Althouse: "This thirst for total control of our government has driven them to things I thought I would never see..."

July 14, 2005

"This thirst for total control of our government has driven them to things I thought I would never see..."

"...in the United States Senate."

So says Hillary Clinton in a letter I received in the mail today. The nerve of George Bush -- "after squeaking to victory with the lowest margin of any second term president" (AKA winning by a decisive margin) -- to want to reform Social Security and appoint conservative Supreme Court justices, she argues. Money is requested to help "stop the GOP power grab."

The theme of the letter is that the Republicans are power mad. But the exaggerated tone of the letter itself seems mad.

10 comments:

Mark Daniels said...: Both parties go for the "sure money," the contributions of hyper-partisans. That in turn, influences the respective parties to become more partisan and shrill and intractable. Meanwhile, the rest of the country gets completely turned off and anything like thoughtfulness is left out of our political debate.; 7/14/05, 5:23 PM
Contributors said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 7/14/05, 5:56 PM
Contributors said...: Of course we're power-mad. Isn't that the whole idea? They're wrong? We're right? We want our ideology to rule the country and then the world?

What partisan worth their salt doesn't believe that? Why get into the game if you don't?

And if memory serves her Hubby was operating on 43% of the vote when she launched her all-out power grab of the nation's healthcare system. (49% second term, but who's counting?)

Man, she's shrill.; 7/14/05, 5:57 PM
P_J said...: I thought I read something about the Republicans "grabbing power" last November... Is Hillary seeking money for an Ohio recount?; 7/14/05, 8:32 PM
P_J said...: This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.; 7/14/05, 8:36 PM
P_J said...: Ann,

Was your next-to-last sentence a typo? It should read: "The theme of the letter is that the Republicans are power[ful and the Dems are] mad."

From the headline, I assume she was talking about Democrat filibustering, right?; 7/14/05, 8:50 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: Yes, I think she is playing to her base for contributions. The problem is whether this sort of shrillness is going to come back to haunt her when she runs for president in a couple of years.

I know it turns me off - but she is one of the last Democrats I would ever vote for, not because of her sex, but rather her personality, and more importantly, ethics, or lack thereof. I have heard said, and I think it has some validity, that if there was a sexual scandal, it was Bill, but if it was a scandal about money or abuse of power, it was she. I would rather have a sexual preditor in the White House than someone who pulls FBI files on Republicans and lies about billing records.; 7/14/05, 9:11 PM
Anonymous said...: "I would rather have a sexual preditor in the White House than someone who pulls FBI files on Republicans and lies about billing records."

Strangely, I find this a most sensible statement. :)

de Toqueville--who admired our regular elections because they assumed even seemingly wonderful presidents would eventually do damage--would appreciate it, too.; 7/14/05, 9:41 PM
vnjagvet said...: Is Hillary a reincarnation of a certain politician whose opposition thoroughly hated from roughly 1948 until 1974, when he left the White House?

Shrill at times; devious, ruthless, and a bit stiff on the hustings. But played his base masterfully. Always seeking the center, too.

Ironic isn't it that she got her start as part of the staff of the Congress which eventually brought
him down.

Ahhh, history.; 7/14/05, 9:54 PM
Jim C. said...: She's channelling Dean. Again. Hillary as reported in the NY Times on June 6.

"There has never been an administration, I don't believe in our history, more intent upon consolidating and abusing power to further their own agenda,"..."I can tell you this: It's very hard to stop people who have no shame about what they're doing. It is very hard to tell people that they are making decisions that will undermine our checks and balances and constitutional system of government who don't care. It is very hard to stop people who have never been acquainted with the truth."

Etc., etc., ad nauseam.; 7/14/05, 10:09 PM