Letters to the Editor
RichEmery
Published Letters: 832 Editor's Choice: 191
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Oh, this is getting SWEET
[Read the article: Tom Reynolds, meet your chief of staff]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]In response to another War Room item, contributor "ebonius" rightly criticized the fact that the rapidly deteriorating situation in Iraq is NOT making huge news right now, at least equal to the Foley scandal. He's absolutely correct, of course -- but it's impossible to predict what is going to gain traction in today's media/Internet environment. Right now, for better or worse, it's FOLEY.
The cascade of negative information about House GOP leadership may have the entirely laudable (if unintended) consequence of throwing those bums out when control shifts to the Democrats. THEN, folks, we'll see a tectonic shift in Washington, and THEN we'll get the kind of focus on Iraq that is deserved.
But while the layers of the Foley scandal are peeled away like a sweet, sweet Vidalia onion, can't we just enjoy it while it lasts? There's truly no down side, after all -- nothing is going to change in Iraq UNLESS power shifts in Washington, and that can't happen without a sweeping victory on November 8th.
I say, hooray for the fantastic timing of this scandal. The longer Hastert, Boehner, Shimkus and Reynolds hang in there, the better for November. This bankrupt crew of "leaders" can't be shown the door fast enough.
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Domino theory?
[Read the article: Reynolds' chief of staff resigns, blames Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]As each resignation comes in, it seems to make others much more likely -- so who's next? Rep. Reynolds himself is in a bad spot too (who believes Fordham would try to cut a deal for former boss Foley without the knowledge of new boss Reynolds?) -- but Shimkus and Hastert aren't much more secure themselves. All bets are off, of course, if something new and really spicy is uncovered.
I'm starting to understand the pure joy conservatives felt when the Monica Lewinsky scandal erupted way back when -- such an unexpected gift, and such a rush of pleasure!
There really needs to be a word to describe this -- we usually use "Schadenfreude", but that's far too generic. It's so much more than simply taking pleasure at the misfortune of others -- the fall of such complete hypocrites is so WELL DESERVED -- there ought to be a specific word for that concept!
Any wordsmiths out there have suggestions for a better word to use?
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Gerechtigkeitfreude it is!
[Read the article: Reynolds' chief of staff resigns, blames Democrats]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]While it doesn't flow smoothly off the tongue, it nearly perfectly expresses the concept. Thanks, "verbs-and-spices."
Gerechtigkeitfreude, or taking joy from justice -- what a truly American ideal!
Unless somebody comes up with a better suggestion, this is IT. Nothing about which to feel uncomfortable -- taking pleasure from the misfortune of others implies touches of sadism and envy that really have no part in my reaction to the Foley affair. These guys had it coming!
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The old tricks aren't working -- can the GOP learn some new ones?
[Read the article: Resigned Reynolds aide says he warned Hastert's office three years ago]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]Mr. Fordham isn't going quietly into the night, is he? Looks like someone else must be found to "volunteer" to be thrown under the bus. Might get a bit crowded, and bloody, under that bus.
Democrats ought to be taking careful notes -- if they didn't already know the value of staying on-message at all times, with that message carefully prepared well in advance, it should be crystal-clear now. The genius of Rove-style politics has been to find one particular angle appealing to just enough people to cobble together a majority, and then STICK to that angle, come hell or high water.
Well, in case no one had noticed, this is a much different hell for the GOP right now. They slipped up and didn't have everything neatly tied up in a ribbon, with a simple message ready to be issued, then repeated again and again and again, until everyone got tired and went away.
It's too late to invoke the old magic -- the spell is broken, at long last!
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Constitutional rights of CONGRESS?
[Read the article: From Foleygate, signs of things to come?]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]It's infuriating to consider the scrupulous consideration Congress (by that, I mean the GOP, of course) gives to ITS constitutional rights and prerogatives, in light of the apparent disdain they hold the essential and vastly more important rights of citizens and non-citizens. The gutting of habeas corpus and willingness to condone warrantless wiretapping and torture are but a few of the most astonishing give-aways sanctioned by this Congress
The cynic in me wonders whether the earlier fight over the FBI's search of Lousiana Rep. William Jefferson's office was merely a prelude to the erupting story of Rep. Foley's misconduct and the failure of House leadership to react appropriately. I truly doubt Speaker Hastert cared one whit about what happened to Rep. Jefferson; any concerns or resistance from him much more likely spring from the disturbing precedent set by ANY FBI search of ANY congressman's office. With knowledge of buried scandals that could come to light, full and open investigations represent the LAST thing he and the GOP would want.
After all, if Jefferson's office doors were flung wide-open, how could Hastert resist similar searches in future? It can't be about blurring the constitutional lines between the legislative and executive branches -- no one observing current events in Washington D.C. could possibly be stupid enough to believe Congress or the White House really care about THAT at all.
We hardly have an independent legislative branch these days. The checks are checks no longer, and the balances have become unbalanced. We should pay VERY close attention to any "deal" concocted between lawyers for the House and the FBI to ensure that real openness and accountability aren't sacrificed under the guise of protecting the "rights of Congress"!
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No one IS listening
[Read the article: Hastert on Foleygate: It's all a vast, left-wing conspiracy]
[Read more letters about this article: Here]"...Dennis Hastert is still telling anyone who will listen..."
No one is. It's amusing to watch Matt Drudge point fingers at the pages themselves (what, they ENTICED Foley to misbehave?), and observe Hastert and others try to divert attention from Foley's behavior and House leadership misconduct to the whistleblowers themselves (as though the timing and motives of those who uncovered all this have ANY bearing on these matters).
The GOP had better call the whale rescue people -- Hastert has beached himself, and is very likely to die of exposure. Hard to imagine he'll be towed back to sea at this point. All that SHOULD be done now is to make his continued public life as UNCOMFORTABLE as possible.