A Connecticut Yankee in King George's Court
Today is Sunday, 9 July 2006.
"I know George Bush. I've worked against George Bush. I've even run against George Bush. But Ned, I'm not George Bush," said Joseph Lieberman recently to primary challenger Ned Lamont, in a not very clever rip-off of Lloyd Bentsen’s devastating putdown of Dan Quayle in 1984. No one is accusing you of being George Bush, Joe, just of doing his dirty work.
Some of Lieberman’s partisans say he’s been judged by an unfair litmus test on the Iraq War, such as con-servatives impose on judicial nominees regarding abortion.
The reason for this latter litmus test is that most con-servatives believe abortion is murder, murder is unconstitutional, and therefore anyone pro-choice is unfit to serve in the judiciary. Whether one agrees that abortion is murder, the argument is logical, given that premise.
The argument against Lieberman is that the War is illegal under the Constitution (since it has not been declared by Congress) and illegal under the Charter of the United Nations (which sanctions war in self-defense, but not war because another nation might attack one at some possible future time), and support for such a war in an offense of such gravity as to make one an unfit candidate for United States Senate.
To “refute” this argument by labeling it a “Republican-style litmus test” is a slur, not a response to the argument.
I must agree on the two counts of illegality. I further judge that it is a war which is harming the security of the people of Iraq, the peoples of the region, the entire world, and the USA/USE/USSA. I further judge that no probable outcome of this war can justify the harm it is causing.
By supporting this criminal war, Joseph Lieberman has shown judgment unfit for the United States Senate.
In supporting King George's War, Joseph Lieberman has neglected the counsel of the prophet Samuel, who warned what kings would be like: "He will take your sons to be soldiers and serfs, and your daughters to be cooks and servants. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of all you produce and give it to his servants. He will take the best of all you have, and you will be his slaves. In that day you will cry out because of the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you". (I Samuel 8:11-18)
If Joseph Lieberman wishes to adopt the values and actions of a George Warlord Bush Republican, let him join that party and run for its nomination.
By his support for this murderous, illegal war, Joseph Lieberman has left the Democratic Party. It should bid him farewell and good riddance without remorse.
______________________________
On this day in history:
1440 – Flemish painter Jan van Eyck dies (born ca. 1385)
1789 – National Assembly of France re-forms itself as National Constituent Assembly and prepares to write a constitution
1868 – 14th Amendment ratified; all born in the U.S. or naturalized are citizens, whose rights cannot be abridged without due process of law
1932 – Donald Rumsfeld born; failed Secretary of War (1975-77, 2001- )
1951 – American writer Dashiell Hammet imprisoned for refusal to testify before House Un-American activities Committee
2002 – African Union established
2005 – Giant Panda Tai Shan born at National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
"I know George Bush. I've worked against George Bush. I've even run against George Bush. But Ned, I'm not George Bush," said Joseph Lieberman recently to primary challenger Ned Lamont, in a not very clever rip-off of Lloyd Bentsen’s devastating putdown of Dan Quayle in 1984. No one is accusing you of being George Bush, Joe, just of doing his dirty work.
Some of Lieberman’s partisans say he’s been judged by an unfair litmus test on the Iraq War, such as con-servatives impose on judicial nominees regarding abortion.
The reason for this latter litmus test is that most con-servatives believe abortion is murder, murder is unconstitutional, and therefore anyone pro-choice is unfit to serve in the judiciary. Whether one agrees that abortion is murder, the argument is logical, given that premise.
The argument against Lieberman is that the War is illegal under the Constitution (since it has not been declared by Congress) and illegal under the Charter of the United Nations (which sanctions war in self-defense, but not war because another nation might attack one at some possible future time), and support for such a war in an offense of such gravity as to make one an unfit candidate for United States Senate.
To “refute” this argument by labeling it a “Republican-style litmus test” is a slur, not a response to the argument.
I must agree on the two counts of illegality. I further judge that it is a war which is harming the security of the people of Iraq, the peoples of the region, the entire world, and the USA/USE/USSA. I further judge that no probable outcome of this war can justify the harm it is causing.
By supporting this criminal war, Joseph Lieberman has shown judgment unfit for the United States Senate.
In supporting King George's War, Joseph Lieberman has neglected the counsel of the prophet Samuel, who warned what kings would be like: "He will take your sons to be soldiers and serfs, and your daughters to be cooks and servants. He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive orchards and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of all you produce and give it to his servants. He will take the best of all you have, and you will be his slaves. In that day you will cry out because of the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you". (I Samuel 8:11-18)
If Joseph Lieberman wishes to adopt the values and actions of a George Warlord Bush Republican, let him join that party and run for its nomination.
By his support for this murderous, illegal war, Joseph Lieberman has left the Democratic Party. It should bid him farewell and good riddance without remorse.
______________________________
On this day in history:
1440 – Flemish painter Jan van Eyck dies (born ca. 1385)
1789 – National Assembly of France re-forms itself as National Constituent Assembly and prepares to write a constitution
1868 – 14th Amendment ratified; all born in the U.S. or naturalized are citizens, whose rights cannot be abridged without due process of law
1932 – Donald Rumsfeld born; failed Secretary of War (1975-77, 2001- )
1951 – American writer Dashiell Hammet imprisoned for refusal to testify before House Un-American activities Committee
2002 – African Union established
2005 – Giant Panda Tai Shan born at National Zoo, Washington, D.C.
posted by HH at 9:54 PM
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