Deranged Philosophical Outpourings

Wednesday, February 27, 2002

(emphasis added)
O'REILLY: How would you -- you know, for people who want to put you in perspective, how would you describe yourself politically? You voted for Nader, right?

MOORE: Yes, I voted for Nader. I don't know. I'm a person who believes that everybody should get a fair shake. And I think that most Americans believe the same thing.

O'REILLY: They do, but it's just a matter of degree. I mean, do you believe that the government should take money from the wealthy and give it to the poor? Or do you believe that, income redistribution?

I would love to know what the hell a degree of a fair shake looks like.

Part of the problem I have with any political discussion is that they tend towards the discussion two ancient Greeks might have about the nature of the surface of a star; the discussion could be right on the mark, could be way the hell off, but it's so far removed from any actual experience of the situation that it's pointless to discuss it. A Republican cabinet member and a Democratic senator going at it would be interesting, but actual discussion of politics by those in politics is so rare that it's not worth looking for, imho.

Most of the people who actually land in a political office won't talk about politics; they talk in shit-speak, discussing programs and happy words like "beneficial" and "benevolence". You know that you've found an honest politician when you see one who has nothing to gain from holding any specific view, and those are either dead or so far removed from their former posts that people claim they're being bitter.

Now, just hear me out. I have a plan. It's a bad plan, but it couldn't possibly be worse than the current system, so what the hell?

What if every elected office carried a death penalty?

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I hear you. More impetus to get elected to other offices, blah blah blah. Yeah, maybe -- maybe not. There's already huge impetus to move up the ladder; now there would be an impetus to move down the ladder if you weren't sure you could win in a higher office. Rich shits with time and zero ethics are all too willing to throw money at a campaign; would they be quite so callous with their very life?

No, of course not.

Only people serious -- or extraordinary risk-takers -- would go for high offices. Frankly, that's who I'd like to see there, instead of these chinless fucks the US has had the habit of electing the last, oh, thirty Presidents or so.

I want to get bumper stickers made that say, in full patriotic glory, "Elect Schmuck". That way I wouldn't have to change bumper stickers every few years. (Not that I do; I'm being figurative.)
posted by Gregory 12:07 PM