Somehow, beneath the almost sappy allusions to a new Reich in Sacramento that would have political foes newly resolved under the guiding hands of Der GoverFuhrer to work for the common good of all Kaleefornians, there were discernible the faint refrains of The Horst Wessel Song. It was only weeks ago, on the other side of the fires that showed us that the “terminated” Gray One wasn’t such a bad sort after all, and a paragon of civility, that the campaign references were to storming the State Reichstag (oops, Legislature) and “kicking some butt.
©2003, UrbisMedia
And now, the onetime admirer of National Socialism and buddy of Kurt Waldheim played the fans in the inaugural audience with references to his immigration, not the taking of the Sudetenland, and family, not those impure non-Aryans. There were no references to the injuries of the Treaty of Versailles (but none to those of Enron, either). The hammy hands that won’t take womens’ “no” for an answer, didn’t launch out in the old salute to the throng that assembled to “Heil” him into office, but there was, if one looked closely enough, that occasional smug pout and steely eye of one who felt the power of the obedient mob not long ago, but beyond the recall of those who believe history began with Terminator I.
Sure, these seem like petulant allusions, almost picking on the poor(?) man’s ethnicity, hardly worthy of the norms of an avowed liberal. No, its his politics and attitudes, not his ethnicity (or would that be “race” and in “Master”), that will be “managed” out of sight as the silly diversion of youth in a steroid haze, that are of concern. He could have selected Konrad Adenauer as his idol. Sure, he’s pro-choice and has some other worthy planks in the “social” side of his platform, and I won’t gainsay them as political pandering, but the Gray One had these as well. But where’s the choice he gave to women to keep from being groped? (C’mon Clinton-bashers, I can’t hear you! ) So much is made of his potential for forging a “new trust” in political and political leadership. Based on what? Rhetoric alone. Well, if that’s the case then I assert my constitutional right to mistrust, not only of this opportunist who steamrolled the other millionaire opportunist who bought this fiasco, but also his good ole boy business-friendly snake-oil. The first move appears to be a shifty avoidance of the no taxes pledge, a proposed $20 Billion bond issue (at probably what will be premium rates) that will add to the debt but (and does this sound familiar?) move it on down to the next generation. Can’t you just see those companies that left Kaleefornia to go offshore to make a killing, screaming back into the state, as the GovernFuhrer promises?
No, there’s too much not to trust, especially in a a claim to rescue California politics by groping it. (C’mon Clinton-bashers, I STILL CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!)
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©2003, James A. Clapp (UrbisMedia Ltd. Pub. 11.18.2003)