Damned straight

[yendi]

Teresa Nielsen Hayden on why political centipedes are so detestable.

("Centipede," in this context, is a term coined by Bruce Sterling -- after you've read TNH's essay, hit "home" or scroll to the top if you want to read more)

Comments

[tattermuffin.livejournal.com]

Your icon amuses me. :)

[unwilly.livejournal.com]

Yeah, scratch any politician and you'll find a hypocrite and a pervert.

As for the outers, yes, it is mostly political. One more way to drive the knife into the back of your opponent. Politics is a dirty game, both in the publice eye and the bedroom, or bathroom stall, or car in the parking garage. It wouldn't be so easy to do if the politicians were not so stupid about their affairs in the first place.

I was amused that Gingrich got off so lightly in the article, having been known to do even worse things, like dumping his much older, former teacher, wife, as she was stricken with cancer.

[litch.livejournal.com]

scratch any politician and you'll find a hypocrite and a pervert

The politicians I "know" (have met and who have represented me for the last couple years) have not proven to be hypocritical or noticeably perverted. People like Lloyd Doggett, Chris Bell, Kirk Watson. Of course they are all liberal democrats but then it's gauche to point out that overwhelmingly the hypocritical perverts are conservatives.

[pnh.livejournal.com]

The idea that all politicians, categorically, are knaves is a useful weapon against democracy. Much like the idea that all lawyers are dishonest assholes.

A world without policitians who need votes, or without lawyers who can be hired by anyone, is a world of stable orders and classes, in which power doesn't change hands save for slowly, and the lower orders have no recourse against those who rule them. In other words, conservative Heaven. Remember that the next time someone trots out the lazy "all politicians are wicked" meme.