Friday, February 19, 2010

Musings: Idealist at Heart

The moon, a burnt umber wedge caught in a swirling vortex of luminescent clouds, had long since set when Koko and I went walking in the striated gray of morning. A pheasant cackled in the pasture and the birds awoke with slow, solitary chirps as I stepped up the pace, feeling the chill wind against my legs.

Along the road we ran into my neighbor Andy and his dog Momi, who bounded into a neighbor’s yard in pursuit of unidentified prey, which caused Koko, who was leashed, to emit a chorus of bitter whining yelps in protest, which prompted another neighbor preparing to leave for work to comment: “You’ve got an interesting call of the wild going there.”

But Koko was not chagrined, nor is Sarah Palin, who continues to put her inarticulate, buffooning self into the spotlight, despite the derision and jokes at her expense, and who had entered our conversation when Andy asked, in response to my comment that Obama wasn’t turning out to be much different than W, other than he speaks with a lot more intelligence, “Well, who would you rather have, Obama or Sarah Palin?”

And that sobered us both up, especially when we recalled that we’d laughingly dismissed the prospect of Reagan getting elected, and then the next thing we knew, he was winning an Academy Award for his role as president. Terrifying as the thought may be, Sarah Palin as president is not an impossibility in America.

Sen. Dan Inouye, meanwhile, launched his campaign for yet another six-year term — he’ll be 92 when it’s pau — with a banquet at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Wednesday night. It was attended by some 2,000 persons and Farmer Jerry, pressed into service to represent the Kauai Farm Bureau, was among them.

“Did he give a speech?” I asked.

“Yes,” Jerry replied. “He talked about his new wife a lot, and how she’s well-proportioned.”

It’s kind of hard to understand why Inouye needs to raise money or even campaign, seeing as how no one has even announced they’re running against him. He’s one of those job-for-life politicians, who really knows how to bring home the bacon, especially when it comes to the militarization of Hawaii.

Obama, meanwhile, has delivered the bacon to Exelon, the largest operator of nuclear power plants in the United States, with his recent endorsement of that highly toxic, yet somehow also "clean and green," energy source and promise of federal “loan guarantees” — as if the $8 billion (for starters) will ever be paid back. As Democracy Now!reported:

And the firm was a major—has historically been a major backer of President Obama. And two of his chief aides have ties to Exelon. Rahm Emanuel, as an investment banker, helped put together the deal that eventually merged, created Exelon. And David Axelrod was a lobbyist for Exelon. So there are very close ties between the chairman of Exelon, John [“Chicago Johnnie”] Rowe, and the Obama administration.

A journalist friend who has covered the nuke industry for decades was more explicit when we exchanged emails about the broadcast:

The deal is campaign money from pro-nukers, a least a million for approval for 81 nuclear reactors.

Straightforward. Pretty simple.

Hmmm, I have always thought all these Psycho MFs sell us out pretty fucking cheap! These are likely to be $10 to $20 Billion dollar construction projects apiece.


BLNR Chairwoman Laura Thielen, meanwhile, has signed off on Bruce Laymon’s Conservation District Use Application, which means he can build his cattle fence at Larson’s Beach, which means we’ll see if the county really meant it or was full of shit when it said we won’t let Bruce do anything that would close off access to that beach.

Andy, who shared the news, said he was disappointed that Thielen didn’t require a public hearing, as the information contained in Bruce’s application was so rudimentary, with many questions about the project’s environmental and cultural impacts left unanswered.

“So you’re disappointed that the agency charged with protecting the public’s resources, isn’t?” I asked.

“Yes,” Andy said. "I am."

“I don’t know why, when you’ve seen time and time again that they don’t,” I said. “But that’s what I like about you, Andy. You’re still an idealist at heart.”

So is my reporter friend, and farmer Jerry, and even I.

How else could one go on?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Much of the fun in electing anti-intellectuals to high office is watching the self-anointed intelligentsia howl in indignation.

Anonymous said...

If we just put all Kauai eligible voters that were qualified to serve on the county council in a hat and just drew at random "winners" to serve as county council members as a duty of citizenship would the process function worse, better, or the same? My guess would be the same or perhaps even better than it does now, and certainly no worse.

Anonymous said...

I think chronic discontent with society is genetic. It doesn't stem from idealism. It stems from being hard wired to be malcontent.

Same with religious fanatics. It's genetic. They can't help themselves.

Anonymous said...

Discontent and religion genetic? That explains why the billions spent to influence peoples opinions are not ineffective!

I can't understand why you are "chronically discontent" and pray to god for me to take my foot of your neck -- it must be genetic. Poor 'ting!

Anonymous said...

It's a common theme in public discourse: My side is full of passionate idealism -- your side is just a bunch of angry fruitcakes.

Anonymous said...

Sarah Palin, who continues to put her inarticulate, buffooning self into the spotlight, despite the derision and jokes at her expense

"Despite"? Are you kidding? Calling Palin and her supporters dimbulbs and buffoons only stokes populist resentment and plays right into her note-covered hand. She wants you arrogant, social-outsider types to express disdain for her and her supporters. You are perfect foils for her. It implies to normal average people, "you want to vote for the snobby, think-they-know-it-all scolds and complainers, or for me?"

Anonymous said...

I'm a sarcastic cynic at heart.

It leaves me rarely disappointed but always laughing.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha! That is so true. People like Joan are supposed to hate people like Palin. Otherwise the world would be all topsy turvy.

Dawson said...

"Much of the fun in electing anti-intellectuals to high office is watching the self-anointed intelligentsia howl in indignation."

Word-choice issues.

"Much of the fun for self aggrandizing paranoiacs in electing self aggrandizing paranoiacs to high office is watching their virtual selves play emperor."

Fixed.

Anonymous said...

"Much of the fun for self aggrandizing paranoiacs in electing self aggrandizing paranoiacs to high office is watching their virtual selves play emperor."

calling the other side "paranoiacs" seems to contain its own seed of paranoia.

Anonymous said...

Who's our next president? Consider television personalities given Ronnie's hosting "Death Valley Days" before he became California's governor (and then president). As for Palin,
"average" people think she's stupid, too. Yeah, electing that anti-intellectual Bush twice and watching him screw up American foreign and domestic policy was a hoot.

Dawson said...

calling the other side "paranoiacs" seems to contain its own seed of paranoia.

Who said either political party has the edge on self-aggrandizing paranoiacs?

Anonymous said...

As for Palin, "average" people think she's stupid, too.

Projection: the tendency to ascribe to another person feelings, thoughts, or attitudes present in oneself

Anonymous said...

Yeah, electing that anti-intellectual Bush twice and watching him screw up American foreign and domestic policy was a hoot.

It was worth it just to see your scowl every time he said, "nukyular."

Dawson said...

Projection: the tendency to ascribe to another person feelings, thoughts, or attitudes present in oneself

Demagogue: one who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of projectionists.

Anonymous said...

electing that anti-intellectual Bush twice and watching him screw up American foreign and domestic policy

Bush didn't screw up anything. Congress did. Both dems and repubs. Put that in your pot pipe.

Joan Conrow said...

I hadn't realized my blog was popular with the anti-intellectual, social-insider crowd. I'll have to start putting in dictionary links for the big words so they don't get frustrated and vent their spleen in the comments section.

Anonymous said...

"It was worth it just to see your scowl every time he said, "nukyular.""

Or,

"But all in all, it's been a fabulous year for Laura and me."

Bush press release in December, 2001

or

"There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — [pauses] - shame on you. Fool me — You can't get fooled again. "

Bush press conference September, 2002.

I could go on, but it's giving you too much pleasure. Hey, if you really want to mess with my head, give a couple thou to Palin's campaign for prez.

Anonymous said...

As for Palin, "average" people think she's stupid, too.

"Projection: the tendency to ascribe to another person feelings, thoughts, or attitudes present in oneself"

You're right. I think she's stupid, too.

Anonymous said...

"Sarah Palin, who continues to put her inarticulate, buffooning self into the spotlight"

-- i like the part where she writes prep notes on her hand hahaha


"he’ll be 92 when it’s pau"

-- that guy still seems pretty sharp tho, mentally


dear February 19, 2010 8:59 AM and February 19, 2010 9:38 AM. nice points


dwps

Anonymous said...

"My side is full of passionate idealism -- your side is just a bunch of angry fruitcakes."

who says you can't be a passionate idealist and an angry fruitcake?

Anonymous said...

Dawson said...

calling the other side "paranoiacs" seems to contain its own seed of paranoia.

Who said either political party has the edge on self-aggrandizing paranoiacs?

Dawson, You consistently and correctly point out how the anti-intellectual, delusional puddin' heads put words in other peoples mouths and then criticize the person for saying what they never said. Thanks for the clarity!

The Master said...

" Dawson said... Demagogue: one who obtains power by means of impassioned appeals to the emotions and prejudices of projectionists. February 19, 2010 11:47 AM"

Why does Dawson hate movie theater projector operators? They have feelings too!

[chill...just a joke...as TOO OFTEN needs to be pointed out here...]

Anonymous said...

You're all a bunch of nutcases and should spend a few months off your weirdo island.

Move to NYC or somewhere like that for a while.

The Master said...

"You're all a bunch of nutcases and should spend a few months off your weirdo island. Move to NYC or somewhere like that for a while."


Geez. Now dat don't sound like a joke to me...