Oh yes. That’s how Colbert built a yuge success for years on his Report.
“With a sharp mind…”
What?
Who, Ted Crazy?
I’ve watched Teddy The Texas Twerp probably more than any viewer of CSPAN. If his is what you consider to be a sharp mind, I must conclude that your yardstick for such a comparison must be the other pea-brains on the Grumpy Old Party side of the Senate. Yes, I admit that among Pea-brains, a Twit can seem a King.
But to attribute to him any sort of “gift” in the area of mental acumen is a vast overstatement.
Teddy Twerp’‘s “contribution” to the “Mentality” of 21st Century Politics is nothing more than its continued degradation.
America’s Politics has devolved to the point wherein those of limited mentality are sought out, groomed for, and exulted into High Orifice by an American electorate that has been taught for better than a generation that “Intelligent bad, Stupid good.”
Bill Moyers knew, and knows, some of the best and brightest people ever to be given the opportunity to govern a Nation. Many of them worked for JFK and LBJ.
To extol the numbers and names of the truly bright and gifted people who have served in the House and Senate as well as the White House itself in those days would require page upon page. And I would not insult any of them’ or their memories, by daring to leave them out were I to attempt such a listing here.
Now, in this 21st Century, people of proven intellect are driven away from both politics and public service. Mostly for the lack of will to play the political games that are required to survive long enough to do the jobs they are asked or elected to do.
What the American People are left with is a fine, slimy residue of the passably glib morons, who are sufficiently polished enough only to hide the profundity of their innermost stupidity. That is what winds up in “Public Service” today.
That is how America has come to the choice of “First among Morons” for National “Leadership” of major political party, and perhaps (G-d forbid) an entire Nation.
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Are you sure “Cruz supporters” even read Bill Moyers or are you alluding more to bliss derived from ignorance?
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It’s most excellent snark, but it’s also true. Many Republicans would consider it an admirable career. Usually the ones that want in on the grift.
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[That is how America has come to the choice of “First among Morons” for National “Leadership” of major political party, and perhaps (G-d forbid) an entire Nation.]
Great Post.
Should be read and re-read. When I read it, the names Chuck Todd and Major Garrett loom large.
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Could go either way.
Your Avatar fascinates me. As an old “Superman” (comics) hand, I remember a mischievous creature from another dimension who would cause Supe a lot of headaches. Until he could get him to pronounce his name backwards and leave for 90 days.
And there is no bigger electoral atrocity than Rafael “Ted” Cruz.
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One goon, one thug. Newt v. 2.0, shameless opportunist.
It’s not really that relevant to the larger issues being discussed, but I feel like I have to address the distortions in this article regarding the John Scott affair and the NHL.
In short, Wyshynski and his “chaotic group of miscreants” did not promote Scott because they wanted to honor their every-man hero. They did it out of malice toward both the NHL and Scott. Due to the allowance of fan voting for the team captains, they saw an opportunity to prove that they could be assholes, and additionally demonstrate the flaw inherent in the NHL allowing fan voting (who might decide to be assholes, by their reasoning). Seeing their opportunity to make the bold political statement that the NHL was erring by allowing them to vote, they set out to pick the slowest and most devoid of skill player they could think of and came upon Scott as their choice.
So, they acted not as benevolent fans trying to bring some glory to their blue collar hero, but instead acted out of childish malice to prove they could be jerks, and to insult the NHL and Scott by doing so. “Boy, the NHL sure is stupid for allowing us fans to vote, amiright?” That is where this article is distorting the complicated situation. Any framing of the guys who started this as acting positively, especially Wyshynski (who, btw, first starts and promotes this effort to add the worst player he can think of to the all-star team, but then goes on to author articles bashing the NHL for more deserving omissions and snubs from that same team (class act, right?)), is a total misunderstanding and distortion of what actually happened.
Okay, so having done that evil, things get both more complicated and surprisingly (and thankfully) much more positive. Again in short, the NHL acts rudely toward Scott trying to get him not to attend, Scott acts with a ton of class and humility, and fans react with a lot of well deserved love toward Scott. Rapidly the whole thing turns around from fans mocking Scott and the NHL, to the fans just wanting to see Scott be rewarded for being such a good guy. It becomes a Disney miracle and everything turns out great.
Scott is awesome and deserves through his professional efforts and dedication all the love fans and the NHL can give him. There is no questioning that part. The frame that this was anything other than a very pleasant and positive and surprising victory that was snatched from the jaws of defeat and intended humiliation, for both Scott and the NHL, as planned by low-lifes like Wyshynski is a distortion. Wyshynski and his “miscreants” are not heroes, and did not act benevolently in this affair, and deserve nothing but contempt from anyone who actual thinks Scott is deserving praise. Their intent was to mock this guy who was revealed to be more deserving of love, and that should not be forgotten regardless of how well this whole thing ultimately turned out.
Tee hee. You nailed it. Great memory btw. Yah Mr Mx would toy with the Man out of boredom. Not quite nefarious, just bored by his apparent omnipotence and found Supe the only guy who could work through the tricks and traps that he’d enjoy dreaming up for him, except when he’d somehow get hosed by saying his name backwards by our hero.
In a more recent DC multiverse Mr Mx was reimagined in a far more wicked incarnation. I suppose it’s inevitable. When you’re omnipotent and immortal and you start dabbling on the dark side for amusement, you’re bound to find it far more entertaining than the confines of a moral existence.
Actually the whole slate of candidates for the Republican Party are members of the "Goon Squad.’ Their policy positions are so regressive that naming just one is inadequate and irresponsible.
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None quite so onerous and dangerous as Threat McCruz. He has the crazy faith, it is all about me vote, He was smart enough to stay away from the original Moosiah, Sarah Palin and she really blew it with her endorsement of Trumpley. I do, however believe that Cruz should inherit the Moosiah moniker even if it is not serious enough to actually describe him. Moosiah Cruz, Moosiah Cruz, Moosiah Cruz.
Well the Bush/Cheney administration certainly proved Voltaire’s point.
Few things in politics scare me more than someone who is possessed by a religious fervor (no matter the denomination) because they don’t think they have to answer to anyone but their god and we don’t have his phone number.
From the wikipedia: Soli Deo Gloria – “To God be the Glory”
Soli Deo gloria is one of the five solas propounded to summarize the Reformers’ basic beliefs during the Protestant Reformation; it is a Latin term for Glory to God alone. The doctrine states essentially that everything that is done is for God’s glory to the exclusion of humankind’s self-glorification and pride. Christians are to be motivated and inspired by God’s glory and not their own.
Bob McDonnell, former Virginia governor, is a product of (Soli Deo Gloria!) Pat Robertson’s Regent University, and he told us all who he is and what he serves in his master’s thesis: God guides him. God as defined by his interpretation of God’s inerrant scripture. When he was running for office, the Washington Post asked him about what he’d written in his thesis, and he replied that he no longer held those beliefs. But actions speak louder than words, the old saw says. His record in Virginia was one incessant push to enact those very beliefs.
From the Regent University webpage (via Wayback Machine):
Regent University: Christian Leadership to Change the World
Regent University is an institution of higher learning that exists to bring glory to God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit.
Our mission is to serve as a leading center of Christian thought and action providing an excellent education from a biblical perspective and global context in pivotal professions to equip Christian leaders to change the world.
Our vision, through our graduates and other scholarly activities, is to provide Christian leadership in transforming society by affirming and teaching principles of truth, justice and love as described in the Holy Scriptures, embodied in the person of Jesus Christ and enabled through the power of the Holy Spirit. Soli Deo Gloria.
From the Regent University Pathways Plan 2006-2011:
Underlying the university’s vision, mission and goals are the foundational commitments that must occur if we are to achieve our mission. They are a combination of our accreditation principles and our own cultural distinctives (sic).
When McD was running for Governor in Virginia, I wrote:
In the recent gubernatorial debate with Bob McDonnell, Creigh Deeds noted, “[McDonnell’s thesis] contains a provision that says people don’t want this kind of leadership, they’re not ready for this kind of leadership, and you can’t tell them what you’re gonna do until you’re elected.”
This reminds me of Christian reconstructionist Gary North telling his fellow spiritual leaders in the '70s to give different political speeches to different groups. North lamented that it wouldn’t work forever. But still, it was lament.
McDonnell’s thesis defines the pro-working family Democratic position – health care reform, minimum wage, etc. – as negative, using quotations around the word family when the family in question doesn’t fit his definition. He also uses the term “deviant.”
What becomes clear is that he sincerely believes his version of the Republican position is God-given. (Other positions are not. I suppose they are deviant.) Which is to say McDonnell is willing to speak for God. That is the classic definition of irreverence.
Deeming man basically bad, McDonnell draws the conclusion that government, being man-made, should not be trusted. Why, I cannot help but wonder, would a man holding such beliefs seek to be governor?
And now Cruz. He’s so Gary North he even wants the gold standard. Why does he want to be president? To make this a theocracy – the theos twisted into his own projected image.