Review Article

[http://www.continuum_si.com/~robert (Robert)]

--- Forwarded mail from Jim Walsh <http://www.nii.net/~leadinspection>

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Date: Mon, 19 Oct 1998 13:48:14 -0400
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From: Jim Walsh <http://www.nii.net/~leadinspection>
Subject: Review Article

<bold><italic><fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>The Harbor
Review</fontfamily></italic><fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>, October
1998

THE VOTER AND THE
INQUISITION</fontfamily></bold><fontfamily><param>Geneva</param>

There should be a number of issues surrounding the election on November
3rd--social security, education, economic uncertainty, dangers abroad-
but in reality there is only one: Kenneth Starr and the New American
Inquisition.

To be a Grand Inquisitor one must have two qualities; a certain kind of
deeply religious nature and access to unfettered political power.  The
Grand Inquisitor knows what is Right and True and he demands unswerving
purity in all realms, public and private.  Everyone is, should be, or
will be answerable to him.  The Truth cannot be constrained.  Heresy
must be punished.

If a young woman hesitates to fully and completely confess to every
single intimate detail of a consensual liaison, bring in her mother, in
handcuffs if necessary.  Let's see if the sight of a weeping and
distraught mother will help persuade a recalcitrant and uncooperative
daughter.  The search for Truth is a hard search.

If the late Vince Foster's lawyer refuses to divulge to the Grand
Inquisitor the content of conversations with his client, let the
Constitution and lawyer/client privilege be damned.  The Inquisitor's
demands will not be stayed.  Only the Inquisition has the right to
decide what information is known.

An inconvenient law says the Grand Inquisitor should not reveal Grand
Jury proceedings to the press.  Well, clearly the law must not have
adequately anticipated the need to publicly defend the Inquisition
against unfair criticism.

Just when you thought that you could safely assume that Joe McCarthy
and McCarthyism was the very definition of "the lowest" in American
political behavior, along comes Ken Starr and the Inquisition. He has
achieved, if not "the impossible", then, at least, "the unlikely". 

Joe McCarthy saw a communist under every bed. Ken Starr is sure there
is something going on <underline>in</underline> that bed and that's
what turns him on.  If it takes 40 million dollars, four years and the
creation of a New American Inquisition to root it out, that's fine with
him.  He has a job to do.

We can all agree that it is impossible to actually make Joe McCarthy
look good, but Kenneth Starr almost succeeds.  Why?  Because at least
most of Joe McCarthy's issues were political issues, not bedroom
issues.  In his drunken, obvious way--and followed by a pack of
reporters--McCarthy roamed the political landscape by lobbing
accusations of disloyalty, seeking power.  He may have wrapped himself
in the flag and thumped the Bible for manipulative effect, but beneath
it all he was simply a good-old boy charlatan who--aided and abetted by
the press--snookered the public, wrecked families and careers, caused
suicides, and was finally brought up short.  

Kenneth Starr, son of a preacher in a fundamentalist church, doesn't
drink but he has gone a step beyond McCarthy.  In his mind, there is
nothing and no one who should be beyond his power.  True Faith and
political power, united for justice.  That is his point of view.

Here is my point of view.  The American electorate is beyond his power.
 Starr and his allies on cable TV and in the press have done everything
they could to overturn the last two elections but every poll says they
have failed.  Why, then, is this such a dangerous moment?  Because
there is a difference between the "electorate" and the "voters".  Polls
are passive.  All one has to do is answer the phone and one's opinion
is recorded.  At that point, one is part of the "electorate" but not a
"voter".  It requires some energy to get out and vote.  

The admitted Adulterer Henry Hyde and the convicted Perjurer Newt
Gingrich know that the highly motivated radical right will surely come
out to VOTE and they assume that those who are simply disgusted and
turned off will stay home.  It's a cynical calculation but Joe McCarthy
had a long ride based on that same kind of thinking.  I think we will
long look back at this election as marking a triumph or a disaster for
the American electorate.

Jim Walsh</fontfamily>

--- End of forwarded message from Jim Walsh <http://www.nii.net/~leadinspection>