tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post7361658718123730590..comments2023-10-26T08:02:44.948-04:00Comments on Connecticut Commentary: Red Notes from a Blue State: Humor And Its DiscontentsDon Pescihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-51970099788735984532014-04-11T08:55:03.091-04:002014-04-11T08:55:03.091-04:00The national government has put on a great blitz i...The national government has put on a great blitz in the past five years, but it has not yet achieved comprehensive destruction. Like with Chicago or Manhattan, there's still an edifice we can point at and call the United States. So, while Baraq Obama and Eric Holder are doing their best at institutionalizing corruption of the Constitution and the rule of law, we can still find a lot of humor in the situation. We certainly wish that H.L.Mencken were around to provide commentary on the reigning mountebanks and buffoons.<br />------<br />Community organizing is a process where people who live in proximity to each other come together into an organization that acts in their shared self-interest. Unlike those who promote more-consensual community building, community organizers generally assume that social change necessarily involves conflict and social struggle in order to generate collective power for the powerless. A core goal of community organizing is to generate durable power for an organization representing the community...<br />-----------<br />On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart's desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron.<br />H. L. Mencken<br /><br />peter brushnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-50214710873614186302014-04-10T20:45:37.238-04:002014-04-10T20:45:37.238-04:00During one of his campaigns Curley promised he wou...During one of his campaigns Curley promised he would get all the Irish washer women off their knees. Following his election victory, he bought them all long handled mops. Don Pescihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11167988001948356357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9069955.post-44551085331787246452014-04-10T15:07:53.414-04:002014-04-10T15:07:53.414-04:00the real danger of the one-party state, which is n... the real danger of the one-party state, which is not so much incompetent as it is omni-incompetent<br />----<br />Surely, there is plenty to laugh at in the political apparatus in Bridgeport or in Hartford. Yet, even though my sense is that these municipal governments are more ridiculous than ever, I don't find them as humorous. It's easier to laugh at the corruption in cities that the Democratic Party has not succeeded in utterly destroying; e.g., Chicago v. Detroit. Bridgeport and Hartford are simply pathetic.<br /><br />The problem is not so much that there is only one political party in Bridgeport, its the particular political party. And, even the Democratic Party is capable of less corruption in less urban zones. The ultimate problem is that we, the Nutmeg Staters, have effectively engineered the middle class out of our cities. Those people who remain are omni-incompetent, and view themselves as perpetual beneficiaries of government care and largesse. Their primary concern is not with the duties of citizenship or of public office, and therefor corruption is not intolerably offensive. <br />--------<br />The Wit and Wisdom of Marion Berry<br /><br />"The contagious people of Washington have stood firm against diversity during this long period of increment weather."<br /><br />"I promise you a police car on every sidewalk."<br /><br />"If you take out the killings, Washington actually has a very very low crime rate."<br /><br />"First, it was not a strip bar, it was an erotic club. And second, what can I say? I'm a night owl."<br /><br />"Bitch set me up."<br /><br />"I am clearly more popular than Reagan. I am in my third term. Where's Reagan? Gone after two! Defeated by George Bush and Michael Dukakis no less."<br /><br />"The laws in this city are clearly racist. All laws are racist. The law of gravity is racist."<br />------<br />As World War II got underway, Curley saw an opportunity to expand the Irish mob's[citation needed] influence in the defense industry. After several campaigns involving bribery, Curley finally faced felony indictment. Nonetheless, Curley's popularity with the Irish American community in Boston remained so high, that even in the face of this indictment he was re-elected on the slogan "Curley Gets Things Done"...peter brushnoreply@blogger.com