Lockbox

Some people keep their brains in a lockbox. They never use it. Too many people, especially those in positions where intelligence and wisdom are critical, just don't have it. I've decided Robert Reich is one of those people. There were a million things wrong with the war in Iraq, from whether it was morally justified, to whether particular actions in its conduct were moral. Fair enough; we could discuss that for weeks, and I'd likely agree with much of it. What I will not abide is the claim that Saddam Hussein did not possess weapons of mass destruction. He most certainly did. There are people disarming his vicious designs as we speak, and making sure that no one steals raw materials used in their construction.

Bush absolutely told the truth on this point. Whether that constitutes a sufficient cause for an invasion and occupation is certainly debatable. I'm just tired of political arguments that are, "We should do x, because so-and-so is a bad person, and he opposes it." You don't know Dick Cheney; it may comfort you to think he is an unfeeling troll that no sane person loves, but that isn't remotely true, and, more importantly, that's not a real argument for anything. Same goes for our current president. The merits or demerits of whatever he proposes have nothing whatsoever to do with how you personally feel about him. Just think on that.

Besides, who is Reich trying to convince? He's not running for anything. Other folks seem so firmly convinced that Republicans are morally defective, why bother burnish your alleged conservative bona fides? I'd just rather not argue with someone so certain of his moral superiority.

I would hope that I could listen with some detachment to Hillary Clinton. She might say something useful.