Mare's Mess

Found this blog entry about how the Minneapolis Star Tribune has recently posted an editorial supporting the right of Democrats to use the filibuster to block President Bush's appointee votes in congress. What makes this interesting is that in 1993 and 1994, when Clinton was president, the Star Trib advocated a "crusade for changes in Senate procedures that would prevent an obstructionist minority from delaying action indefinitely." Back then they referred to it as "the putrid flood of verbiage known as a filibuster". When this apparent contradiction was pointed out to Jim Boyd, Star Trib Deputy Editor, he replied in an email by saying, "I think you actually have caught us in a contradiction. We can change our mind, as we did on light rail, but in this case, we really didn't. We simply missed the precedent and, like a court, if we make such a shift, we owe readers an explanation for why we did it." I won't hold my breath waiting for the explanation.

This is why I can't stand Democrats and Republicans who have no principles. They are for whatever furthers their cause/party/agenda and against whatever doesn't, period. Whenever they give an explanation for anything, you can bet it's meaningless. I've mentioned this before (I'm too lazy to come up with new examples), but pro-choicers cry, "My body, my choice" when that principle only applies in this very specific situation. Besides abortion, they love to have the government make all kinds of choices about your body and your life for you. The pro-lifers wail about the sanctity of life, yet they're glad to fry someone when they see fit. These people don't seem to care how stupid they may look or how empty their arguments may be. Drives me insane. It's why I love the Libertarians, because all we are is one big fat principle (it's also why I hate them because they continue to be a great principle but politically impotent, but that's another post). Of course, if Libs ever become a powerful political force and become as vacuous as the Dems and Reps I'd dump them too or become their loudest critic. I think principles are worth fighting for, but not unprincipled political parties or their mindless supporters.