Symbolism and Death
December 30th, 2006The AP is running a piece about lawmakers that they, and the country, will miss. In the profile they mention Dick Pombo, who is, in my opinion, the most significant defeat in the House of Representatives.
Rep. Richard Pombo, R-Calif., a cowboy-boot-wearing beef rancher who proved the clout of his biggest adversary, the environmental community. Pombo first ran for Congress in 1991 after becoming disgusted over protections for the endangered San Joaquin kit fox near his Central California hometown. He gave environmentalists fits with his unapologetic advocacy for private property rights as chairman of the House Resources Committee. They got even in November, spending $2 million to help Democratic challengers Jerry McNerney, a little known wind energy expert, pull off a stunning upset.
Go check the article out. It’s a good look at some of the departed.
Now, to the big news of the weekend: Saddam Hussein is dead. I’ve got a few thoughts on it but first, this.
Saddam Hussein was hanged at dawn on Saturday for crimes against humanity after Iraq’s prime minister rushed through an execution few believed would help stem the sectarian violence tearing the country apart. The former president, toppled by the U.S. invasion four years ago, was shown on state television going calmly to his death on the scaffold. He was to be buried within hours near his home city of Tikrit. “It was very quick. He died right away,'’ an official witness told Reuters, adding that the body was left to hang for 10 minutes and he was pronounced dead at 6:10 a.m. (0310 GMT).
Of course nobody believes it’ll help stem violence. It’s going to naturally increase the bloodshed for awhile. But ultimately, it’s nothing but a positive for the Iraqi nation to know that that monster is gone for good because it reminds the public that he is gone and reminds future politicians to fear the reaper.
The work in Iraq toward a Democratic future has a new, symbolic beginning. It is up to Washington to work hard at ensuring tomorrow.