... quick bounce from SF Age ...
January 15, 1999
too danged early in the morning ...
I do not want to get up ... I do not want to get up ... I do not want to get up ...   Insert gif of me sitting here typing just to teach my fingers who's boss. I stayed up too late last night watching the wrap up of the activity that I'll charitably call a trial. So I'm really struggling this morning and it's all Bill Clinton's fault. Or I guess it's the Senate's fault. Whichever. Obviously, it's not my fault lest I be held accountable for my own actions. You know, watching this is like watching a group of four-year-olds square off in a logic match. There just isn't anyone out there with a consistent or respectable point of view that can be trusted. Amazing what you learn about things when you're typing along free-form. That's the bottom line for me, respect. The whole thing has grown to the point where I can't respect any of the folks involved. Does anyone remember "It's not about sex?" Of course you do. For a year all we'ver heard is the Republican side stating that it's not about sex, but every other action they take, from all the self-serving rhetoric when Livingston resigned to the gleeful smirks they've given the cameras to the silly advertisements they ran at election time, points toward the idea that indeed it is. Repubicans are like a kid who just arrived at one of those Discovery Zone playgrounds. Their eyes have gone wide and they're paralyzed with the gleeful joy that comes from having way too many toys to decide what to do next. This is a problem. The law is awfully thin around the idea of tossing a man out of the highest public office in the country because he had a wild spin with an intern. But sexual harrassment is certainly another matter. I cannot respect the Republicans because they've botched the prosecution of the alleged crime. They've used the situation in vain attempts to serve themselves, and it's really pretty damned disgusting. Come on, folks. They guy lied in the Paula Jones case. He lied in the Grand Jury testamony. And he tried to cover it up. The fact that anyone else would lie to cover it up, too, has nothing to do with whether he's guilty. He's already admitted that he is guilty (without actually saying it, of course) by giving Paula Jones $850,000 to not sue him again. Remember, this was a case that the judge threw out as being insubstantiatable, with Clinton's testimony being the main leverage point of the entire thing. To me, the core of this is not about sex. So when I hear the Democrats (or anyone else, for that matter) say "it doesn't rise to the level of impeachment," my jaw hits the ground. If it is the fact that he had a fling with a 21 year old, then I'll agree . . . but grudgingly. But what I hear inside my head instead is "Sexual harrassment doesn't rise to the level of impeachment." And I disagree with this statement. I cannot respect the Democrats because they refuse to even acknowledge that this exists, and in fact actively push the discussion in the direction that says this is all about sex, assuming (rightly, it turns out) that the American people will let Clinton off the hook for it, hence building pressure on the Republicans. In otherwords, they've ignored the root of the problem in order to save their party tales, and it's pretty disgusting. Being an optimist really sucks at times like this. It's okay, though, I guess. I'll get over this without any permanent damage. The whole thing pretty well proves my personal theory of politics and politicians, after all, which is that they don't really do much beyond take a lot of my money and give it to someone else. I mean, it's not like the country has ground to a halt here. All the "American people's business" seems to be getting done. Saddam still seems comfy in the bunker that George Bush left him in. Clinton's on his "Santa Clause is coming to town" sweep across the nation, dropping a million here and a billiion there to buy back his support. I told Lisa last night that by the time this is done, there's some probablilty that Clinton will be impeached and removed from office, but that his approval rating will be 172. Apparently editors make New Year's resolutions, too. Otherwise, how can you explain the fact that the Accept-O-Matic is spinning like it's a slot machine wheel? At this rate I'll end up with something over 170 rejections in the course of the year. Of course, playing that game I would finish upwith 24 acceptances, too. Which wouldn't bee too danged bad, eh? Dang. I really wanted to vent about this, too. Sometimes being an optimist is just not a lot of fun. Have a great day, though.  Daily Persistence is © Ron Collins |
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"What would have happened if this had been fifty years ago and it was Harry Truman?" Caller on Larry King's show last night (paraphrased) The panel of journalists on King's show avoided the question by talking about the stripes on the judge's sleeves. I can't respect the media, either. On the Lighter Side |
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