Monday, July 26, 2010

On the political commentary of amateurs...

Me old mate Fraser Stern is trying so hard, especially now that he has his syndication writing established.

This time around it is another of his formulaic pieces; take very small idea - generally from the alternative universe that Rush Limbaugh lives in, make a hash of it with another very small idea and then try to blame it all on Obama.

This time around it is the word “apparatchik” he (or rather Limbaugh) has picked up on. I could not resist (aren’t I a terrible person? :evil: ) and left the following very cryptic comment -
Apparatchik -

Rumsfeld, Cheyney, Gonzales, Chavez, ...

Not apparatchik -

Powell, Ridge


I doubt that Fraser will have the wit to work it out. Well at the very least he has not yet replied though that might just be his way of hoping that I go away again.

The point of my examples is their application – direct application – to the first of his dictionary definitions, to wit:
1. Unquestioningly loyal subordinate: a subordinate who is unquestioningly loyal to a powerful political leader or organization


Now I don’t think that there would be any difficulty sorting the differences between my selection of “apparatchik” and “not apparatchik”.

Oh, for Fraser in case he is in any doubt…

Both Powell and Ridge resigned their positions (Secretary of State and Attorney General respectively) because their personal ethos did not allow them to comply or agree with the overall intentions of the Administration of which they were part. Powell, because he did not believe the “justifications” for invading Iraq were supportable. Ridge because he could not sign the opinion the Administration required, justifying “legal” torture and indefinite detention without trial.

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