Letters to the Editor
Jim White
Published Letters: 1093 Editor's Choice: 15
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Another metaphor for the Beltway pundits
[Read the article: Adam Smith and the village's amusement at war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I'm nearing the end of a delightful book, Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. It's the perfect way to lighten up a bit after reading A Tragic Legacy, as it is a send-up of Armageddon. The forces of good and evil, including the antichrist, are massing for the end of the world, scheduled for "Next Saturday. Just before dinner." With a principal character of a used book dealer, there is discussion of antique books of prophecies. Most, of course, sell very well and are very entertaining. One, however, is quite different:
Newt waved the bit of paper.
"But what's it got to do with this?" he said.
"She wrote it. Well, the original. It's No 3819 of The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, first published 1655."
Newt stared at the prophecy again. His mouth opened and shut.
"She knew I'd crash my car?" he said.
"Yes. No. Probably not. It's hard to say. You see, Agnes was the worst prophet that's ever existed. Because she was always right. That's why the book never sold."Beltway pundits are enormously popular because they tell people what they want to hear. Never mind that they are almost always wrong, they amuse the village. While they are at it, they sell newspapers or magazines or bring in viewers or listeners.
Truth and accuracy don't sell. That's why those who care about truth and accuracy should go to the previous thread and click on the PayPal link. Agnes would be proud.
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KarenM
[Read the article: Adam Smith and the village's amusement at war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Please don't give up. Yours is a voice that has enlightened and encouraged many of us. You didn't say why you were giving up.
If you are feeling that all of your efforts are for nothing, I would bet that many of us here have those thoughts every few days. With each new capitulation in Washington, when we thought things were finally aligned for progress, that is an entirely logical response. But please, don't give up. Polls indicate many more people are seeing the light on the war and the dysfunctional Congress every day. We will eventually have a real effect.
If you are quitting because of unfounded attacks by a disturbed person, consider that we can encounter disturbed people anywhere in life. The point is that all disturbed people deserve a chance for help. See above for how you have been active in a cause that increases the likelihood for building a society where all those who need help have an opportunity to receive it.
If your decision is final, thanks for all of your work so far, and good luck in all you do.
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Ktwdawg
[Read the article: Adam Smith and the village's amusement at war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]I still go back to Kyl-Lieberman. I think Obama has done a reasonable job of getting out his message and being consistent in most everything but this. My problem is that I feel this may well be the most important vote in the Senate since his election, and he decided not to vote. Please help me understand this. I really want to believe in him, but not taking a stand on this important vote leaves him open to criticism for his 2002 speech, when he couldn't vote. I'm not looking for idealism as much as consistency.
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Thanks for the info, Ktwdawg
[Read the article: Adam Smith and the village's amusement at war]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]If the schedule for the vote was changed with short notice, that puts me more at ease with Obama on this. I also found an article in The Hill stating that Obama's aides said he would have voted against Kyl-Liberman had he been present. Interestingly, this statement was in a story about a measure sponsored by Jim Webb to prevent any funding for military action against Iran without approval from Congress. To triangulate her vote for Kyl-Lieberman, Clinton has signed on as a co-sponsor of Webb's bill.
Link:http://tinyurl.com/2w3hpzOT: The Hill also has an article stating that the nomination of Hans van Spakovsky to the FEC will be voted on tomorrow separately from the other three nominees. For those of you who have been following, this is the guy who single-handedly took a wrecking ball to the Justice Department's civil rights division and was put on the FEC in a recess appointment. Surprisingly, the first Democrat mentioned in the article as opposing him is Dianne Feinstein. This is the only worthwhile position I have seen her take in months. The good news is that the other two names mentioned as the opposition are Russ Feingold and Barack Obama. I'm very happy to see Obama taking a principled stand on an important but not highly publicized issue such as this one while he is in the midst of a campaign.
Link:http://tinyurl.com/2uny63 -
McCain failed in his obligation to humanity
[Read the article: The latest revelations of lawbreaking, torture and extremism ]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]The NYtimes article reprises the role John McCain played in the 2005 efforts to achieve real Congressional action on torture. I still see his failure to follow through on this effort as a complete abdication of his character, but more importantly, a complete abdication of the unique position he holds. As a former prisoner of war who was subjected to torture, he was the natural leader to stand up in the Senate and deliver the message that the human rights of prisoners should outweigh all other moral considerations of any situation at hand. From his own experience, he easily could have pointed out the worthlessness of information extracted through torture. Is his desire to be President so overwhelming that he can simply walk away from this obvious obligation to take steps to assure that his own suffering and that of his fellow soldiers was not in vain?
Since McCain won't deliver this powerful message, perhaps we could work together to urge Congress to hold hearings on torture at which other former POW's from VietNam could testify. If banning torture isn't the best, most bipartisan way to support our troops, I don't know what is.