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Thursday, April 9. 2009

QQQ

"Somehow liberals have been unable to acquire from life what conservatives seem to be endowed with at birth: namely, a healthy skepticism of the powers of government agencies to do good."


Sen. Daniel P. Moynihan (h/t, Vanderleun). Moynihan was the kind of wise Dem for whom I could have considered voting.

Posted by Bird Dog in Quotidian Quotable Quote (QQQ) at 10:32 | Comments (5) | Trackbacks (0)

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Quite agree, BD, Sen Daniel Patrick Moynihan is my fave Dem Senator. Among many fine qualities, he was not afraid to speak truth to the power centers in the Democrat Party. He was not afraid to advance original and contrary ideas and was a scholarly man who wrote a number of important books and papers on the most controversial political issues of the day.

I recall that he had a very healthy skepticism about the Clintons, I don't think he cottoned up to their style at all; I can just imagine what he would have to say about the current regime, I don't think he would at all approve. He could turn a phrase to make any Irishman proud- "Boob bait for the bubbas", I think, is my all-time favorite, it still makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it or see it in print.

Yup, if I had a choice of politicians with whom to sit down and have a brandy, or port and cigar, ol' Pat would be right up there with Disraeli and Churchill for the Brits, and FDR, LBJ, and Barry Goldwater for the Yanks.
#1 greenmtnpunter on 2009-04-09 13:54 (Reply)
I agree with the party in the room. DPM was a great human being. At least one of his many memorable turns of phrase reckons to be immortal: to 'define deviancy down'. The three 'D's we see so lamentably operant. It's 3D alright --
#2 buddy larsen on 2009-04-09 16:16 (Reply)
buddy ... Pat Moynihan has always been a politician I greatly respected -- capable of great wit and piercingly good observations. In the dear dead days of courtesy offered 'across the aisle,' many Republicans were pleased to have a drink with him after legislating hours. Unfortunately, when he died, we lost the last intelligent Democrat on the Hill. I still remember the film clip of him as he told the media he was retiring and urged voters to vote for Hillary ... the sad, conflicted look on his face.

Marianne
#3 Marianne Matthews on 2009-04-09 16:58 (Reply)
Agreed, Moynihan said and wrote many wise and interesting things for a dem. In the end, though, he voted with the pack. He was a loyal dem to the end, when he annointed Hillary to be his suckcessor.
#4 sean on 2009-04-09 20:03 (Reply)
I was an admirer of Moynihan (especially when he served in the UN and stuffed their nonsense right down their throats). But I was disappointed in him when he championed Hillary for his seat in NY.
#5 Judith on 2009-04-10 08:34 (Reply)

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