Sen. Byrd and Sen. Kennedy can now resume their sometimes heated, sometimes cordial debates to delight of God – because she will appreciate the unparalleled thoughtfulness and intelligence.
In many ways, Sen. Byrd’s growth as a legislator and person embodied the growth of the American people in the 20th Century: from narrow-minded fear to an embrace of a much broader view of the world and compassion.
Ah, yes, but if only we could drag along that boisterous minority that clings to fear as its primary motivation.
Fear of losing something they have.
Fear of not getting something they want.
Fear of others acting in ways they deem inappropriate.
Fear in the electorate is fueled by the desire of the political minority to achieve ultimate power. But those seeking power at all costs fail to understand electoral power in the good ol’ US of A can’t be realized without…um…the backing of the people. At least, not yet.
And one-dimensional historical interpretations can not tell a complete or accurate story.
Take, for example, the small minority who fear the Obama Presidency. Who knows why they really fear President Obama. Who knows if it makes any sense, politically or philosophically? It’s just fear and fear – by any measure – is irrational.
The President could hold a press conference today to announce the sky will continue to remain blue and Fox News would immediately campaign to its minions to oppose such an outlandish projection.
The GOP once found Fox News convenient and useful. Having an entire network at a political party’s disposal is very useful, indeed, and unprecedented in American politics. But it’s been quite evident for a while that rather than the GOP controlling Fox News, the Fox has been put in charge of guarding the GOP hen house.
The GOP has grown increasingly cloistered in the hollow and howling absurdities of the Fox.
Never before has such a weak and fear-driven minority been given such a disproportionately loud voice.
One of Fox News’ latest campaigns has been to demonize – yet again – the Obama Administration’s successful effort to get Gulf of Mexico destroyer BP to cough up $20 billion for an escrow fund to pay for damage.
According to a CNN poll, 85 percent of Americans support that move by the President. Only 5 percent of Americans think President Obama has been too tough on BP.
And, yet, Fox News trot scores of protagonists to defend BP against the harsh attacks by President Obama. The Fox is shoutin’ but the chickens ain’t listenin’.
Maybe rather than Fox, the network should rename itself the News That Cried Wolf.
One final note: Frances Cobb Hart would have turned 81 today. Bless her.
