Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Tom, we hardly knew ye
"[a]s the first head of the newly created department, Mr. Ridge became known best for, well, playing with colors." --- NYT editorial.
Ouch.
The rest of the editorial dwells on what you might call the Political Fear Cycle---the opportune "alerts" at sensitive points in the media cycle and in electorally sensitive areas, designed to keep Americans "very afraid but not so afraid that, as Mr. Ridge once reminded Americans, you fail to appreciate President Bush's leadership."
I miss the old-fashioned Political Business Cycles, the kind where they sent you your Social Security check a few weeks early. That seemed right for a creaky old welfare state democracy. Political Fear Cycles seem more appropriate for a fascist or even totalitarian regime.
Hmm.
Ouch.
The rest of the editorial dwells on what you might call the Political Fear Cycle---the opportune "alerts" at sensitive points in the media cycle and in electorally sensitive areas, designed to keep Americans "very afraid but not so afraid that, as Mr. Ridge once reminded Americans, you fail to appreciate President Bush's leadership."
I miss the old-fashioned Political Business Cycles, the kind where they sent you your Social Security check a few weeks early. That seemed right for a creaky old welfare state democracy. Political Fear Cycles seem more appropriate for a fascist or even totalitarian regime.
Hmm.
