada that Reagan used to justify his silly little escapade. Of course it wasn't silly at the time, but it was little. The second time was Oliver North and that busta Poindexter. Today I have decided for a variety of reasons, not the least of which has to do with my impending exile to Texas and the sudden seriousness and giddy feelings I get when reading Neal Stephenson, that I have reached a yet another crisis of confidence in the Executive Branch.

It doesn't break my heart or my spirit. I'm simply disappointed in giving them the benefit of the doubt, which is what I generally accord my government. The irony of this is, that being a registered Republican, this kind of nonsense is precisely what I cynically guard against. So to restate things a bit, if there is a singular difference between the kind of Republican I am and the kind that seem to be responsible for this madness, it's that I actually believe in good government and responsible government policy. Whereas the people who are running government are playing devil's advocate against themselves and destroying government because they believe themselves to be ineffably corruptible as politicians. That is to say, I think they must be convinced that the only proper thing for successful intelligent people to do is become captains of industry, and that their inferiors go into government. So their selling out the government is inevitable - besides, they are outclassed. The best thing they can do dismantle it from the inside and sell off the pieces to their betters.

If it is fundamentally evil, in the church of the mad Republicans, to spend public money, then they will flog themselves every night for their continuing sins, endeavoring at every turn to supplicate those whose money they are spending. Yet they apparently have no such regard for the public trust.

I am exercised about this primarily because I have bothered to listen to Paul Krugman. Quite frankly I don't think he's lost his mind or wandered in over his head. While he speaks in terms of his own outrage, I'd imagine that he has enough evidence to justify that characterization. If the Bushies would lie about the economy, what else would they lie about? He's probably not the person to ask such a question, then again, who's answering that doesn't have a partisan axe to grind?

I am secondarily pushed towards the edge because of the Plame affair which immediately got under my skin back in July. Charles Schumer, whose instincts once again prove to be pretty damned good, is pushing this matter like a good partisan should. He's got my ascent to it.

In assuming the Republican position, I think it goes without saying that I consider myself one of the sharper tools in the shed - willing to pay the cost to be the boss. So my responsibility is to stay about the fray when the economy tanks. That doesn't mean, however, that I am willing to stand about mute when GWBush pisses away the budget surplus. Push may come to shove and many millions more may be living on cardboard when the other shoe of this deficit falls. I plan on being ready, but I could have been pursuing happiness, and GW is not forgiven for making me work like somebody from the second world. This is supposed to be America.

So there it is. Krugman & Plame.

Posted by mbowen at September 27, 2003 10:13 PM

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