Sunday, January 23, 2011

That's not the answer, that's the problem.

Jim Acosta at CNN whines that we aren't offering the kind of political climate or "the kind of government that's worthy of our 9-year-olds," leading me to wonder if he remembers anything at all about the fourth grade, because from where I sit, we've got a government and a political climate that's easily worthy of the elementary school playground that I... Jimmy Acosta! You get little Sarah Palin's pigtails out of that inkwell right now and apologize!

You want to know something I remember from the fourth grade, Jim? The playground bullies always whimpered when someone got fed the hell up and punched them back.

I'd like to see us aim a little higher: How about a government worthy of our adults? I'll decide whether I need to eat my vegetables or wear a sweater today all by myself, thank you very much.

13 comments:

2yellowdogs said...

Damn, but this is getting tiresome. The primary reason no one really gives a rat's hindquarter about "civility" is that they know good and well that political rhetoric - of any stripe - had nothing whatsoever to do with Jared Lee Loughner's shooting spree. No, it was caused be the bats fluttering around in that particular belfry.

The other reason (and also something 90% of those paying attention know) is that this is just an extremely convenient and timely cudgel the left tried to use against the right to blunt their progress after the epic November beat-down. It hasn't worked. Outside the reliable halls of NPR, MSNBC and CNN (among many, many others) this was painfully transparent.

Now we're left to deal with the usual suspects calling for outlawing "extended clips" as if they know what they're talking about. The Carolyn McCarthys and Peggy Noonans of the world take their opportunities whenever they come around. I can only hope that the new Congress has enough testicular fortitude to tell them to fuck off. I have my doubts.

McVee said...

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

Ronald Reagan

Oh, and 9 year olds can show you their birth certificate (Not just the proclamation of glorious being and wonderment...er I mean certificate of live birth)

I cant wait for the SoTU...
Oh.fracking.joy

Art said...

Nail Head ... meet Hammer.

The government worthy of our adults ... may not differ all that much from one for 4th graders. Please see popular culture.

I mean ... look around ... this IS the BEST we've been able to do.

Anonymous said...

Inkwell you say?

Dang, either ya'll were behinder than I thought up in NoGa, or you're a tad bit older than you're lettin' on...

'Course if my cipherin's correct that woulda been about 1978, and living and learning like it was fifty years earlier. So the corollary would be my 9 y.o. granddaughter seeing the world through 1960 glasses...

Yeah, I think she'd like that; and so the hell would I. A little hindsight might be handy going forward from there into the later sixties that I endured as a teen and that set the tone for where we are now.

Where's that damn time machine they promised us?

AT

Sean D Sorrentino said...

The only thing sweeter than hippy tears is the sound of a bully on the ground bleeding and begging for mercy.

We need to get in a few more kicks while he's down.

Unknown said...

Heinlein's "Crazy Years" have endured far beyond his own expected timeframe--and are continuing...

Zendo Deb said...

Calls for civility started about the time the Dems lost control of the House, and got beat down in the Senate.

Set the wayback machine for 2005 or so, when George W. appointed Dr Rice as Secretary of State. All the crap flowing out of the Left was insane. There weren't even calls to have people apologize, let alone be civil.

But what do I know? I am just a bitter person, clinging to my guns because I'm not smart enough to be a Democrat - or something.

Canthros said...

Hate speech is when a Republican calls a Democrat an socialist. Civility is when a Democrat calls a Republican a racist nutcase that should be hung and shot. Heads I win, tails you lose.

It's weird how that always seems to work.

Truth be told, I don't follow politics as closely as I used to (since, say 2008). It wears me out, trying to wade through the ever-increasing flow of turgid bullshit.

Anonymous said...

Man. If only I had stopped with "punching them back". I always tend to ratchet up...

jd

Anonymous said...

Carnac the Magnificent, "Name two times a Democrat calls for bipartisanship."

Answer, "In a campaign and in a minority."

MJM said...

Good commentary, good analogy. "A government worthy of our adults...." Great point.

Fuzzy Curmudgeon said...

I thought Carnac always gave the answer first.

Brad K. said...

Civility is a red herring. The point is that we need a competent government, one that does what is needed - common defense, protection from domestic and foreign tyrants and oppressors.

Lack of armed resistance to tyranny is not peace. Speaking civilly instead of fixing problems is not peace nor is it civil. Telling the beating victim to 'just shut up' isn't justice.