Comments on: Cut, Kill, Dig, Drill http://davepress.net/2008/10/12/cut-kill-dig-drill/ Using the internet to make government more interesting Mon, 14 Jun 2010 17:06:57 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Andrew Lewin http://davepress.net/2008/10/12/cut-kill-dig-drill/comment-page-1/#comment-2013 Andrew Lewin Mon, 13 Oct 2008 13:32:51 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=912#comment-2013 Sounds like we're saying the same things, then (and I was SO looking forward to a nice argument!) I think it was the Simon (not Steve - sorry about that brainfade) Schama programme again that pointed out that George W Bush lost his first congressional election in Texas because a local Texan politician painted him as a highbrow Eastern Yankee intellectual carpetbagging the seat. At which point, Bush decided never to get caught like that and developed his new "dumb as they come" persona. Hard to believe now ... Makes you wish for the West Wing universe, where a high-brow liberal can wipe the flaw with a Bush-a-like by opening with 'Unwarranted mandate is two words, not one" - sheer class. And sheer fantasy with the modern US as it is where they want someone who knows less than their plumber as President. Sounds like we’re saying the same things, then (and I was SO looking forward to a nice argument!)

I think it was the Simon (not Steve – sorry about that brainfade) Schama programme again that pointed out that George W Bush lost his first congressional election in Texas because a local Texan politician painted him as a highbrow Eastern Yankee intellectual carpetbagging the seat. At which point, Bush decided never to get caught like that and developed his new “dumb as they come” persona. Hard to believe now …

Makes you wish for the West Wing universe, where a high-brow liberal can wipe the flaw with a Bush-a-like by opening with ‘Unwarranted mandate is two words, not one” – sheer class. And sheer fantasy with the modern US as it is where they want someone who knows less than their plumber as President.

]]> By: Dave http://davepress.net/2008/10/12/cut-kill-dig-drill/comment-page-1/#comment-1999 Dave Sun, 12 Oct 2008 14:25:55 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=912#comment-1999 Thanks Andrew. Do read the article in full as it goes into some detail of Palin's antics in Alaska and demonstrates that she has a far more developed political brain than people give her credit for. That she decides, and others before her, to dumb themselves down in this way smacks of a rather disturbing anti-intellectualism that I would hope we avoid in this country. Thanks Andrew. Do read the article in full as it goes into some detail of Palin’s antics in Alaska and demonstrates that she has a far more developed political brain than people give her credit for. That she decides, and others before her, to dumb themselves down in this way smacks of a rather disturbing anti-intellectualism that I would hope we avoid in this country.

]]> By: Andrew http://davepress.net/2008/10/12/cut-kill-dig-drill/comment-page-1/#comment-1996 Andrew Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:25:13 +0000 http://davepress.net/?p=912#comment-1996 Thing is, I remember comments exactly like this - "perfectly untroubled by either curiosity or the usual processes of thought" - about Dubya, about Quayle, and Reagan before him. It's not new, it's not really accurate (certainly not of Reagan in 1980) - it's a campaign tactic, and it didn't do anything to help beat them by misunderstanding/misrepresenting them. Whereas the ones who stop and think rarely come off looking well. I was watching footage of Jimmy Carter from 1979/80 about the last fuel crisis (on Steven Schama's "Future History of America" - did you see it?) - deep thoughts, painfully sincere, absolutely spot-on and correct. And even *I* couldn't have voted for him as President much as I loved him. Just doesn't play well to the voters. Thing is, I remember comments exactly like this – “perfectly untroubled by either curiosity or the usual processes of thought” – about Dubya, about Quayle, and Reagan before him. It’s not new, it’s not really accurate (certainly not of Reagan in 1980) – it’s a campaign tactic, and it didn’t do anything to help beat them by misunderstanding/misrepresenting them.

Whereas the ones who stop and think rarely come off looking well. I was watching footage of Jimmy Carter from 1979/80 about the last fuel crisis (on Steven Schama’s “Future History of America” – did you see it?) – deep thoughts, painfully sincere, absolutely spot-on and correct. And even *I* couldn’t have voted for him as President much as I loved him. Just doesn’t play well to the voters.

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