Filibuster Fandango Part Deux

While things have gotten a bit busy for the Kata in the past couple of weeks, news on the Hill has continued apace. While the Kata still maintains that some partisanship can be helpful to the process of governing, it's time for a small pivot and jete' back to mention some recent developments.

During the past two weeks, a group of bipartisan moderate Senators worked to find a compromise to a looming showdown about the filibuster -- but more truly, in essence, it was about what and whose work it is the Senate will be addressing for the remainder of this term. As the two opposite sides argued bitterly about what judicial nominees deserved, this group of 14 Senators met and tried to hammer out their own version of a roadmap to peace. At times the rancor seemed to overcome any hope of the group suceeding, notably with Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum unveiling the age old Hitlerian comparison for his Democratic colleagues' ideas. Santorum said that their insistence on blocking the up or down vote was akin to 1942 Hitler Germany -- a comment he later said he "regretted." "'I'm in Paris. How dare you invade me. How dare you bomb my city. It's mine...'"

Let's face it, folks, the minute Hitler comes up in a conversation, it's a sign the speaker has little further of merit to offer. (For an excellent commentary on this particular faux pas, see this blogger's observations on the Hitler problem with both wings of this Senate by clicking here.)

And so the efforts to stop a nuclear option showdown continued through the weekend and into Monday before the gang of 14 emerged very late in the evening, proudly showing they had come to an agreement and consensus in good faith and mutual trust. It really was a hopeful moment for Americans who would like to see some real work done in the Senate, who remember there's much at stake besides partisan votes on Presidential nominees to the bench and Supreme Court this year.

What became curious at that particular moment was who chose to react, and how loudly.

The compromise forged by 14 Democratic and Republican senators represented
a rare, if temporary, rebuff to religious and social conservatives. Their
condemnations, whether from James Dobson's Focus on the Family, radio talk-show
host Rush Limbaugh or conservative bloggers, were quick and strong. Dobson
labeled it a "complete bailout and betrayal," and Jan LaRue, chief counsel of
Concerned Women for America, branded the GOP negotiators "seven dwarves" who had given Democrats the right to filibuster a Supreme Court nominee. ...

As Republicans squabbled loudly, Democrats, led by Reid, tried to put up a
united front in support of the agreement. But with three of Bush's long-delayed
nominees ticketed for approval under the compromise, cracks began to show within
the Democratic ranks as well.

The Congressional Black Caucus blasted the agreement as "more of a
capitulation than a compromise" for allowing those votes. Sen. Russell Feingold
(D-Wis.) said it would encourage the White House "to send more nominees who lack
the judicial temperament or record to serve in these lifetime
positions."

Some Democrats privately fretted that others in their party had been too
quick to claim victory, and even the party chairman, Howard Dean, questioned
whether the compromise is good for Democrats. "We don't know if this is a
victory in the long run or not," he said on CNN's "Inside Politics." -- Dan
Balz reporting for the Washington Post

The rancor seemed to be too entrenched to assuage for some on both sides, and sure enough, on Thursday, Democrats stalled the vote on UN Nominee John Bolton, demanding to see more records from the White House before voting, a request denied by the White House on Friday.

The big elephant under the table remains a Supreme Court Nominee. With Chief Justice Rehnquist ailing from thyroid cancer and Justice John Paul Stevens also aging, it has been the longest tenure streak on the Court in over a decade. Observers note the political savvy of Rehnquist, and many feel the Justices are watching the current environment with great interest as far as timing a retirement announcement.

This writer still maintains that the friction of two parties of differing persuasions can lead to more flexible and positive results -- when it's used to beneficial purpose. When it swings to two extremes blocking any work from any side, it has morphed into something that does not serve the institutions, or us as the people who make the decisions who to send to represent us. The Kata would remind those who are focused more on the nominee situation than on the rest of the agenda of Congress that this ideological positioning and posturing represent but a very small portion of the People's Business.

Newsweek's Gaffe, International Rage and the Bigger Problem

Columnists and pundits all over the media are frothing at the mouth today at the apology issued by the US weekly glossy newsmag. Not since the days of the Dan Rather/CBS scandal have we seen such purposeful vitriol thrown around.

The Kata, too, was enraged by the content of the Newsweek piece that claimed interrogators at Guantanamo Bay had desecrated the Koran in order to rattle prisoners. The Kata, too, wrote letters demanding investigation and accountability. Not because the Kata is Muslim, no, but because the Kata was taught we were a better people than this as Americans. The principle is the thing.

And this same set of principles nags at the soul this morning as the pundits, experts and political junkies start the latest round of "blame the messenger". Yes, Newsweek apologized, admitted error in fact checking. Yes, it's bad when it happens. What is more disturbing to this writer is the level of rage and violence directed at America because of this tiny article. Can one tiny article alone create such a tinderbox? Or is there, perhaps, a deeper issue at stake here that we may lose sight of if we simply engage in another round of blame-the-other?

The growing lack of religious tolerance in our country is something the Kata has commented on long before this latest story broke. In fact, we have become so intolerant of other cultures and belief systems since the 9/11 attacks that it now seems normal and in fact good to cut down other faiths and cultures as a result of our injury. The Kata would challenge this nouveau tacky belief by pointing to the response by followers of Islam over the past few days. It is exactly our resentment and prior show of disrespect that leads them to such acts. It is exactly the little snide remarks about the Koran and those who find it holy that lead people to believe we are capable of such acts of disrespect in order to squeeze a little info from a prisoner.

It is good that the White House responded quickly to denounce this sort of behavior in our prison camps. It is good that they were seen loudly stating that these behaviors are not acceptable. Why? Because we as a people are better than that; we as a people mostly do stand for freedom of thought and belief.

Because of exactly this, the Kata urges those on Capitol Hill to continue to push for investigation of the interrogation techniques used at Guantanamo and others. It is not about criticism of the other political party or of media hacks. It is because this is not an isolated report. Abu Gharaib still stands fresh in people's minds as a metaphor for how we treat people. It is high time we stand up and stop making excuses for those who engage in such behaviors... no matter what cause they claim to be representing.

If this matter sinks into the murky well of unanswered questions and concerns, it will be to our own detriment as the nation who claims to want to bring people freedom and dignity.

The State of the Triple Crown

AFFIRMED at Jonabell Farm, age 23. Photograph copyright 6/98 by Barbara D. Livingston

A few weeks ago at the Wood Memorial, some of us horsey people thought we might have finally glimpsed another shot of greatness when Bellamy Road ran away with the race, very reminiscent of the great horses of the past like Seattle Slew and Secretariat. We eagerly tuned in to that old grand celebration known as the Kentucky Derby last Saturday to see if maybe -- finally -- we had ourselves a new champion. Not only were our hopes dashed early this year, with the young and inexperienced horse winding up off the board, we wound up with three longshots taking the race for a record payout.

"That's horse racing," Bellamy Road's trainer, Nick Zito said as they waited for the results to become official.

Truer words have never been spoken. And yet, it's hard to imagine another Triple Crown winner as the years pass without one. VISA, while remaining connected to the Derby and racing, ended it's Triple Crown Challenge this year. And one begins to wonder finally why this might be happening.

As the years have passed, many people have weighed in on the issue of why: corporate sponsorship, increased competition, a change in training regimens, bloodlines. Maybe they just don't make 'em like they used to. Maybe it's more about the dueling egos of the big trainers now. Maybe it's all of the above. Maybe it's just dumb luck. And so, we wait. Affirmed continues to reign after more than 25 years.

Watching Bellamy Road run out of legs, I found myself asking yet again. No one interfered with his run; there were no traffic jams or anything out of the ordinary. He just didn't have it in the end.

And yet, one statistic they threw around this year might shed some light on things. This year, there were 20 horses in the field vying for the roses. In the year Affirmed and Alydar dueled on Churchill Downs, there was a field of 9. Of these 20 horses this year, five belonged to Nick Zito himself, three to another trainer. Roughly 25% of the field was composed of the horses of one stable and one trainer; this number rises to 40% when you include all those hedging their bets with multiple entries. Is it really about the horses now, or about the owners and trainers and big money. It's impossible not to ask these questions. Maybe it's time for American horse racing to re-evaluate itself. Or, maybe, none of this will matter when the right horse comes along.

In the meantime, Affirmed still stands as the one to beat. For the sake of the sport, here's hoping he won't stand forever.

Happy May Day

... to all those who celebrate it. May your New Year be filled to overflowing with every good thing. The Kata will be celebrating right along with you. Until the next column, we leave you with this peek into the world of Palestinian and Israeli Catholics from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Activity on Capitol Hill and Elsewhere: How Partisan Are Things, Really?

Somewhere between all the "distraction" being served up as news lately, like the Jackson case, the 5 year old getting handcuffed in her school, and the latest Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt romances, they actually allowed some events from Capitol Hill and other places to sneak into the headlines.

The Kata read initially with the usual sense of approval or disapprival depending on her view of what should happen, and the thought suddenly came that perhaps, this particular day, partisanship served its purpose. Stuff got done, folks were happy or not happy, and yet in the end, the result was probably more moderate and more correct than most people would want to admit. Maybe this is the exact reason the Founders wanted the friction of two or more political parties.

Let's have a look at these events, shall we?

Hastert Says "Enough"

The Speaker of the House finally put down his foot yesterday and signaled the time had come for an end to the impasse of the Ethics Committee. He told fellow Republicans and members of the House that reverting to the old committee rules, imperfect as they might be, was better than hanging all business up for the year on holding to the new rules. They voted, the new rules got voted down, the old are back in place, and Tom Delay is busily pulling all his travel records.

The New York Times has a feature today on the reaction, as well as some prognostication about what's to come now that this has happened:

The vote marked another pivot in a politically charged ethics tug-of-war
expected to persist in the House. Lawmakers of both parties said they expected
the resolution of the standoff to lead to calls for ethics inquiries into not
only Mr. DeLay but also other members, including Democratic leaders.

Well, now let's be realistic. Neither party wants their people to be seen as "the bad guys". On our side as citizens and voters, we usually feel there's no place for corruption and shenanigans. There's plenty of good people who want the job and we generally have no qualms putting those individuals into the post and sending the jaded and ethically compromised home. Partisanship is important here because no one wants to be known as "the corrupt party". The Kata also notes that a measure also passed the House yesterday making it a criminal act to transport a minor across state lines for an abortion. Maybe one was sacrificed for the other. Who really knows.

All the Kata cares about, ladies and gents, is that you get to the bottom of the matter in a just fashion and that you remain answerable to those you serve, as opposed to your colleagues and lobbies. So, in the end analysis to this citizen, the right and just thing was done in the end, regardless of, or maybe even because of partisanship. If punishment follows in a just manner to those involved in ethics violations, the Kata will be happy.

Florida Supreme Court Says No to Limbaugh and the ACLU

The conservative commentator has maintained his innocence
while acknowledging an addiction to painkillers that he said started after he
developed severe back pain. He argues that the case threatens privacy rights for
all Floridians - a point that has drawn support from the American Civil
Liberties Union - and accuses Palm Beach County State Attorney Barry Krischer, a
Democrat, of leading a politically motivated investigation.

This one the Kata finds endlessly fascinating. This is a newly broken news item that isn't showing up in headlines yet as the Kata went to write this entry. The Kata hopes it will make the headlines and not be swept under the rug, because despite the actual decision, it shows the ACLU will support everyone when it comes to civil rights -- even those with philosophical differences. Limbaugh has been very forthcoming with his dislike for the ACLU, and yet even so they joined him in this heretofore failed quest to keep his medical records a private matter and out of the public eye, even with criminal probes ongoing. The Kata hopes Limbaugh gives a public thank you, even if he continues to differ with them.

The pundits will continue to say whatever they please about the state of the judiciary and lawyers in this country. In this case, the FL Court decided that the investigation was important. Even so, when people do work together because of principle, not politics, they deserve thanks. Read about it in the Miami Herald here.

So, the Kata winds up today's entry noting that while all is loud and nasty, all is essentially well with the balance of powers and the delicate tension between them.

Ratzinger's Turning Point

As the Kata still attempts to get a solid picture of the man who is now Pope, Time magazine has released its traditional Pope cover and accompanying coverage. It is a glossy, competent introduction of the man and the various stages of his life, including pretty substantial coverage of his influences and rise to power through the election process. Of greatest interest will probably be an interactive graphic called Spheres of Influence, and also a column about Ratzinger's days at the University of Tubingen during the 1968 student protests and the upheavals of Vatican II. He was brought on there by a liberal theologian named Hans Kung, who ironically was later disciplined by Ratzinger for challenging papal authority. The picture that emerges is not some automaton that cruelly enforces doctrine, but rather of a man who felt teachers were responsible for what they teach, and felt responsible for the destruction and harm liberal theology -- such as he himself had taught at Tubingen -- had brought to the stature of teachers, his beloved Church and the university. Kung speaks of fear, not heartlessness, and a retreat from these ideas for years. And yet, Kung speaks of tiny changes in vocabulary:

Benedict XVI seemed to suggest a new openness last week. Reporting on his homily the day after his election, the media focused on an interfaith vocabulary that they had rarely heard him use before: "Concrete gestures are required to [encourage] everyone to that interior conversion which is the basis for all progress on the road of ecumenism." But one listener was more interested in the part of the talk in which Ratzinger promised to ask "help and advice" from his bishops and invoked an old word: collegial. "First signals are important," says Hans Küng, glancing up to the old book of essays. Perhaps, he says, "the papacy is such a challenge that it can even change Joseph Ratzinger."

Who Is This Guy Ratzinger?

The Kata's been doing some research over the past week or so when his name became prevalent in the discussions about who was a likely successor to JP2. There is a lot of information floating around about him out there, pro and con, and also some deliberate misrepresentations which lean toward the outright malicious -- especially about his childhood and young adulthood when he was drafted by the Nazis. What is not so often heard is that he deserted, which was a crime punishable by death, and was soon after taken by US forces and held in a POW camp. After his release, he entered seminary. The desertion story is often not included when speaking of Ratzinger's youth, and is typical of much of the early attempts the Kata has read to show the new Pope as a hard liner and totalitarian. In reality, Ratzinger calls for much more intellectual bravery than that, as most human beings usually do.

Doctrinally he is most often referred to as a conservative; he has authored many, many books including everything from introductory texts on Christianity to autobiographical reflections and in-depth theology and philosophy. Ratzinger's latest work, entitled Truth and Tolerance: Christian Belief and World Religions, was released in paperback last fall. The picture expressed here is much deeper and specifically much more demanding of each of us to define truth... and to examine our motivations specifically for marginalizing those who speak about Truth. There was much written in a blog at ignatiusinsight.com about moral relativism used as a device to silence Christians. The Kata agrees with this and indeed finds it used to silence people of any belief system, even atheists and agnostics. So, the Kata is intrigued and wants to learn more. It is difficult to tell from secondary sources exactly Ratzinger's beliefs, and so, the Kata is waiting to read the books first. Definitely more later on this book.

For Americans especially, the temptation is strong to believe that this will be a hardliner Pope and will further fracture the Church in light of the serious issues it faces. While this is a possibility, the choice of the name Benedict is probably telling of what lies ahead -- and is not without hope. The last Benedict was a moderator and a mediator, both of the Church and of the world, most notably during failed peace negotiations in WW1. Within the Church, Benedict XV drew together several factions at odds with each other doctrinally in a situation not unlike what is happening today. Of interest may be wikipedia's brief bio of Benedict XV, as well as Primary Documents: Pope Benedict XV's Peace Note of 1 August 1917 from First World War.com. While Benedict was soundly ignored by the powers involved (except Austria-Hungary), as Popes often are, it shows a desire to try to bring peace and neutrality to bear in "a just and lasting peace," a phrase that may sound oddly familiar to Americans today.

And finally, for those who like a little Mystery and magic thrown in, St Malachy predicted this Pope to be "Gloria Olivae" - glory of the Olive. Interpretations vary about this prediction, but most agree this particular Pope will work on some sort of peace process, perhaps in the Mideast.

Insufficient Means

''The fact that the Lord can work and act even with insufficient means consoles me, and above all I entrust myself to your prayers,'' the new pope said. ''I entrust myself to your prayers.'' -- Pope Benedict XVI