So probably everybody knows that Gary Hart has a blog now.
It’s yawningly boring. I read the posts and begin to feel my eyes automatically roll back into my head. I dare you to try to get through one post without succumbing to instant narcolepsy.
Chuck Karczag questioned my proposal for an international peace-making force. Under the UN or a future UN Plus, this force, composed of contributing forces from participating nations, would stop hostilities in volatile regions or act to protect civilians in conflict environments. Diplomats and peace-keepers could then move in to adjudicate resolution of the conflict. Without some democratically-controlled international capability of this sort, the US will continue to be tempted to go it alone, as in Panama, or with “coalitions of the willing” as in Iraq, or do nothing as in Rwanda. I welcome a dialogue with Chuck and others on this, since it needs to be further thought through. I understand the complexity of the proposal and can think of a number of questions myself, but let me know a better alternative.
zzzzzzz
But not just the “zzzz” factor: I feel I may completely lose my mind if I have to hear the word “dialogue” again. It has become my least favorite word in the English language. After “pleather”. Dialogue, dialogue, dialogue, dialogue … Oh, people, just SHUT UP. I love a good rap-session with the friends as much as the next person, but this is not what “dialogue”, used in this context, means.
A couple more bitchy observations and then I’ll shut up:
— “Wars alter history” opines Mr. Hart. Really?? I am shocked that I have never realized this concept before now.
— The Scare Quote Epidemic
There are the usual suspects:
* “liberate”
* “coalitions of the willing”
* the Bush “team” (I find this one particularly NASTY – schoolboy bitchiness)
* But serious foreign policy thinkers have pointed out that “democracy” is not necessarily liberality.
About that last one there: do you want the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES to put scare quotes around the word DEMOCRACY?
— And finally, after an interminably long series of questions (Why is the administration doing this? Why aren’t the Democrats doing this? Where are the blah blahs? Why are we yadda yadda? Where have all the flowers gone? Do you know the way to San Jose?), Mr. Hart says: “Sadly, I have been unable to find an answer to give.”
Dear sir, if you want my vote, you’re gonna have to do a little bit better than that.
“But Mr. Hart, what are we to DO?”
“Hell if I know.”
“Then … uh … why should I vote for you?”
“Because I really really want it, and also because I am smarter than just about anyone who has ever lived on the face of this earth.”
(Only in his mind it would look like this: I am “smarter” than just “about anyone” who has “ever” lived on the “face” of this “earth”.)
