More On Harriet
Harriet is a historical event, sort of like Katrina. It has to do with George Bush, his administration, and the facture within the Republican party. It may also have something to do with Harriet Miers.
First, all criticisms begin or end something like this: "Harriet Meirs is a good and decent woman, intelligent and able, just not suitable for the Supreme Court." These are gentlemen speaking. They must say something nice about the lady. In fact, she is not a "good and decent woman," she accepted the nomination! This indicates either self-seeking or very poor judgment.
Considering that self-seeking is an arguable charge, but given that she has no mind, will she be a safe political vote?
Ignoring that a "safe political vote" as a concept is a constitutional debasement, and ignoring the flux and uncertainty of issues to come and not yet known, does she have the cahracter to maintain what presumptively we will accept are her conservative sensitivities? She has constancy and "steel in her spine"? Who see that steel?
George Bush. George Bush has done a very stupid thing, he has nominated Harriet Meirs. He continues to do a very stupid thing, he continues to support Harriet Miers. Each day they converse. Each day he looks deeply into her eyes, he sees strength, courage, decency, and a proper constitutional philosophy. Deeply in those eyes of the sycophant Meirs, who has hitched her wagon to his star, he sees those characteristics by which he has structured himself. "How can people not support this marvellous woman?" he muses; and angered, continues his support. I do think he is a great president, but what he sees in those bright eyes of Harriet is the reflected image of himself. And he is the only one who sees Harriet as himself.
How long will George Bush remain this stupid? It's hard to know. This is self-knowledge. It has nothing to do with political instinct or even political genius. It has to do with the life experience of failure of friendship. George Bush has done very well with his friends. As far as I know he's never yet suffered treachery, disloyalty, or the simple failure of a friend to live up to the image of that friend he has in his own mind. It has to happen once or twice for a man to recognize that it can happen. Will he soon recognize that failure of his own perception? I don't know. If he does he'll withdraw the nomination. I do trust George Bush to do the right thing when he has the right understanding.
And Harriet? In three years George will be gone and her steel will be gone. She'll be in DC. She won't be with her mom, she won't be in Texas, she won't be in her church. She won't have the supports that have sustained her her entire life. She'll be putty, she'll be flattered, she'll be Souter.
First, all criticisms begin or end something like this: "Harriet Meirs is a good and decent woman, intelligent and able, just not suitable for the Supreme Court." These are gentlemen speaking. They must say something nice about the lady. In fact, she is not a "good and decent woman," she accepted the nomination! This indicates either self-seeking or very poor judgment.
Considering that self-seeking is an arguable charge, but given that she has no mind, will she be a safe political vote?
Ignoring that a "safe political vote" as a concept is a constitutional debasement, and ignoring the flux and uncertainty of issues to come and not yet known, does she have the cahracter to maintain what presumptively we will accept are her conservative sensitivities? She has constancy and "steel in her spine"? Who see that steel?
George Bush. George Bush has done a very stupid thing, he has nominated Harriet Meirs. He continues to do a very stupid thing, he continues to support Harriet Miers. Each day they converse. Each day he looks deeply into her eyes, he sees strength, courage, decency, and a proper constitutional philosophy. Deeply in those eyes of the sycophant Meirs, who has hitched her wagon to his star, he sees those characteristics by which he has structured himself. "How can people not support this marvellous woman?" he muses; and angered, continues his support. I do think he is a great president, but what he sees in those bright eyes of Harriet is the reflected image of himself. And he is the only one who sees Harriet as himself.
How long will George Bush remain this stupid? It's hard to know. This is self-knowledge. It has nothing to do with political instinct or even political genius. It has to do with the life experience of failure of friendship. George Bush has done very well with his friends. As far as I know he's never yet suffered treachery, disloyalty, or the simple failure of a friend to live up to the image of that friend he has in his own mind. It has to happen once or twice for a man to recognize that it can happen. Will he soon recognize that failure of his own perception? I don't know. If he does he'll withdraw the nomination. I do trust George Bush to do the right thing when he has the right understanding.
And Harriet? In three years George will be gone and her steel will be gone. She'll be in DC. She won't be with her mom, she won't be in Texas, she won't be in her church. She won't have the supports that have sustained her her entire life. She'll be putty, she'll be flattered, she'll be Souter.
posted by mouse at 12:53 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home