the proprieties

Alternately praising and upbraiding those who would decide his fate, Blagojevich urged the senators during a 47-minute speech not to remove him from office, saying he had “never, ever intended to violate the law.”

“There hasn’t been a single piece of information that proves any wrongdoing,” said Blagojevich, who was arrested at his Chicago home Dec. 9 on federal corruption charges. “How can you throw a governor out of office with insufficient and incomplete evidence?” [LA Times]

One who serves the public in a position of power and trust has a duty to avoid the appearance of impropriety. He has an affirmative duty to keep his stupid nose clean. So saying, “I acted like a crook, but you haven’t proven I am a crook” doesn’t carry a lot of currency with me.

Conservatives

The modern conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.

- John Kenneth Galbraith, economist (1908-2006)

That’s probably true, except that the definition of conservative has changed. I’m not sure we have any in government, and I doubt the average person who calls themself one could give you a definition that made any sense. So I think the word is better suited as an adjective than a noun. The same could be said for liberal.

Four Days

A time will come when a politician who has wilfully made war and promoted international dissension will be as sure of the dock and much surer of the noose than a private homicide. It is not reasonable that those who gamble with men’s lives should not stake their own.

- H.G. Wells, writer (1866-1946)

Have you been enjoying Bush’s little exit interviews and speechifications? He suddenly seems calmer, more reflective, doesn’t he? It has to be a relief to him that finally the whole historic clusterfuck he made in America is about to be somebody else’s problem.

Now before we all revert to 2000 and start wishin’ we could BBQ with this good ol’ plainspoken downhome Texican, ’cause maybe we misunderestimated him and he’s not so bad, remember this:

Evil is as evil does. But maybe we could have a little burgers and beans, and Q&A:

I’d like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet—your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth—what was your real reason? You have said it wasn’t oil—quest for oil, it hasn’t been Israel, or anything else. What was it?

- Helen Thomas

A time will come when Helen’s questions will be answered. Until then, at least we have the consolation of not having George Bush to kick around anymore. It’s not impeachment, but it’s sweet.