What's happening to Lieberman can only be described as a liberal inquisition. Whether you agree with him or not, he is transparently the most kind-hearted and well-intentioned of men. But over the past few years he has been subjected to a vituperation campaign that only experts in moral manias and mob psychology are really fit to explain. I can't reproduce the typical assaults that have been directed at him over the Internet, because they are so laced with profanity and ugliness, but they are ginned up by ideological masseurs who salve their followers' psychic wounds by arousing their rage at objects of mutual hate.
Really?
But a lifetime's record is deemed not to matter any longer. For in the midst of the inquisition all of American liberalism has been reduced to one issue, the war. Just as some edges of the pro-life movement reduce all of conservatism to abortion, the upscale revivalists on the left reduce everything to Iraq, and all who are deemed impure must be cleansed away.
Wrong, wrong, and wrong.
But that is not the point, for the opposition to Lieberman is not about future actions or even politics as it is normally understood. It is about impurity, the scarlet letter, and the need to expunge those who have transgressed.
No Bobo. It's about replacing a senator who has consistantly backs the Bush administration on issues that matter to us. Issues that we consider vital. It's about his cloture vote on Alito, it's about his support for the bankruptcy bill, it's about his outrageous comment that catholic hospitals shouldn't be forced to provide emergency contraception to rape victims because other hospitals were probably just "a short ride away." It's about him opening for the oposition on the Kerry resolution. It's about his arrogance, his belief that his senate seat is his by divine right. It's about his contempt for the voters in his state, and his belief that his judgement is better than theirs. It's about principles. Our principles.
As Atrios notes, Brooks is nothing more than a concern troll. He closes his column with the hope that the netroots will so offend mainstream democrats that republicans will "scoop them up."
Why Bobo has a column in a major newspaper is baffling to me. Worse, why is he held up as a serious commentator on democratic issues? He is always dead wrong.
The only function bobo serves is to point out the path that dems shouldn't take. And why he thinks that his endorsement of Lieberman will be helpful is a mystery. Oh, wait. No it's not. Bobo is as delusional as Lieberman is.
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4 comments:
Anyone who thinks Joe is "transparently... kind-hearted and well-intentioned" needs professional help.
I'll say.
I'm a little sick of being labeled as part of a "hate filled rabble" just because I oppose this criminal administration and the people who support and enable it.
First of all -- since we're related, you're obviously smart enough to recognize that your headline is a physical impossibility, right?
Second of all:
The only function bobo serves is to point out the path that dems shouldn't take.
This could actually serve a very valuable function, if we could only get the kewl kidz to recognize the paradigm.
Flory, well, yes.
But hope springs eternal.
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