Comments on: Nancy Pelosi’s Odd Behavior

By: JDFlanagan

JDFlanagan — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 18:43:43 +0000

You asked why individuals such as Hastert and Murtha end up in Congress rather than men like Victor Davis Hanson. I suppose that this is a triumph of the division of labor in society. Men of ideas spend their days developing those ideas. Men who can build bridges and skyscrapers do so. Those who fit into neither of these two groups, but are generally amiable and good in groups of people end up in Congress (or as street mimes). Imagine the chaos that would ensue if our elected representatives were instead assigned to a bridge repair crew. Sometimes I’m thankful that they are where they are.

By: Sandy P

Sandy P — Fri, 17 Nov 2006 00:53:03 +0000

Isn’t Murtha tied to defense contracts via her nephew?

By: phinsdale

phinsdale — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 02:03:54 +0000

Sadly seniority is far too important in the Senate. Those of us who are not voters in Mississippi or West Virginia have nothing to say about the voters in those states who give the likes of Trent Lott and Robert Byrd seniority.

It is the collective Republicans who elect to give Trent Lott national prominence. Perhaps the Democrats are learning, Byrd is in the background and notice how John Kerry appears to have been sidelined by Senator Schumer today?

All of this behavior is pathetic and goes toward an answer to Roger’s question. Why would ANY honorable, intelligent citizen, let alone a superstar such as VDH, subject him/herself to being a member of this club? Thankfully Jon Kyl and Jeff Sessions are on deck, but alas juniority does not cut it.

By: Luther McLeod

Luther McLeod — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:53:52 +0000

Tight standard Godzilla, leaves many out I guess.

By: Godzilla

Godzilla — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:39:27 +0000

Our country has become focused on the short term, never on the long. Is there no one out there with the elucidation to enunciate this view?

Hobbes would give a good go at it, but unfortunately he’s been dead for about 400 years.

By: Luther McLeod

Luther McLeod — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:27:32 +0000

Apologies for the bandwidth thing Roger. But I think GaryK’s comment needs repeating.

“Does anyone discern the slightest hint of awareness of or concern for the long view among this troop of baboons in Congress? Can anyone see any concern by this crew for the fate of the people of the United States as a whole? Any person who is out for anything but himself, and maybe his party, with his constituents a very distant third? Anyone who is educated and smart, as opposed to cunning, with an eye for the main chance?

I think Gary hits upon the strong nerve, or at least one of mine. I will take his ‘baboons’ to be multi-partisan. Our Congress, indeed our political system, has morphed into the quarterly report or the two year election, same difference.

Our country has become focused on the short term, never on the long. Is there no one out there with the elucidation to enunciate this view? Someone with the wisdom (of the long view) of our constitutional forebears?

Our national anxiousness for short term resolution of long term problems may be the death of us all.

I know, I’m wordy, best I can do.

By: Bostonian

Bostonian — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 00:22:36 +0000

Wolverine: “Roger, You have the optimism of a new born.”

In contrast, you actually ARE a newborn.

I have a car with more life experience than you.

I’m not picking on you for your age–just saying that you might not know as much as you think you do. It’s rather rich that you mention Lott as a segregationist. Google “Byrd KKK” and see what you find.

By: bigger

bigger — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:46:05 +0000

What does Mad Jack Murtha know of where Congress’s Botox Queen has the bodies buried? What secret hold does he have over her….

I’ll leave the novel plotting to the estimable Mister Simon, but on a serious note I think the Republican base is going to have to take the party back from the Republicans in congress by funding lots and lots of primary challenges, since those on congress seem unable to learn from their mistakes. Of course, I’ll be rooting from the outside, since I live in Massachusetts and we don’t have a Republican party to speak of anyway.

As noted elsewhere, President Bush can re-appoint John Bolton during the next recess, but he cannot continue to pay him, but with PayPal the American people can! I will gladly donate to a Pay John Bolton fund, even though I am not entirely convinced we should have an ambassador to the maffia.

By: David Thomson

David Thomson — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:39:18 +0000

Is Nancy Pelosi the Democratic Party version of Katherine Harris?
Pushing the nomination of John Murtha is pure lunacy. He is God’s gift to the GOP. Peolosi must have a few screws loose.

By: heather

heather — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:29:10 +0000

The Anchoress linked to this article from San Francisco, about how ‘bidness’ is done in the Bay Area. It stars Nancy Pelosi, with a photo of Barbara Boxer..
http://www.fogcityjournal.com/news_in_brief/kirshenbaum_061029.shtml

So, she and Murtha are allies because they are the same kind of people: corrupt to the core.