Apologists For Mark Foley

It just seems sick that Republican Pundits have to bring out dirty laundry in order to defend Mark Foley. Mark Davis this morning on WBAP, was trying to walk that tightrope. He was going on about Mark Foley and how dispiccable his actions were, then started talking about sex crimes committed by Democrats and complained that some of them were allowed to stay in office and Mark Foley wasn't!

Well, they didn't stay long, but I guess that ruins the point.

But Mark Davis is just one of many voices that are complaining that Mark Foley resigned. Couched this way, the argument is properly pendantic and seems almost reasonable. They are complaining that a Republican was booted out of office faster for committing crimes, than some Democrats were. As if they want pedophile Republicans to stay in office.

But they don't want that, but they do...

Now the way they couch the topic, is that Democrats don't get punished for being pedophiles, and so Mark Foley got a bad rap. Ignoring for a moment that their argument is flawed, is the unspoken meaning behind this, that they are jealous that Democrats are pedophiles and they wish their members could be too?

I would guess that Mark Davis would strongly disagree with such an analysis if asked the question directly.

But where does the, "But mommy! All the other kids did it too!" argument, logically lead to? Well in this case, it circles back to a defense of Mark Foley.

Much of our political debate is entrenched with such childish logic, as though our ability to communicate and discuss the issues, has never quite passed beyond puberty. And our politicians seem to be nothing more than spoiled children. So many of them aren't very bright and and aren't emotionally mature.

In some forums, when I point out that Bush or someone has done something stupid, defenders will often strike back the the very logical argument, "You're only saying that because you hate him!" Well that's another fine example of a childish and immature argument. Rather than debate whether something stupid actually happened, the discussion is framed about how it makes people feel.

This arguing from the gut, as Stephen Colbert puts it, seems to be epidemic. Our media blasts us daily from all directions with feelings, and choices of feelings. Oppposing views are often framed according to likes and dislikes rather than logic, facts and data. We're presented with stories to make us feel, not think. Debates are framed to capture our feelings and to tune out rational thought. After all, if we start thinking, then the terrorists win, don't they? You don't want the terrorists to win do you?

So how do we make people grow up? How do we force adults to mature and to think with their heads, and not with their television trained feelings? I don't think we can.

The generation of Americans that I personally knew, that could do this with some degree of competency, began their training in 1929. That's a cold sobering thought. The clappers were a generation that I think, must've been similar in attitude to today's Americans. I wonder what it was like to live among them as the Great Depression rolled in and they were forced to adapt or die?

This video was stolen from Crooks And Liars.