Office of the Independent Blogger

How’s that title for catchy?

This time of year isn’t productive to politics or commentary about politics as the Congress breaks and the newsmakers are busy making hot cocoa at home, instead. So I decided over the last couple of days that I would ring in the New Year without coming to the Office, but now I’m back. And while the news isn’t particularly plentiful, it does provide for interesting discourse. Take this story, for instance. Louisiana is sinking into the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists say that the amount is marginal and it’s unlikely that it’ll literally sink away. I don’t doubt them, as even if it did fall into the Gulf it wouldn’t happen for several lifetimes.

I just think it’s further evidence that New Orleans and Louisiana should be on their own in repairing the damage from Hurricane Katrina. If they want to live on sinking land, that’s up to them. But besides that, I think that the federal government should only be involved in disasters like this so far as search and rescue missions need them. Once the water is out and some semblance of order is restored, I believe that it should be up to the state and city to repair themselves though I’m not opposed to federal loans to the city.

I watched Gerald Ford’s funeral today. I understand that Death washes away your sins and people forget your faults and flip your flaws. I just think it’s incredible that people were saying, “Ford healed the nation after Watergate” and “Ford restored integrity.” First of all, the idea that the country was in need of healing is bullshit. Nobody was “troubled” over whether or not to punish Nixon but for Democrats-For-Nixon who looked like idiots when all the knocks on Nixon turned to true and Republican power-brokers who never like to see one of their own go down (I’m looking at George H.W. and Bobby Dole). The American public was unequivocally in favor of punishing him and the public was in favor of punishing Nixon, so that the truth could come out in a court of law. How keeping the truth hidden by selling a pardon (and let’s not kid ourselves: Ford knew he would have to pardon Nixon if he were to take the Vice Presidency, as he knew what he’d have to do if The Worst happened) becomes a “legacy” of “honesty in government” is beyond me.