The Rule of the Lawless

Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Appearing at The Blogging Curmudgeon, My Left Wing, and the Independent Bloggers' Alliance.

Head of God



I have been having tiffs with my daughter all morning. She's five. She doesn't understand why the rules are different for her than they are for me. Like why I'm allowed to have beverages in the living room (the coffee goes everywhere I do) and she isn't. This morning I even resorted to the dreaded, "Because I said so." I swore I'd never do that. Drove me nuts when I was a kid. But what can I say? Her hands are very small and she spills things. But she's at that age; testing limits like mad. And some things just can't be justified to her tiny, five-year-old brain. So I understand exactly how Paul Wolfowitz feels.

Everything about the Bush Administration makes perfect sense if you understand that they are the parents, while we -- and by "we" I mean the entire rest of the world -- are the children. So Paul explained to the World Bank investigating committee that he had to give Shaha everything she asked for because he's pussy-whipped. The committee just simply needs to understand that there are things that happen between a mommy and a daddy that are private and that the children really don't need to know about. That's what locks on bedroom doors are for. His mistake, if anything, was in not making sure the door was securely locked.

There are larger considerations here that have to do with the importance of the Bush Administration's unhampered ability to parent and protect the world.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter, said some board members hope a strong statement of dissatisfaction would persuade the Bush administration to withdraw support for Wolfowitz. But the White House views the stakes as larger than control of the World Bank, said a senior administration official, with U.S. resolve and power on the line -- in particular the longstanding right of the United States to name the head of the institution. [emphasis added]

In an interview with Fox News, Vice President Cheney called Wolfowitz "a very good president of the World Bank," adding, "I hope he will be able to continue."

See, Vice Daddy Cheney has faith in him. That's all we need to know.

It's like Daddy-hopeful Fred Thompson explained recently:

The principles you have been defending since 1981. For Americans, these are found in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. They include a recognition of God and the fact there are certain rights that come from Him and not the government.

Which is why it's so unfortunate that Scooter Libby was prosecuted for perjury:

The other man is in a less lofty position. After years of sacrifice and service to his country, he sits at home with his wife and two children awaiting a prison sentence. His name is Scooter Libby.

I didn't know Scooter Libby, but I did know something about this intersection of law, politics, special counsels and intelligence. And it was obvious to me that what was happening was not right. So I called him to see what I could do to help, and along the way we became friends. You know the rest of the story: a D.C. jury convicted him. . . . I have called for a pardon for Scooter Libby.

Now, yes, on the surface, this looks like a contradiction. That's why lesser minds like Glenn Greenwald are confused by Thompson's speech. But all we really need to know is that the law issues from God, and God said: "Honor thy father and mother." See? Simple. That's why Uncle Scooter's unfair prosecution has become a rallying cry for all those Daddy-hopefuls, and why he will never see the inside of a jail cell.

It's like with Alberto Gonzales:

At a hearing last week before the House Judiciary Committee, he evaded precise answers and professed a poor memory, while insisting that the decision to sack the prosecutors was utterly sound. The apparent administration hope is that by denying and stonewalling, Gonzales can not only save his job but eventually exhaust all interest in the matter.

I can't even tell you how many times I've tried that. Word to the wise, though, if Congress is anything like my daughter, they can wear you down. Mind like a steel trap, my daughter, and when she sets it on, let's say, ice cream... relentless. Let's hope for poor Alberto's sake that "object permanence" is not as thoroughly developed in John Conyers as it is in my daughter.

Think of Alberto as a teen-aged son; all be it an adopted one. He's a good son. He keeps the younger kiddies in line, and protects the family. That's how it's supposed to be... because... because I said so.

"Freedom is about authority. Freedom is about the willingness of every single human being to cede to lawful authority a great deal of discretion about what you do." -- Daddy-Hopeful Rudolph Giuliani

14 comments:

Unknown said...

Glenn is a real hoot. His approach to the Right is/was inherently unstable -- trying to take them at their word. All this constant surprise that the Right act like X.

Now he says something I've been saying for many years:

"Loyalty to this movement's power is their only real principle."

But it's the sort of statement that might have almost got you banned from his place in the past. Oh well. Maybe at this rate in a couple of years time he'll realise the media is biased....

Curmudgette said...

Still no luck relocating your last name Mr. Byron? How unfortunate. So sad when people are needlessly truncated.

Unknown said...

Yes Ms Curmudgeon, I'm feeling so out of sorts I won't bother with the usual comments you can't ever reply to on your little feminist-whiney threads.

So do you have a front page gig at MLW now?

Curmudgette said...

davidbyron said...

So do you have a front page gig at MLW now?


Yup. I'm sure it's because such an extra whiny feminist.

Unknown said...

It probably didn't hurt your chances there.... but your other stuff is good.

Curmudgette said...

davidbyron said...

It probably didn't hurt your chances there.... but your other stuff is good.


Umm.... thank-you?... I think...

Anonymous said...

That last quote makes me want to puke up all my intestines, then pack it all back in with a toilet plunger so I can start the whole uncomfortable process all over again. Until the American people understand that "freedom" is "fewer laws" (though complete absence of laws is not a preferable state of affairs, either, of course), not just "different laws", politicians will be able to manipulate them into believing their only choice is one version of fascism over another, instead of increased freedom versus increased fascism. It's this kind of government-supplants-your-conscience, authoritarian bullshit that frustrates me the most.

Curmudgette: Can't remember how I stumbled onto your site a few weeks ago, but I'm really enjoying your writing. Care to exchange blogroll links? (I'm rather confident I'll add you anyway even if you don't reciprocate, so no pressure or anything.)

David: Feel free to stop by my place sometime. (Click my name.) I've recently done a little redecorating and I'd be more than happy to give you a tour -- particularly an intimate view of the carpets. (Strictly metaphorically speaking, of course.) Please don't mistake this as some kind of testosterone-laden, chest-thumping, machismo challenge to demonstrate your manhood or anything; rather, think of it as an invitation to an educational experience phrased in a such a way as to pique the attention of your apparently rabidly patriarchal mindset.

(Admittedly I'm only guessing, here, based on a few of your comments. Your account is configured in such a way as to prevent me from actually observing your logical repertoire firsthand.)

Apologies if I'm out of line to anyone. It's late, and I can sometimes get assumptive and maybe a touch arrogant.

Anonymous said...

Erm, in the meantime, David, I strongly urge you to check out my friend Alec's blog dealing specifically with how feminism pertains to men, and how patriarchal attitudes in society fuck over everyone, not just women. It's quite a good read, and will probably bring up a few ideas for you that you'd never even considered:

Q: Are We Not Men?

Curmudgette said...

J Crowley said...

That last quote makes me want to puke up all my intestines, then pack it all back in with a toilet plunger so I can start the whole uncomfortable process all over again.


They didn't call him Benito Guliani for nothing. Something we should all bear in mind as the election season progresses. It's all about how far into an Orwellian dystopia we want descend.

By all means, J, send me your link info. I'm all about the blogroll exchange.

Anonymous said...

Indeed. Unfortunately, he's a bit of a celebrity inasmuch as he's one of the most recognizable faces of the current Republican presidential candidates, making him a likely front-runner. Let's hope the average voter can see through his "political celebrity" status down to the fascist monster he is. But hey, the upshot is that at least the trains will run on time. (Except late nights, when the E switches to local.)

I can't seem to find direct contact info in your profile, but the URL to my website is: http://www.enterthejabberwock.com and I guess you can put it in as "Enter the Jabberwock" (or just "Jabberwock" or "J Crowley" if you need to conserve space). I've put you in as "Curmudgette", if that's all right.

Thanks! It's much appreciated.


P.S. - Apologies for getting all aggressive in your comments earlier.

Unknown said...

Aggressive? nah.
Just good natured banter.

Unknown said...

Anyway congratulations or whatever. It's odd actually. MLW has had more than it's share of brilliant iconoclasts but off hand I can't remember a single one who became a front page writer. Unless you count MSOC herself. Her relationship with iconoclasm has always been quite patchy though. In some ways (not politically) she is quite oddly conservative.

Anyway a big gain for MLW IMO.

Unknown said...

Who is "curmudgiana"?

Curmudgette said...

davidbyron said...

Who is "curmudgiana"?


I don't really know. There are some other curmudgeons in the world. There's even another curmudgette running about somewhere, because I have been mistook on occasion. And thank-you for the not-left-handed compliment.