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418417 Responseshttp://www.antiwar.com/blog/2008/02/15/arlen-specter-american-hero/Arlen+Specter%2C+American+Hero2008-02-15+17%3A45%3A42Matt+Barganier to “Arlen Specter, American Hero”
This figures. Just as Congress has been/is investigating steroid use in baseball. THOSE are important things folks. Torture and that sort of stuff, well, that is just too small an issue for our “dignified(???)” Congress to stoop to looking into.
No sir, bu the gods, we MUST have clean baseball and football.
Bread and circuses for all.
semper fi folks
The performance of Spector re Belichek and Waxman re Roger Clemens goes beyond fodder for comedians. To me, this week was a disgusting perfomance by the US Congress. And the media even dares to “discuss” the “issue” of waterboarding when it was thought that civilization had resolved that issue in the Middle Ages. I have concluded that America is not “heading for disaster.” America is a disaster.
Let’s not let the media off the hook here. If they didn’t report on such trivia it wouldn’t give the politicians the platform on which to grandstand in the first place. It’s interesting that you have to go to Stewart or Colbert to even see these twisted priorities questioned. The rest of the media seems to agree with these imbecilic priorities.
I wonder if Henry Waxman will find the time after he clears up what Roger Clemens did or did not put in his butt he’ll have time for the Sibel Edmonds case?
This is bulls**t. Arlen Specter is the man who barfed up the “single shot” theory that was the final opinion of the Warren Commission on the JFK assignation. He knew the theory was wrong. The theory cannot be corroborated by even a single eyewitness. The eyewitnesses all reported between 3 and 5 shots.
Is it possible that one steroid injection splashed onto Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, et al.? It is obviously the only solution that fits all of the evidence.
May I make what might seem a curious suggestion to those with a bit of a scholarly bent? There is an article by the late Keith Hopkins, “Eunuchs in politics in the later Roman Empire” (PCPhS 189 [1963] 62-80;), also available in revised form in his Conquerors and Slaves 1978).
He makes an interesting case for the various uses of scapegoats around a central autocratic rulers, including eunuchs in the Late Roman Empire and Jews in Eastern Europe around various monarchs.
It did not occur to him, however, that it was also part of the scapegoats’ function actually to increase the autocratic power of the rulers they were dependent on.
I knew Hopkins personally many decades ago when we were both working on closely connected subjects, though from different directions.
His whole body of work, which is considerable, is pertinent to anyone interested in how autocracies function.
No doubt this will be more and more valuable as the United States continues its fall into empire.
It is getting to the point at which it seems the preventive and monitory virtues of such knowledge and analysis is no longer of any use save academic interest.
Susan
February 15th, 2008 at 11:51 am
If this isn’t reason enough for the people of PA to dump this clown then they get what they deserve.
Jim
February 15th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
There are 99 more a$$hats just like him in the Senate. Three of them are running for Superpower Ruler of the World.
And it’s not enough for the people of this nation to dump them and every other enabler of empire abroad and polcie state at home.
We all get the government we deserve.
charlie ehlen
February 15th, 2008 at 1:35 pm
This figures. Just as Congress has been/is investigating steroid use in baseball. THOSE are important things folks. Torture and that sort of stuff, well, that is just too small an issue for our “dignified(???)” Congress to stoop to looking into.
No sir, bu the gods, we MUST have clean baseball and football.
Bread and circuses for all.
semper fi folks
Sam W
February 15th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
The performance of Spector re Belichek and Waxman re Roger Clemens goes beyond fodder for comedians. To me, this week was a disgusting perfomance by the US Congress. And the media even dares to “discuss” the “issue” of waterboarding when it was thought that civilization had resolved that issue in the Middle Ages. I have concluded that America is not “heading for disaster.” America is a disaster.
Paul Borowicz
February 15th, 2008 at 3:45 pm
Spector is no stranger to controversy, he is the author of the “single bullet theory” in the Kennedy assassination.
peace
February 15th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Thanks for this link to this Arlen Specter interview on Jon Stewart. I otherwise would have missed it. Such lowlifes rule us!
Chris Baker
February 15th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
Specter in many respects is a hero. He was one of the few people who defended Randy Weaver after the feds murdered his wife at Ruby Ridge.
Bill Rood
February 15th, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Let’s not let the media off the hook here. If they didn’t report on such trivia it wouldn’t give the politicians the platform on which to grandstand in the first place. It’s interesting that you have to go to Stewart or Colbert to even see these twisted priorities questioned. The rest of the media seems to agree with these imbecilic priorities.
evilpaul
February 15th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I wonder if Henry Waxman will find the time after he clears up what Roger Clemens did or did not put in his butt he’ll have time for the Sibel Edmonds case?
WTF?
February 15th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
This is bulls**t. Arlen Specter is the man who barfed up the “single shot” theory that was the final opinion of the Warren Commission on the JFK assignation. He knew the theory was wrong. The theory cannot be corroborated by even a single eyewitness. The eyewitnesses all reported between 3 and 5 shots.
Tim Maples
February 16th, 2008 at 4:38 am
Is it possible that one steroid injection splashed onto Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, et al.? It is obviously the only solution that fits all of the evidence.
Eric Garris
February 16th, 2008 at 8:08 am
The “American Hero” part is sarcasm, read the post.
Eugene Costa
February 16th, 2008 at 8:49 am
May I make what might seem a curious suggestion to those with a bit of a scholarly bent? There is an article by the late Keith Hopkins, “Eunuchs in politics in the later Roman Empire” (PCPhS 189 [1963] 62-80;), also available in revised form in his Conquerors and Slaves 1978).
He makes an interesting case for the various uses of scapegoats around a central autocratic rulers, including eunuchs in the Late Roman Empire and Jews in Eastern Europe around various monarchs.
It did not occur to him, however, that it was also part of the scapegoats’ function actually to increase the autocratic power of the rulers they were dependent on.
I knew Hopkins personally many decades ago when we were both working on closely connected subjects, though from different directions.
His whole body of work, which is considerable, is pertinent to anyone interested in how autocracies function.
No doubt this will be more and more valuable as the United States continues its fall into empire.
It is getting to the point at which it seems the preventive and monitory virtues of such knowledge and analysis is no longer of any use save academic interest.
Fan of Raimondo and Garris
February 16th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Thank you, Matt! When I saw the headline, I had to wonder if it was meant as sarcasm. If I had the opportunity, I’d buy you an Abita beer!
lester
February 16th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Probably not available on-line, unfortunately.
Eugene Costa
February 17th, 2008 at 12:34 am
Don’t think so–good library or interlibrary loan.
56977d87e5d6
May 8th, 2008 at 10:03 am
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