Although I have a great spoof of Steele crooning a whacked out song to the tune of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" with a group of one-armed midgets singing backup, I'm not going to post it today.
I'll be the first to admit that mocking windbags like Limbaugh or weasels like Steele is a lot more fun and a lot less work than solving the problems we face. The diversion provides a welcome cathartic value, but little else. On the other hand, solving the problems that have plagued us is tedious hard work. Unfortunately, the serious grunt work rarely gets the recognition it deserves.
I want to help right this wrong -- even if it is a small gesture that disappears. That's why I decided that today, instead of mocking the criminals that imperiled the republic, I wanted to acknowledge the lonely and difficult work of a noble man who deserves all the support he can get.
Thank you Patrick Leahy
Like many here, I have reservations about the Commission and what it will actually achieve. But I am willing to put that aside for a simple reason: we can't walk away from this fight. I know a lot of people have voiced concerns about the Truth Commission. There is a palpable fear that it will be a whitewash. There is a genuine concern that it will immunize people who deserve harsh sentences. There is a widespread fatigue with the outrageous behavior. And there is still, even after we have started to learn our worst fears were not nearly as dark as the reality, a general apathy.
Add to that a general indifference by the media, and you have the makings of death by benign neglect. What little coverage is given to these proceedings smacks of silliness, mockery, and disdain. It would be easy to throw in the towel, to walk away from the fight. It would be easy to justify dropping it.
That is why I am so grateful for Patrick Leahy's commitment, persistence, and fortitude. He knows how dire the stakes are. He knows how close to dictatorship the republic came. He knows this is not over and the same criminals who sacked the Constitution under Reagan returned to do it right and damn near succeeded. He also knows their acolytes will make a new run at this as soon as they can -- unless we plug up the holes so they can't.
When the spotlight is on you and the crowds are cheering for you, its easy to get into the ring for another fight. Its when no one cares, when there is no one pushing you that you have to reach down deep and decide what you're made of. That's why they say "character is what you do when no one is watching."
Cleaning out corruption in DC is a Herculean labor. Uncovering the crimes of the recent past will be a task worthy of Sisyphus. Look at how much effort it takes to get Rove to testify. Imagine how much more effort it will take to nail the people who engineered the wholesale gutting of the 1st, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th amendments.
That is precisely why I don't care whether Leahy succeeds or fails in getting a single prosecution, he deserves our heartiest "thanks" for keeping this battle alive long after everyone else has abandoned him. He may not be the guy who brings them to account. But without him working this field, I have little hope anyone ever will.