The Martin Luther King Jr. Day Survey

Actually, it was the survey last week. I asked people do you get Monday off? They mostly said yes. I then asked why? I would say about 80% knew it was MLKJr. Day. Then I would ask, who was Martin Luther. Though some would say the Lutheran founder, most would say something along the lines of the civil rights leader. I would then tell them I was asking about Martin Luther King, Jr., but Martin Luther. A few had not at first been paying attention and corrected themselves.

The great majority had no idea. Now these were not janitorial staff. They were anything from an IT guy to finance pros to grant writers. Many were the type Mr. Lander writes about at SWPL.

Several years ago, my sister was at a function for staff at the bank she works at. All attending were above her and high up on the chain of command. They did a trivia game. Everyone knew the popular culture questions. Then they asked questions like what happened in 1066. When my baby sister said the Battle of Hastings, one of the mucky mucks said disdainfully, "I bet you're good at trivial pursuit." Herself was smart enough to hold her peace, but I know she does not think such ignorance is good for the body politic among people who have so much money.

So for all of you who think we don't let children vote, here are again the words of the old Marcus Tullius,

“To be ignorant of what happened before you were born is to be ever a child. For what is man's lifetime unless the memory of past events is woven with those of earlier times?”

For the record, the person who knew the most about Martin Luther was a mixed race fellow.

Holding My Nose

Jim Hightower and I are not ideologically in tune. I do like the title of one of his books, If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote, They'd Have Given Us Candidates. Here in the Peoples Republic, folks are getting excited about Scott Brown. There is really not much there. He is a chickenhawk who touts his service in the JAG arm of the National Guard. Do they give Purple Hearts for an injury suffered in a food fight at the officer's club? When he is elected, it will be status quo ante with more young men sent to die for our eventual withdrawl. Of course that is true of his opponent.

Brown also supported Romneycare. That debacle is going to cost a lot here in Massachusetts. Still, he will probably be the deciding vote to kill the healthcare bill.

But, in the long run, he won't be all that different. I don't think it matters as we are going to collapse a la the Soviet Union and for some of the same reasons (Afghan war, bloated bureacracy, debt) no matter who is Senator.

No, I shall vote against Coakley because she is, even by Massachusetts* standards, beyond vile. Nothing illustrates this more than the Fells Acre Daycare witch hunt. The case had collapsed and no one believed a shred of it. Martha did not have a big part of that case, but when Gerald Amirault should have been freed, she lobbied Acting Governor Jane Swift to keep an innocent and tragically brave man** in the slammer. There is also the Souza case of state torture of the elderly in the name of protecting the children. Would Martha admit that was wrong? I apologize for that last sentence. It was superfluous.

Though Martha is unworthy of being dogcatcher, if only because the dogs she would catch are, at least morally, her betters, that is not why she may lose. Martha hoped she would not have to say anything in this campaign and just get by because she is the Democrat and that would be enough. Unfortunately for her, her party has taken over the bad economy formerly owned by George Bush. Enough people even here in this political Disneyworld have doubts about Obamacare. Brown, with his macho frat boy looks and personal energy is wowing them. He handles himself well. The silly David Gergen asked him, Are you willing to derail reform for fifteen more years (logic alert! but let it pass) — are you willing to say “I’m going to sit in Ted Kennedy’s seat and I’m going to be the person who is going to block [health reform] for another fifteen years?

Downtown Brown didn't miss a beat, With all due respect,it’s not the Kennedy seat, it’s not the Democrat’s seat, it’s the people’s seat, and they have a chance to send somebody down who is going to be an independent voter and an independent thinker.

The idea that Coakley could have answered as well never entered anyone's mind.

So maybe your man will be elected. My celebration of La Coaks defeat will be treasured. Usually, after a Dem vs. Rep race my reaction is the bad news is so and so won. The good news is so and so lost. On Wednesday morn, if all goes right, my reaction will be, The bad news is Brown won. The great news is Coakley lost.***

*Our last several house speakers are either felons or indicted. Nobody bets the incumbent is pure as the driven snow.

**If Amirault had acquiesced in admitting his guilt, he would he would have been freed much earlier. He is the greatest gentleman in this state.

***The Libertarian appears a decent chap, but nothing special. Still, I feel guilty not giving him a chance.

Happy New Year

he voice of humility wishes everyone a happy and politically incorrect 2010 Anno Domini.