Malice. It's been poisoning the air in Washington since George Bush took office. Some more virulent examples of it occurred last week with the attacks on Rep. John Murtha. Yet last week also offered insight into the level of pettiness to which Republican leadership will stoop in their malice for and hostility toward anyone who might dare think differently or disagree with the president.
The US Senate leadership Friday refused to bring to the floor a resolution, introduced by Democratic Sens. Frank Lautenberg and Jon Corzine of New Jersey, honoring Bruce Springsteen's career and the 30th anniversary of the release of his classic album Born to Run. Some reports indicated that "an unidentified GOP senator" put a hold on the resolution, effectively blocking it indefinitely, but that Senate Republican Leader Bill Frist's office indicated the Senate may try to get to it after Thanksgiving.
It appears the GOP and its leadership can't forgive Springsteen for his significant role in last year's Vote for Change tour and for speaking his mind during the presidential campaign. God forbid an American artist actually exercise his or her right to freedom of speech or freedom of association.
In the scheme of things, this is a minor and essentially irrelevant deal — except for what it reveals about the mindset of the national GOP. Dozens of such resolutions are approved each year and, as Lautenberg's office said, usually by unanimous consent. Already this year the Senate has passed such similarly momentous measures as Frist's own resolution commending a college women's basketball coach in his home state "for three decades of excellence as a proven leader, motivated teacher, and established champion."
Evidently, she never said anything bad about Bush, so her resolution could get on the calendar.
First posted at A Progressive on the Prairie.
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Article comments
1 - Baronius
If Congress can't honor The Boss, what's the point of government at all? Oh, yeah, the whole defense and law stuff.
2 - Bliffle
"It appears the GOP and its leadership can't forgive Springsteen for his significant role in last year's Vote for Change tour and actually speaking his mind during the presidential campaign. God forbid an American artist actually exercise their right to freedom of speech or freedom of association."
They hate our freedom.
3 - Al Barger
This article is crap. It has no significant point other than whining some more about mean old Republicans, but not in any significantly detailed or insightful or connected-to-reality kind of way.
Plus, the basic point is a totally unfounded presumption, that some Republican blocked this meaningless bill out of political malice. How do you know that? Perhaps some senator thought, hey, this petty crap ain't what we're here for.
Don't we have a war strategy to debate or something?
4 - Victor Plenty
You might have a point, Al, except Tim makes it clear that the Senate passes resolutions just like this one all the time, without suffering any apparent loss in its ability to debate war strategy.
One of the oldest formulations of justice is that it requires us to treat like cases alike. If the Senate can spare the time to honor a college basketball coach, surely it has enough time to honor a musician.
The crass tone of your objection to this article, and your attempt to obfuscate the salient facts, both argue against your position more eloquently than anything you've adduced to support it.
5 - Rodney Welch
I'm sure it was malicious, but so what? Why shouldn't it be? It's Washington, and that's the way things work. The greater question: who bloody cares? Springsteen has already been honored many times over in the only ways that really matter: the personal satisfaction of realizing his dreams, critical and commercial acclaim, and enormous financial success. He also has a reasonable hope of immortality. Besides these things, a piece of paper from Congress is completely meaningless, and besides, who wants that kind of seal of bourgeois approval?
6 - Al Barger
Now here's something I don't say every day: Rodney Welch is totally right.
7 - Natalie Davis
I find myself in agreement with both Mr. Plenty and Mr. Welch. Indeed, if lawmakers can honor a coach, why not a musician? Then again, would the Boss really want to be honored by government goons? Bruce Springsteen is not Mick, Elton, or Paul.
8 - DJRadiohead
I think this is all a bit silly.
Springsteen exercised his constitutional right to campaign for candidates and ideas. His guy lost. Why should the winners fall all over themselves to honor a guy who wanted them ousted? Things don't happen in a vaccum. You have a right to call your boss a son of a bitch. Just don't be surprised when he doesn't fight to get you a big raise next year.
Besides... Saleski, Lisa, and I already gave him a great honor in a two-part series reviewing this expanded edition of his great album. Fuck the Senate! He got honored by Blogcritics!
9 - Natalie Davis
Hell yeah!
10 - Mark Saleski
yea, and you can trust me...because i don't even own a single suit!
or something.