Times they change
Floating through the usenet posts once, I ran into a question regarding the scandal-enthroned Bill Clinton: Considering that he has betrayed so much of what Liberals say they believe in, and removed various Great Society and New Deal functions, why do you Liberals defend him? The answer that was forthcoming: He’s the best we can get while still winning. This chestnut wrapped up with a Thanks for the honesty.
I could add a few more replies to the answer. If you feel like calling Bill Clinton “the Best Republican President we ever had”, (or “The Best Republican President since Eisenhower” or “since Lincoln” — I have just gone through the words spoken by Ralph Nader, Jim Hightower, and Michael Moore right there), at least we have that qualifier to meet out against that dreaded “Republican”… ie: “Best”. You’re in sort of competent hands, as third ways are being created to bridge over newly cemented as second ways that were the former third ways. OR… appointing somebody that is not simply a political friend to head of FEMA was a welcome change in policy (and a historical abberiation.)
And so we arrive at the new Administration and unencumbered Republican Leadership. And I can just as easily shift the question around.
Tom DeLay, George W Bush, Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and the whole lot of them. How exactly do they measure up to the promises of 1980 and 1994? Excuse me if all I see is money and political decisions being moved in the direction of political coffers, and a few plays against various cultural issues.
Simply the thrill of being on a winning side.