April 13th, 2006
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God has given us the Papacy - let us enjoy it”
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| Republicans say they could accept that sentiment if they believed they had won political points from the GOP’s restive base. But for all the negatives, they don’t have many positives to show for their efforts. |
| “From the standpoint of those who would applaud the House’s stand, I’d say we have not gotten sufficient credit,” said Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), a reliable supporter of House leaders. “I’m somewhat distressed that they have not gotten word of what we’ve done.” |
| The politics of the issue have shifted markedly since the House acted. Republican lawmakers are increasingly saying they will now consider some avenue to grant illegal immigrants access to lawful employment. And Democrats who voted for the House bill with an eye on their political futures or to preempt feared attacks from conservatives are rethinking their position. |
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No understanding of the protest, no recognition of their own unpopularity or vulnerability, disturbed the six minds (the renaissance papacy). Their view of the interests of the institution they were appointed to govern was so short-sighted as to amount almost to perversity. They possessed no sense of spiritual mission, provided no meaningful religious guidance, performed no moral service for the Christian world.
Their three outstanding attitudes - obliviousness to the growing disaffection of constituents, primacy of self-aggrandizement, illusion of invulnverable status - are persistent aspects of folly. While in the case of the Renaissance popes, these were bred in and exaggerated by the surrounding culture, all are independent of time and recurrent in governorship. |
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The March of Folly: from Troy to Vietnam,
by Barbara W. Tuchman.
Softcover, ©1984. pg. 126
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BONUS FISKING: Please checkout this excellent analysis of the GOP’s self-inflicted wound at ReidBlog TODAY!
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Posted in Red-State America, ReidBlog | By Willie Buck Merle