“If the president can start a conflict with an enemy as formidable as that on his own say-so, and the people’s representatives are so powerless to stop him that it doesn’t matter which party controls Congress, the age of America as a republic is truly over.”
… civically abhorrent yet morally just, ..
Nick Catoggio: Boiling Frogs 2 March 2026
I feel somewhat foolish. I forget that man has a powerful intellectual capacity …. which is subordinate to his emotions.
I think we all forget that quite often, when we think seriously.
This thought coalesced since the recent deaths of my brother and sister in law. Both in their 80’s and both long suffering from incapacitating and painful diseases. Death was a release for them, relief for loved ones – almost joy?
Why do we still have bouts of grief and almost guilt because of the relief?
It’s because our minds are not logical, objectively oriented or disciplined. We do not act upon our intellect but upon what emotions allow and sometimes compel us to.
We can behave and think and speak logically but that is a rigid controlled process which we do not maintain.
That is why democracy is a dream.
We know we should vote for the party that will serve us the best, says the right things and espouses our moral high ground. However sentiment and tradition drive our choices.
But wait, maybe Claude is the answer…!
Claude will allow us to build an avatar of ourselves.
My avatar, Mal II, will only think logically and consistently and cleverly. He/She/It will not be swayed by emotion, act on impulse, overreact or fail to act. Duty and mission will be observed continuously.
There won’t be mistakes …. will there…?
So we will vote for a candidate avatar, MP II, who will vote according to his/her/its promises and policies, with no knee jerk reaction to populist outcry, but rational. reasoned responses consistent with principles and policies.
Eventually everything will be as predicted and required, we will never make mistakes and tragedies will be coped with intellectually.
There will be no yin/yang, sturm und drang, joy and despair. Just straight roads, efficient systems, sufficient food, commonly accepted muzak and bland literature.
Brandolini’s Law: “The amount of energy needed to refute bulls—t is an order of magnitude bigger than that needed to produce it.”
Kevin Williamson The Dispatch
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