Rove's Security Clearance
Just watched part of the debate about the bill aimed at revoking Rove's security clearance. It pains me to say that it pains me to say that I think I'm with the Republicans on this one.
First: The Republicans' best point was that the bill apparently would revoke the security clearance of anyone who revealed certain classified information, even if the revelation was unwitting/accidental. This is a tough issue, but my first thought about this is that in this case we should be aiming to stop the intentional release of classified information, not its accidental release. My second thought was that it would not be unreasonable to argue that releasing classified information through incompetence might also warrant such revocation. Since (a) I'm not sure which of these thoughts is right and (b) I suspect that I've lost my objectivity in this matter, I guess I'd better not support the amendment. Like my opinion on this matters...
Second: It pains me to agree with the Republicans about anything having to do with this matter.
Third: It pains me that it pains me to agree with the Republicans, because that's a good indication that I've lost my objectivity. If you're rooting for one side in an argument or discussion you might as well just drop any delusions of objectivity. Hmmm. Maybe that's an overstatement. But in matters like this, the difference between the better and the worse arguments is often so thin that having a dog in the fight is enough to almost completely undermine your ability to make accurate judgments.
On the other hand, I'm moving Jennifer Love Hewitt and Penelope Cruz off of my "list" to make room for Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
Just watched part of the debate about the bill aimed at revoking Rove's security clearance. It pains me to say that it pains me to say that I think I'm with the Republicans on this one.
First: The Republicans' best point was that the bill apparently would revoke the security clearance of anyone who revealed certain classified information, even if the revelation was unwitting/accidental. This is a tough issue, but my first thought about this is that in this case we should be aiming to stop the intentional release of classified information, not its accidental release. My second thought was that it would not be unreasonable to argue that releasing classified information through incompetence might also warrant such revocation. Since (a) I'm not sure which of these thoughts is right and (b) I suspect that I've lost my objectivity in this matter, I guess I'd better not support the amendment. Like my opinion on this matters...
Second: It pains me to agree with the Republicans about anything having to do with this matter.
Third: It pains me that it pains me to agree with the Republicans, because that's a good indication that I've lost my objectivity. If you're rooting for one side in an argument or discussion you might as well just drop any delusions of objectivity. Hmmm. Maybe that's an overstatement. But in matters like this, the difference between the better and the worse arguments is often so thin that having a dog in the fight is enough to almost completely undermine your ability to make accurate judgments.
On the other hand, I'm moving Jennifer Love Hewitt and Penelope Cruz off of my "list" to make room for Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein.
posted by Winston Smith at
6:41 PM
3 Comments:
"It pains me that it pains me to agree with the Republicans, because that's a good indication that I've lost my objectivity."
Objectivity doesn't mean being equally well disposed to both sides. Objectivity means judging each side's claims against actual reality -- and if you do that, the Republicans come off looking a fair bit worse than the Democrats. They've established such a pattern of deviation from reality that there is certainly nothing wrong dismissing their claims until they can demonstrate that they've returned from Bizarro World.
You're right, but rooting for one side or another destroys one's ability to objectively assess the evidence. And I've gotten so fed up with the Republican leadership that I'm now rooting against them with regularity.
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