Tony Pierce Votes His Conscience
There are too few common-sense-voting non-partisans out there. I can count three bloggers that I know: Tony Pierce, and Matt Welch, and me. See this Tony Pierce link in particular. Most of the rest are complete apologists for one side or another (meaning, they rubber-stamp anything their "side," Dem or Republican, or other does, as if elections are merely more wizened versions of the eighth grade soccer finals). Very disturbing.
(Tony link via Sean Bonner)
I'm pretty sure I should be on that list too. =)
Sean Bonner at July 3, 2004 12:04 AM
Hm.
Jim Treacher at July 3, 2004 12:56 AM
Partisanship is underated. Remember Jimmy Stewart's 'Harvey'? "A little conflict just means everyone's interested."
Pierce is a friend, but his statements do not convince. He thinks it was about WMDs: Even the NYT conceded on the eve (2/27/03)-
"President Bush sketched an expansive vision last night of what he expects to accomplish by a war in Iraq. Instead of focusing on eliminating weapons of mass destruction, or reducing the threat of terror to the United States, Mr. Bush talked about establishing a 'free and peaceful Iraq' that would serve as a 'dramatic and inspiring example' to the entire Arab and Muslim world, provide a stabilizing influence in the Middle East and even help end the Arab-Israeli conflict. The idea of turning Iraq into a model democracy in the Arab world is one some members of the administration have been discussing for a long time."
And as you'll have noticed from recent disruptions in Saudi Arabia, IT'S WORKING.
Tony seems upset that health care isn't "free." Who's isn't? It's a precious resource. But this is not the sort of problem a president and his veep create over their Thursday breakfast meetings. Nobody ever seems to blame the members of the AMA.
Listen, the Democratic hate machine is rolling along. I believe in the quiet genius of the American votor, but it's hard to see how we're going to get out of this one with anything to be proud of.
Crid at July 3, 2004 8:13 AM
There's much of what Tony says that I wholeheartedly disagree with. Some of what he says is clearly just plain wrong. What I respect, however, is his lack of adherence to a particular party, aka "independence of thought."
By the way, in case any of you feel like hating me, here's good reason: I'm in La Coupole in Paris having Pouilly FuissÈ and free Wifi.
Amy Alkon at July 3, 2004 2:28 PM
FYI, the Welch link is mis-written.
The Proprietor at July 3, 2004 2:56 PM
Thanks -- fixed now.
Amy Alkon at July 3, 2004 3:56 PM
Amy, spending the fourth of July in Paris is like spending your wedding night at the dog track.
Crid at July 3, 2004 5:46 PM
Crid, number one, I would never get married, because I value real love, not sticking around to get a gold watch and a useless "guarantee" that somebody will fasten your adult diapers for you. Second, if I were going to get married, I would think having the wedding at the dog track would be fun, and would indicate a sense of humor in both parties -- very important in a relationship. And third, if you had the food I had yesterday, you'd do the dog-paddle to get here. PS French men, unlike Americans, notice women are women and act accordingly. In three blocks from the Vaneau metro stop to my friend's house, a waiter came out of a restaurant to tell me I looked very pretty, and an elderly man and woman came up to me to say the same. See, if you're not "The Ugly American," and I don't just mean that in looks (I'll soon post a story about a brat from the plane) you do quite well here. My dog, by the way, accompanies me everywhere. She sat in my purse while I went to the grocery store, and will come with me all day as I sit in cafÈs and write my column. Think of me while you're eating a shriveled hot dog on a stale bun, Crid. I'll be too busy burying my head in a plate of foie gras and drinking champagne to return the favor, but I'll try to work up a little sympathy as I'm walking home past the IM Pei pyramid at the Louvre.
Amy Alkon at July 4, 2004 1:50 AM
Less politics, Amy, please; MORE stories about brats on planes! (Or in coffee shops, stores, etc.)
Cathy Seipp at July 4, 2004 12:26 PM
You are such a motherfuckin' breath of fresh air, Amy.
Lena at July 4, 2004 12:28 PM
Foie gras is chopped liver, something the frogs eat with great delight once they've vacuumed all the snails and bugs out of their gardens and licked the mayonnaise off fries. Like hippies, they're good with the small stuff, and they suck on the big stuff.
My youngest daughter is over there now, and some thieving Eurotrash stole her backback in Barcelona, with all contacts for the fashion house people she's supposed to see in Milan, Paris, and London. Wonderful people, the filthy foreigners.
Richard Bennett at July 5, 2004 3:54 AM
Richard, hate to break it to you, but there are thieves everywhere, preying on those they can. Detroit is probably still the murder capital of America. Getting your purse stolen downtown probably means you got off easy. In Europe, if you take steps to seem like you belong (ie, don't go around shouting English in dodgy neighborhoods), stay out of dodgy neighborhoods, and operate with a bit of street-wise, these things tend not to happen to you. Don't you think the foreigner hatred is a little backward...and well, stupid?
Amy Alkon at July 5, 2004 6:49 AM
Richard -- Barcelona is a tea party compared with Milan. Your baby doe probably should've waited a couple more years before heading out into the big scary woods.
Lena at July 5, 2004 12:36 PM
Barcelona is the petty-theft capital of Europe, and the thieves congregate in places where they know tourists will be, such as the ferry boats. You can't avoid them in that town no matter how hard you try. Another kid of mine spent a year there, during which time all of her friends were mugged. They're just trashy people.
And yes, foreigner hatred is backward and stupid, especially when the offender is somebody like Jacques Chirac (telling the Eastern Europeans to shut up and respect their betters, or telling George W. Bush to stay out of EU politics, for example.) Provincial attitudes like those of the French are way bogus, but what do you expect from a people whose primary contributions to World Civilization are mayonnaise, white gravy, and the cultivation of snails?
Richard Bennett at July 5, 2004 12:39 PM
Snails and white gravy? How about Cezanne, and Rimbaud, and Satie (playing as I write this).
It sounds like your kids just have bad luck travelling. Are they especially ugly or stupid? I hitchhiked through a good bit of Europe when I was 19 and encountered nothing but generosity and a lot of good conversation. It was a blast.
Lena at July 5, 2004 3:16 PM
No Lenny, they aren't transvestites or Angelenos, they speak the language, and they were traveling the world when you still wore pants.
GTW, please remind me to punch you in the nose if I ever see you, OK?
Richard Bennett at July 6, 2004 2:55 AM
Talk like that only gets me hard, my friend. Keep it up.
Lena at July 6, 2004 1:24 PM
You too.
Richard at July 6, 2004 1:33 PM
Well, this is my first visit and I may be a bit out of date and behind on the conversation but it seems obvious that Richard and Crid have issues... more later. Cheers!
Chris at July 8, 2004 2:04 PM
Barcelona is a clawing-at-your-pockets nightmare. Most of Emmanuelle's family at one point or another have had money or passports stolen there, and I felt like friggin' Wendell Tyler the only time I went. The only place I've seen that comes close in sheer aggressive theivery is Rome; Bucharest, which has a lousy reputation, was a thousand times less treacherous.
Matt Welch at July 8, 2004 2:15 PM