tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post6296859136948579354..comments2024-03-27T03:19:11.216-04:00Comments on Assistant Village Idiot: Are They Really That Bad?Assistant Village Idiothttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01978011985085795099noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-46085623479461783222008-01-14T18:39:00.000-05:002008-01-14T18:39:00.000-05:00First, let me compliment you on an excellent blog;...First, let me compliment you on an excellent blog; I was sent here by a long-time and very dear friend. I stop by frequently, but this is my first comment. I hope it isn’t nut root.<BR/><BR/>In response to <EM>”He went on to add that if the Clintons were banana-republic corrupt, they would be far better at covering their tracks,”</EM> I would only observe that it seems to me that the Clinton’s have done an excellent job at covering their tracks. I will be the first to admit that the GOP made a significant error when they impeached Mr. Clinton for high crimes and misdemeanors; clearly the only real crime—and this was later rectified, was the GOP’s erroneous definition of the word “is.” I have no first hand knowledge of any shenanigans attributed to the Clintons, but even if half are true — both should have been prosecuted long before now. They weren’t, so obviously those tracks are well covered.<BR/><BR/>The observation<EM>” . . . is it not more likely that while individuals can be terribly wrong, and groups can lean one way and miss a bit, that the multiple groups who spend their waking hours thinking about these issues are generally right?”</EM> is an interesting take, but there is yet another explanation and not so far from being very plausible. First, identify individuals, groups, and multiple groups and answer, what were they doing in the 1960s? What schools did they attend? Whether these individuals are publishers, managing editors, affiliated with the ACLU, leading educationalists, college professors, or liberal politicians — there is one common denominator. Every one of them were influenced by American hating college professors, supported extremist groups (e.g., Black Panthers), and bled profusely for liberal immigration policies. Two served in the military, but not without some controversy, one of those repudiated his service, and none believed then or now that America has any redeeming values. So I think there is an explanation about how entire groups can get it wrong, and I can say that in another 50 years, these same kinds of people will be working just as hard to discredit the land of their forefathers. <BR/><BR/>Your statement that <EM>” . . . and the Clinton presidency in specific was not only corrupt, but far more corrupt than Republican equivalents.” </EM> suggests some level of comfort with relative corruption. I should say that I generally do not like politicians, consider them a necessary evil only because I cannot think of anything better to replace them (other than that vanishing breed we used to call statesmen), and I don’t trust them when they are out of sight. Having said that, we are well past the point in history where our choices are limited to dumb, or dumber . . . bad, or worse . . . indicted and pending trial. Of course, the reason we do not have a better field of politicians is that no bright person is willing to lower him or herself to that standard. I have hope for the future, but I must confess that it dims with each passing election cycle.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for an excellent blog and for the opportunity to comment here.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19305198.post-29391965171977152992008-01-14T18:35:00.000-05:002008-01-14T18:35:00.000-05:00Reminds me of a couple of things:1)Antoine de St-E...Reminds me of a couple of things:<BR/><BR/>1)Antoine de St-Expupery, reflecting on people he met in Spain during the civil war:<BR/><BR/>"One man finds that his essential manhood comes alive at the sight of self-sacrifice, cooperative effort, a rigorous vision of justice, manifested in an anarchists' cellar in Barcelona. For that man there will henceforth be but one truth--the truth of the anarchists. Another, having once mounted guard over a flock of terrified little nuns kneeling in a Spanish nunnary, willthereafter know a different truth--that it is sweet to die for the Church."<BR/><BR/>2)Ayn Rand's character Kira, a fervent anti-communist, speaking to her friend the dedicated communist (and secret police member) Andrei:<BR/><BR/>"..you see, if we had souls, which we haven't, and if our souls met - yours and mine - they'd fight to death. But after they had torn each other to pieces, to the very bottom, they'd see that they had the same root."David Fosterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15464681514800720063noreply@blogger.com