You are a political junkie if you know the name Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky. The mother of Chelsea Clinton’s boyfriend, MMM made the deciding vote in the House for Bill Clinton’s Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993. That five year budget plan cut taxes for fifteen million low-income families, made tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses, raised taxes on the wealthiest 1.2% of taxpayers and mandated balanced budgets.
As Senator Joe Liberman mentioned on stage at the 2008 RNC Convention, President Clinton balanced the budget with his plan and the American economy grew stronger. On the day of that historic budget vote, the crafty Republicans waved goodbye to MMM as she walked in the chamber to vote—like the Lynyrd Skynyrd lyric said “shaking like a left on a tree.” Legend has it that two other Democrats were holding MMM up. 34 Democratic incumbents were defeated in the “Republican Revolution” in 1994 in part for making that vote.
This walk down memory lane supports the concept that sometimes the community as a whole is better served by the sacrifice of one. In one of those Star Trek movies, Spock went out like a solider—took one for the team- just like Congresswoman Margolies-Mezvinsky. It was 1982, Sarah Palin and I were finishing high school on opposite sides of the country and my sister was finishing Georgia Tech. I saw that movie while visiting her; walking across I-75, stopped at the Varsity for some greasy food and burped my way to the Columbia Theater—Star Trek: the Warth of Khan in doby sound. (Some movies need to be seen on the big screen.)
Remember, Spock and Jim said, “It is logical, the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few…or the one. I have been and always shall be your friend. Live long and prosper.”
Of course, we learn in Star Trek III that Spock planted his Kattra (living spirit) in McCoy. Movies have always been tools to me that shape or parallel stuff happening in life. Petite MMM went out like Spock saving the Enterprise; she helped the enterprise known as the American economy by doing what she felt was right.
Senator Sam Nunn did not vote for that budget plan and Vice President Gore broke the tie in the Senate. Nunn could do that because he is “Sam Nunn”—the staff joke on the Hill was Nunn did not want to be VP because it would be a demotion. Nunn’s role in national defense gave him icon status—presidents came to see him. Since this rant has developed a movie theme, Nunn and the Democrats made me think about Colonel Jessep (Jack Nicholson’s character) in A Few Good Men:
Col. Jessep: Son, we live in a world that has walls and those walls need to be guarded by men with guns. Who’s gonna do it? You? You, Lieutenant Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and curse the Marines; you have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago’s death, while tragic, probably saved lives and that my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives. You don’t want the truth because deep down in places you don’t talk about at parties you want me on that wall, you need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use then as the backbone of a life trying to defend something. You use them as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide and then questions the manner in which I provide it. I would rather you just said “thank you,” and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest that you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don’t give a damn what you think you are entitled to.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…there it is; naïve people wonder why some people boldly stand up while others stand idly by. I am puzzled by the local, state and national Democratic Party officials’ quietness on Rep. Jim Marshall party attitude. As I have written before, Marshall would have my respect if he endorsed Obama or McCain but this no comment stuff does not fly when members of Congress have faced political peril to fight for what they believed. Rep. Bishop and Rep. Barrows courageously put their political futures on the line by supporting Obama while many members of the Congressional Black Caucus did the same by supporting Senator Clinton.
Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky is not a footnote in congressional history because she can hold her head up high. The Dem Team needs White male southern support and Jim Marshall is AWOL.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…Why did it take me so long to figure out that Marshall obviously has a pass from Speaker Pelosi—keeping the House is more important than getting the White House.
You Can’t Handle the Truth…Marshall also has a pass from the African American leadership in Macon—Obama got sold down the river for earmarks and pork. I might not be the brightest person and clearly I can write well but even I know that shortly after the election Democrats are going to plan how to marginalize Marshall and that will justify him moving to the GOP. Yes, he would have just used Dem money to win an election, did not support Obama/Biden and might join the Republicans.
Last movie: ice-cold Michael Corleone talking to his brother Fredo about the family and loyalty. “Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again….ever.” “I know it was you Fredo…you broke my heart.” Michael Corleone should be head of the DNC but we really should think about Frank Sinatra, who is singing in the following Godfather video. Sinatra is rumored to have secured the election of Kennedy by making “certain” calls to certain people who were “connected” to labor unions in Illinois and West Virginia. He watched the back of MLK, Sammy Davis, Sugar Ray Robinson, and Joe Louis; Sinatra was all about loyalty and that was a close presidential election.
I told my friends that Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez would cost the Democrats the election and I was right. I have a feeling that one person (I am not saying who) could cost the Democrats Georgia and therefore the Presidency is year.
Project Logic Ga 