I never bit on the whole romantic Kennedy thing - let alone the comparison to Camelot. King Arthur had morals and integrity. He wasn't a politician. He was a King. King of all Kings! I don't think Arthur gave into his urges as easily as JFK.
In fact, I never get romantic when it comes to politicians. It's just plain unwise in my book. My book of life. There's too much ga-ga romanticism with Obama too. All it does is cloud sober judgment.
It's with this most unromantic notion I listen about Ted Kennedy. A long-serving Democratic and liberal Senator; even a titan of American politics, Kennedy died this week. Known for his ability to work with all sides of a political equation and champion compassionate causes, he leaves behind quite a legacy - good and bad.
The unfortunate thing is that one of his last political moves was to try and change the law of succession for political expediency he himself introduced.
To conservatives, whenever people wonder how American politics got so nasty, they trace it back to Ted Kennedy, Judge Robert Bork and Clarence Thomas.
Is he the father of "eye for an eye" politics?
***
You know how angry liberals get about Bush and the hiring with private military firms like Black Water? Quietly, Obama has done the same. Back in April his administration hired a company called Triple Canopy. Wonder what the folks commenting over at Daily Kos think about this.
Machiavelli said one of the downfalls of governments (and he spoke of Italy in particular) is to trust mercenaries to fight in its defense. The condotierri's allegiance was not to nation but to itself first. While not quite the same, as Americans are not yet outsourcing its military capabilities to foreigners like the City-States and Papacy of Renaissance Italy did, but I can't help but wonder about this nonetheless. Private security firms are first about profit, no?
Nice salad bowl, all it lacks is a bit of Feta cheese and some olive oil, greek of course.
ReplyDeleteTeddy leaves good and bad and you can not say that is not human. Will the good outweigh the bad? Only God knows. Yes I believe in Him.
Private guards for embassies and diplomats? Probably cheaper than CIA operatives or soldiers needed elswhere. The difference here is that under Bush Blackwater seems to have been involved in some combat missions.
Machiavelli...well the way you mix things, you seem to know him well, maybe better than old Ted.
My composition professor would be proud of this one; did you notice how the end brings back to the beginning?
I believe in God too and so did the Founding Fathers - ;<)
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it will be the case under Obama as well.
I know enough of old Mac's but enough to be an expert? Hardly.
The end of the post you mean?
I meant the end of my comment.
ReplyDelete