Irish Commentary

As any properly educated person knows, the Irish saved Western Civilization once upon a time. It is our opinion that, understood properly, it is more true than not to say the Irish are Western Civilization. While it is no part of the subject of this post, we observe that this comes about by the confluence of three conditions: The unique combination of Ireland's beautiful but difficult land, beautiful but difficult whiskey, and beautiful but difficult women. But we digress.

With the perspective that comes both of being Irish, and writing for the Irish Times, Newton Emerson provides important insight into the effects of Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. He asks and answers a series of important questions. For example:

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term will not still be damaged in some terribly satisfying way.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that the entire political agenda of George Bush's second term consists of repealing the 22nd Amendment. Otherwise, with a clear Republican majority in both Houses of Congress, he can carry on doing pretty much whatever he likes.

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking if the Republican Party itself will now suffer a setback at the congressional mid-term elections next November.

The answer is almost certainly yes, provided that people outside the disaster zone punish their local representatives for events elsewhere a year previously, both beyond their control and outside their remit, while people inside the disaster zone reward their local representatives for an ongoing calamity they were supposed to prevent. Otherwise, the Democratic Party will suffer a setback at the next congressional election.

There is much more in this vein, including:

As the full horror of this sinks in, thousands of desperate columnists are asking how a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

The answer is that only a civilised city can descend into anarchy.

The whole thing is reprinted on Slugger O'Toole, just HERE.

There'll always be an Ireland.