In a recent spate of comments, visitor johnh danced a little triumphalist dance over some weekend news. Neither here nor there, but later in the exchange, he said he was looking forward to more of my balloons bursting come November. Of course, since I'm an egregiously taunting ass, I said, go ahead with the bursting, I've got lots of balloons.
Looks like it's not my balloons that are bursting.
I won't say I'm sorry to see Green fading. I also won't profess to any surprise that he's played fast and loose with campaign finance reform. Gaming the system is hard wired into these people (and let's not get into the partisan directed siege on Doyle's supposed improprieties just yet, shall we? 18 years of Thompson selling Wisconsin like he was a pimp, and he didn't get one-tenth the scrutiny Doyle has).
Of course, as kos has said, it's not time to rest just yet. The Republicans have yet to pull the Diebold factor, and the last couple of weeks are the dirty ad season. They are good at pulling just enough out of the hat to win, so there's still work to be done.
But it's a good sign that Green will have about a half million less to spend. More Balloons, please!
Why is it, tc, that you can call Republicans playing the system some sort of genetic trait, but before anybody has said anything about Doyle doing the exact same thing you're already pooh poohing the issue? You can't have it both ways, or at least you shouldn't. If Thompson truly pimped out Wisconsin, then take him to task for it.
ReplyDeleteBut to somehow use past perceived improprieties by the previous administration to defend Jim Doyle's fairly extensive track record of iffy ethics and contracts that smack more than a little of 'I'll oil your back if you oil mine' is disingenuous at best. This is a major problem I have with much of what you write tc-- you are very good at spotting the shortcomings of those you disagree with, but seem almost genetically incapable of crediting any Republican with honesty, ingenuity or even a good idea; and you seem almost equally unable to take Dems to task for the same thing you rail against in Republicans.
Which is a shame, because it automatically and reflexively channels your intellect and analysis, both of which are substantial, into pre-ordained channels rather than allowing them the full breath of perspective.
Look, I don't like Doyle. I think he's mostly been a waste of space, and I think the consistent pattern of campaign contributions to groups and individuals who then receive gov't contracts is more than a little suspicious.
But then again, I don't like Mark Green much either. He's just... empty. I have no idea what he stands for, nor do I see any particular leadership ability which is something Wisconsin could very much use these days.
And yet I've seen the "Mark Green Team" attack ads being run by "non-partisan" groups and your "dirty ad season" comment literally made me laugh out loud. Once again, you seem to be unable to see that the Dems' attack ads are just as vicious and ridiculous as the Republicans. I know, I know, "just playing by the same rules as the other guys."
Doesn't work that way. If it's wrong for one side, it's wrong for the other. If all is fair, then stop bitching about the other side's use of shady tactics. If it's not, then be honest and admit that your side is just as bad.
Case in point-- I am appalled by this administrations blase attitude toward possible use of torture on prisoners. I imagine you are too. The justification given for this is usually "well, the other side does it, so we have to as well." Do you buy that? I don't. Lowering yourself to the other guy's level is always an option-- and if you take it, you are subject to the exact same criticism as the other guy. You are equally as morally bankrupt as the other guy.
More so if you then claim to have the moral high ground. Which is why I have my undies in a bunch about this, I guess-- it bugs me when people decry how horrible something is and then turn a blind eye to the exact same thing being done by someone they support.
It's easy to get so wrapped up in how much you don't want the other guy to win that you fail to see that winning at any cost really isn't winning any more. Because you're just as slimy and dirty as the guy you "beat".
Andrew Sullivan has a great quote from George Orwell on his blog page. I leave you with it:
"To see what is in front of one's nose needs a constant struggle."