It's no secret I hate politics and politicians. For the most part, I try to adhere to a strict "if we ignore them, maybe they'll go away" philosophy. (Pols are like spoiled children -- giving them attention is just giving them what they want.)
But I've been admiring Nebraska senator Chuck Hagel's outspoken criticism of Bush, Cheney, and their stupid war for a while now, and the prospect -- however remote at this time -- of his 2008 presidential candidacy gives me a sort of political thrill I haven't experienced in many years.
He hasn't said he's running, of course, and there's nothing really to say he will. And even if he did, I'm not sure I'd go back on my "don't vote, it only encourages them" vow. But if anyone could tempt me, it would be a guy who says stuff like this:
I took an oath of office to the Constitution; I didn't take an oath of office to my party or my president.And this:
We have always been able to protect national security without sacrificing the liberties of the individual. Once you lose those rights, it's very hard to get them back. There have been arguments made that if we just give up a few rights, it will be easier to preserve our national security. That should never, ever happen. When you take office, you take an oath to protect and defend the Constitution. That is your first responsibility.Sending more troops to Iraq? That would be "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam." Slobbering all over Israel? That "need not and cannot be at the expense of our Arab and Muslim relationships." War as a solution to the world's ills? "If we are going to make it, we need a far greater appreciation and respect for others, or we're going to blow up mankind."
Hagel is like the anti-John McCain, that tiresome warmonger for whom I have an abiding contempt. And unlike current media darling Barack Obama, Hagel actually has substance. And balls. Watch him call his senatorial colleagues a bunch of pussies:
The guy's right, too. The majority party in Congress at any given time is the Spineless Douchebag Party.
Even better, though, Hagel has laid verbal beatdowns individually on clueless fucktard Condoallelozzzawhateverthefuck Rice and insufferable prick Joe Lieberman. I'd love to see more personalized tongue-lashings like that.
Justin Raimondo of Antiwar.com has gone so far as to herald the "Return of the Old Right" in Hagel. I'm hardly that optimistic, but who knows? Maybe sometime in the not-so-distant future you'll see a "Hagel 2008" sign in front of my house.
Bonus points to any philosophy nerds who get the pun in this post's title.
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