tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post1811962961644211769..comments2023-10-16T07:13:12.123-05:00Comments on A plain blog about politics: Catch of the DayJonathan Bernsteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15931039630306253241noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-30175348997907851872013-09-04T14:57:19.247-05:002013-09-04T14:57:19.247-05:00OTOH, if Yglesias' only goal is to get the pre...OTOH, if Yglesias' only goal is to get the prequels out of our collective memories/zeitgeist, regardless of the appropriateness of the metaphors, well, then he's on a mission from God, dadgummit.Matt Jarvisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-30535881118114846822013-09-04T14:56:17.391-05:002013-09-04T14:56:17.391-05:00Yglesias is committing a classic social science/jo...Yglesias is committing a classic social science/journalism error. The things that went wrong in the prequels may or may not have been due to or despite the actions of the Jedi Council.<br /><br />If their prophecy is true, then there was always going to be one who brought balance to the Force; nothing they did would have prevented that. Yes, they were stupid not to realize that it was actually unbalanced IN THEIR FAVOR leading up to the prequels. But, even if they had realized that, what are they to do? Either the prophecy is true, and they're going to lose, or it is false, and (for all I know) their whole religion/way of life is a lie. Neither outcome is good.<br /><br />I think of it as being similar to Jesus saying "one of you will betray me tonight." At some point, the theology requires that they just accept the bad thing. <br /><br />All this is sophistry, of course. To return to whether or not the Jedi Council can be used as a reference, Yglesias is also wrong in his first instance. If the old media are dying, as is commonly assumed/reported, then calling a meeting of the old guard a "Jedi Council" is kinda appropriate. If there are norms of apprenticeship in media and a ruling council of elders overseeing this thing as it is about to die out (and doesn't realize it), that's a pretty decent analogy. <br /><br />Yglesias is OK to be circumspect about Hensarling et. al. using the term. In this case, it is likely being used because the Jedi Council are the good defenders of democracy against the evil Emperor...a narrative that fits very nicely with the Tea Party narrative. Yes, they lost, but really because one of their own was a turncoat (so, adopting the name might also be to reinforce team loyalty). Yes, most folks reading this blog don't want to think of Hensarling as any kind of good, but THEY think of themselves that way (one imagines). So, really, the losing thing is the only negative for the metaphor; the rest actually fits their purpose quite well. If Yglesias wants to focus on the losing part, fine, but I think he's missing the point.Matt Jarvisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-91340453108392817442013-09-04T13:37:28.409-05:002013-09-04T13:37:28.409-05:00This poll was of all self-identified Republicans. ...This poll was of all self-identified Republicans. It seems likely that habitual Republican primary voters, especially those that turn out for non-Presidential primaries, are more opposed to tax increases than all Republican identifiers, and that those who volunteer for Republican campaigns and/or contribute to Republican coffers are even more opposed than the Republican primary electorate. As a member of the Monmouth County, New Jersey Republican County Committee, I see resentment of high taxes on successful people as the key motivating factor in my colleagues' decisions to be politlcally active Republicans (Monmouth is an affluent suburban county that usually voter Republican). I don't think Paul, Cruz or Limbaugh's support of higher taxes would change our views on that issue.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-24198251192137741332013-09-04T12:46:14.045-05:002013-09-04T12:46:14.045-05:00Wasn't Yoda kind of wrong about that in regard...Wasn't Yoda kind of wrong about that in regard to Vader and Luke depending on whether you think he started down the dark path in his Emperor confrontation in Jedi? Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15955054735802185726noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6926413038778731189.post-4853273713942104442013-09-04T12:17:10.714-05:002013-09-04T12:17:10.714-05:00...figuring it out would require a short course in...<i>...figuring it out would require a short course in Star Wars galactic history based on books, games, and more, and I really don't want to start down that particular path. </i><br /><br />Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny!<br /><br />Kalhttps://twitter.com/kalbelgarionnoreply@blogger.com