Another Lion of the Senate

Here is a “for the record” disclaimer: I doubt that you could find many points of agreement with my politics and those of Senator Edward Kennedy, but I know of one point that is huge and telling. His record shows that he understands the difference between ideological purity on the one hand and the necessity of finding common ground in order to govern effectively on the other, and he nearly always comes down firmly on the side of effective governance.

In the initial news reports following the announcement of the Senator’s medical condition, the appearance of commentary from across the political spectrum was immediate and concerned…if not heartbroken. What is it about this man, deeply flawed as he may be, that evokes the obvious and evident regard of people as dissimilar as Senator Orrin Hatch and Senator Patrick Leahy? Simply put, Senator Kennedy learned the art of disagreeing without being disagreeable.

Politics is important business, but it is not a campaign between good and evil. People of good character and fine intentions disagree about how one might best achieve optimal results in a democratic society, but there is far more that we have in common than separates us. Men like Senator Kennedy understand that you should never let the perfect be the enemy of the good, and so you find those points of agreement and agree on them. Then you compromise to allow each side to get some more of what it wants. And, finally, the majority will get a slightly larger say just because it can, and then you have a bill. It will not be perfect, but you can always fix the parts that don’t work, and, in any event, you are addressing a problem with legislation that a broad spectrum of representatives can support.

A few years ago, I started digging into Senate history and discovered what was, to my mind, an astonishing truth: in the course of his public career, Senator Kennedy has been one of the most effective legislators in United States history. There is scarcely a major piece of legislation since 1962 that does not have his fingerprints on it somewhere. And it isn’t just the result of excellent staffwork (though his senatorial staffs have been consistently top notch). He works at it conscientiously, and apparently loves the give and take that goes into the process. Even more important in a collegial body like the Senate, he apparently refuses to hold a grudge.

I find I cannot hold one either. The good he has done in his life far outweighs the sins and flaws in my estimation, and I wish him Godspeed and good luck.

And there was this from the Democratic National Convention in 1980:

“And someday, long after this convention, long after the signs come down, and the crowds stop cheering, and the bands stop playing, may it be said of our campaign that we kept the faith. May it be said of our Party in 1980 that we found our faith again.

And may it be said of us, both in dark passages and in bright days, in the words of Tennyson that my brothers quoted and loved, and that have special meaning for me now:

"I am a part of all that I have met....
Tho much is taken, much abides....
That which we are, we are--
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
...strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

To Senator Craig...

I am a fellow Republican, and I have been since I was old enough to know the difference between the parties. To me, that difference came down, more than anything, to trust. We trust our officeholders to make appropriate choices and use their best judgment; and politicians trust us to take the long view and wait out the passions of today. In short, you do what you need to do, and we give you the time and support to do what must be done. By that standard, we have trusted you all along; but when push came to shove, you did not trust us.

I do not care, could not care less, if you are straight or gay, so long as you live up to your word and up to your responsibilities. It is simply none of my business. Most Republicans I know or are acquainted with share a similar view. We truly do not care what you do in your private life, so long as you hurt no one, break no laws, and keep our interests firmly in mind during the day. Sadly, this you failed to do. By being arrested in the manner that you were and by pleading guilty to ANY charge, even a lesser one, you accepted that your actions, in a public setting, were wrong and actionable. You broke the compact.

I see no way for you to come through this experience with credibility intact, either at home here in Idaho or in Washington. These are troubling times in need of character and steadfast resolution, and hairsplitting about whether you should have done this or ought to have done that serves no purpose save your own ambition and sense of vindication.

A number of years ago, Senator Packwood chose to resign under circumstances involving sexual/public misconduct. There was no "proof" in his instance, either, and he was plenty steamed when his hometown paper, the Oregonian, printed page after page of allegations. In the end, there was nothing for it but to leave, and he chose to exit as gracefully as he could. Senator Adams of Washington, when faced with worse allegations, refused to run for re-election.

Senator, I hope that you will see fit to free the party and the Senate from a full consideration of your case. I know that it hardly seems fair to you on a certain level, and that your instincts, as mine would likely be—initially— are to fight back hard. But this is a battle you cannot win. In the end, I think you will decide that you will have to take one for the team.

Resignation now would allow Governor Otter to appoint your successor, who would then have a prohibitive advantage in retaining the seat. It is likely that, even in the event you choose to remain and not run for re-election, the seat will stay in GOP hands. But if you run for re-election as vindication, you will almost certainly lose. Over 40% will vote against you as a starting point, simply because you are a Republican. And you cannot count on more than 50% of the Republican vote, because of the allegations and the guilty plea. The Democrats will use you and your troubles in a nationwide attempt to paint Republicans as hypocritical, and will get some traction with the issue. You know that, sir. The strong probability is that you will lose; if you do, the national party will lose as well, and these are serious times when we can ill-afford a filibuster proof Democratic majority in the Senate.

I take no joy in this because I respect the work you have done on behalf of Idaho and the Nation, but for the sake of the Republican Party—and, more importantly, for the sake of Idaho and the US—I respectfully urge your resignation as Senior Senator from the State of Idaho.

Immigration follies

I don't believe I have ever seen an instance before where the political elites of this country want something very badly and it somehow fails to happen. I'm not referring to elections; if that were the case, we would presently be looking to the end of the Gore Administration and hoping like hell he could keep the country from devolving into complete disaster. No, I am referring to the fact that between big business and big politics, the fix appeared to be in on the immigration bill presently before the Senate. And yet, somehow, it is going down to ignominious defeat. Why? Because no-one, not even the career politicians attempting to pass this abortion of an omnibus bill, truly believe it will do what they claim it will do. Instead, it will simply increase the number of low cost workers in the United States, and give the Democrats a leg up on new voters.

Oh yes. And depress wages for Americans, cost the tax system far more per illegal than they pay in Social Security withholding, and lead to even more immigration than before.

The people have caught onto the shell game that amounts to a pea under every shell, or, perhaps more appropriately, there is poison in any glass we can select.

The claim is that, without the current bill, the borders cannot be secured, the numbers of illegals cannot be counted or deported, and crops will rot in the fields.

These things we know. Fences work. Ask the people of Berlin. Or ask the Mexican nationals near San Diego. You will have to go to Mexico to do it, though, since the fence there has forced migrants to move farther east to sneak into the US.

We do not have to be against the idea that migrant families should be reunited. Workers should be allowed and encouraged to go back home to their families...in Mexico. We are under no obligation to let illegal immigrants bring their families here.

We cannot reasonably find, arrest and deport all 12 million illegal immigrants, but if we make the fence as nonporous as we can manage and insist that employers vouch for the legality of their employees (and fine or close them if they cannot-or will not), illegal immigrants will find that the living here is not quite as easy as it once was. Many will opt to go home. And that is what we want as well.

To this date, the bill is not dead, but it will need to be resurrected if it is to be a continued threat, and that will take sixty votes. Any luck at all, and the senate will not find them.

It feels like starting over...

That's probably because it is.

There are a couple of circumstances that have served to force it along, neither of which makes me overjoyed with the universe. First is the fact that my personal circumstances are severely changed. Second, our friends at Blogger/Google have locked me out of my old blog. I have tried to rattle the appropriate cages, to no effect whatsoever. My account remains deadlocked.

And so I move on, and the Snark will not be resurrected. The times seem to call for more serious examination of everything, and however lighthearted I can feel about this and that (mostly that), there is still an air of utter seriousness that ought to be acknowledged. This is not to say that funny is done; just that there are other fish to fry these days, and funny has its place within that...not instead of that.

If you follow me.

So if you are interested in rereading the old posts, they will sit (who knows how long) at Moonbat Central untouched by human (or, at least, my) hands. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the new focus, Constant Readers. I shall try to make it worth your while, all two of you.