![]() SNIDELY SHE TURNS! Is Nelson sincere in his public writhing? Collins acts like she knows: // link // print // previous // next //
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2009 Snidely she turns: At the start of this mornings column, Gail Collins goes after Snidely Whiplash, famous cartoon super-villain. Rather, she uses Whiplash to go after Lieberman, before going after Ben Nelson:
Lady Collins is always complaining about some problem like this. During Campaign 2008, she constantly wondered why we had to watch so many candidate forums. Today, shes troubled by the need to learn many names. People who reason as snidely as Collins might be advised to leave Whiplash alone. That said, the ladys column gives us a look at several parts of the current, utterly gruesome health care debate and conundrum. Snidely, Collins complains about the ongoing conduct of Lieberman and Nelson. She rolls her eyes at the notion that Nelson should be playing his current lead roleor apparent lead rolein the fate of health reform:
Is Nelson the most conservative Democrat in the Senate? Were not sure, but might we make a key point? Someone has to be that person, unless we think that 58 Democratic senators will all be just alike. But Collins seems to long for some such thing in this snidely rendered passage. In Collins Land, it almost seems like the little peoplethe fifty states senators, for exampleshould bow to the wishes and judgments of the most powerful person on the planet. This would produce the world Collins seeksa world in which the average citizen must know just one famous name. No, that isnt our actual system. But a pundit can dream, if snidely. Have Lieberman and Nelson behaved in good faith? Collins implies her doubts about Nelson, and shes openly snide when she describes Lieberman stripping away all the parts [of the bill] that offended his sensibilities. Senators are supposed to do such things, of course, even when it means that we over-worked rubes will have to learn at least several names. But so what? Soon, Collins is rolling her eyes at the way this bill has been watered down/stripped down/abused:
Collins goes on to imply that this bill should be passed, even in its watered down/abused form. Wed be inclined to agree with that judgment. But we were most struck by the eye-rolling portrait she draws of our political process. Again: Senators are supposed to seek changes in bills in accord with their sensibilities. When a pundit doesnt care for the senators in question, or for the changes they made or sought, she may describes this as a process of watering/stripping down a bill; she may even snidely say that they have thus abused the bill. In this way, she substitutes snide for substance. What is wrong with the changes Nelson may seek? People! Dont ask! Lady Collins is too grand a personage to explain, elucidate, argue. We were struck by Collins approach because weve seen it a lot this past week. For ourselves, we cant quite say if Lieberman or Nelson are sincere in their ongoing conduct. But senators are supposed to consult their sensibilities when a major bill is proposed. Thats how our system works. Might we offer a second, blindingly obvious point about the conduct of Nelson? Nelson is a guy who seems to really enjoy having the fate of the health care bill in his hands, Lady Collins grandly divines. Might we explain why that (possibly) is? Nelson, you see, is from Nebraska. And Nebraska is a very red state. A Democratic senator from Nebraska will often be the most conservative Democrat in the Senate, or hell at least come close. Collins, who long ago married Snide, mentions Nelsons insurance connections, but fails to his tie to this state. In this way, grand dames like Collins help keep us vassals shoeless, unintelligent. Useless. Does Nelson really enjoy being center stage? Maybe. Or maybe hes engaged in a familiar process, in which Democrats from red statesand Republicans from blue statesgo center stage in dramatic ways before voting with their parties, against the overall views of their states. In this familiar process, someone like Nelson stages a public night of the soul before he casts his party-line vote. This increases the chance that his home states voters, who lean the other way, will support his re-election. Is Nelson so engaged? We have no idea. For the record, a similar process may obtain in the case of Olympia Snowe, a Republican from a basically blue state (Maine). Like Nelson, she has staged a public dramabefore seeming to align with her own partys position, which tilts against the views of her state. Does this explain what Nelson is doing? Not unlike Collins, we have no idea. But the last time a lonely Democrat writhed this way, it was Bob Kerrey, in 1993. Kerrey had to anguish at a movie matinee before he cast a high-profile, pro-Democratic vote, in favor of the Clinton budget plan. Kerrey, like Nelson, was a former governor. Of a red state. Nebraska. Might we note an obvious point? This is how Democratic senators will routinely actif they get elected from Nebraska. The alternative? Electing Republicans from that red state! This is pretty much how our world works. And by the way: If you propose legislation which goes beyond the views of the voters in states like Nebraska, it can be hard to get their senators votes. Once again, this is our system. For ourselves, we would support a more progressive bill. Second point: We dont live in Nebraska! Almost two million other folks doand their views count, just like ours.
As usual, Collins is lazy and snide today. Shes also enduringly worthless. Final question: Is Nelson sincere when it comes to abortion? How on earth could we possibly know? Collins acts like she thinks she knows. As always, she does so snidely.
|