Thursday, December 04, 2008

Prestige WITHOUT Merit

P.J. O'Rourke once said in an interview that politics is basically about prestige without merit. At that time, the paragon of prestige without merit was Bill Clinton, about whom O'Rourke asked: would he be worth a s**t doing anything else?

Now we have a new paragon of prestige without merit as -- before he even lays hand on Bible and swears the oath -- our illustrious President-Elect has a county holiday named after him. Barack Obama Day will henceforth be observed in Perry County, Alabama on the second Monday of November, on which day county offices will close, and county workers will get a paid holiday. The resolution to create the new holiday passed over the objections of county commissioner Brett Harrison, who disputed the wisdom of this new paid holiday in one of Alabama's poorest counties. Harrison was, however, quick to point out that he is a Democrat, and to declare that "the recognition is certainly well-founded."

Yes, recognition of a man who blundered into victory because his main opponent during the primaries was hateful, and because the opposing party ran a weak candidate, is certainly well-founded. Recognition of a man who is filling his administration full of Clinton retreads is certainly well-founded. Recognition of a man whose Vice-President-Elect is an idiot and plagiarist who once made a racist remark about him is certainly well-founded. Recognition of a man whose major accomplishments include supporting legalized infanticide, distancing himself from his longtime, rabidly racist pastor, garnering Fidel Castro's endorsement, and muzzling his loudmouth wife and blithering running mate in the weeks leading up to the election, is certainly well-founded.

On the other hand, paying county employees to do nothing is certainly a fitting tribute to the man who is poised to swell the federal government to proportions hitherto imagined.

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