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Monday, May 16. 2011People are asking me about this guy's "problem"People are asking me about the IMF head's "problem". If all the stories and rumors are true, he doesn't have a personal psychological problem (except his new personal political and legal problems). My guess would be that the issue is that people like him have no problem. In other words, he just does whatever he feels like and doesn't give a damn because he gets away with it and his associates and his wife don't seem to care all that much. To diagnose that (eg Impulse Disorder, or Sex Addiction) is simply to excuse, or dignify, the sort of bad behavior that most people decide, often with great struggle, to limit to their fantasy lives. Everybody has illicit ideas and desires, whether consciously or unconsciously. That's why we are given the gift of the Ten Commandments. Now that he has supposedly (as the gossip says) had his fun raping and/or seducing God knows how many attractive women and girls, and finally got caught, watch him now act the victim and seek help for a psychological problem. They always do, after they get caught. Clinton too. From here: The charges are roiling France, where Mr. Strauss-Kahn was the favorite to be the Socialist nominee for President next year and was even leading in the polls against Nicolas Sarkozy. The French are legendary for nonchalance toward the sexual appetites of their politicians, and they sniffed at Americans who disapproved of Bill Clinton when he lied under oath about sex. But we doubt even the French will be blasé about assaulting a hotel chamber maid. Addendum, from France: "Politicians ... enjoy a particular tolerance on this subject," he wrote. "Part of the shock comes also from the unusual scene, until now unthinkable here: police arresting a top-level politician on a matter of morals."
Posted by Dr. Joy Bliss
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I think you're right, Dr. Joy. It always seems that the ones who want to control us are the ones who have no control. It's also illuminating that he's a socialist...
I was listening to CNBC this morning and this subject came up with an interview of some French business/political commenter. Apparently this is not a big deal in France and the commentariat in France are wondering what all the fuss is about.
These are the societies we are supposed to emulate? Let's hope the unwashed masses in France have a better sense of decency. France doesn't need a socialist president - but then who does?
On second thought, it might not matter. If he is tried and convicted in the US, it might be difficult for him to run for president of France if he is in jail - if he is given jail time. Is he considered a diplomat?
Chasing chambermaids around is an ancient Euroland aristocratic sport.
So a Socialist flies first class anywhere he wants at taxpayers' expense, and he stays in $3,000 a night hotel rooms [he would never lower himself to stay in a $1,000 room – not that I have any idea what either one would look like].
This is what Socialism always results in: the exact same class system that Marx railed against. The ordinary taxpayer has absolutely zero say in this extravant waste of their hard-earned money. Their Socialist betters simply take what they want from the proletariat as their due, then always put their hand out for more, more, more... ...and Communists are just Socialists in a hurry. Liberalism is already a mental disorder (paraphrasing Michael Savage), so what's the big deal? That should in and of itself disqualify him in the minds of an enlightened populace.
Unfortunately, I see no enlightened populaces around these days. If I'm correct, he's NOT a diplomat, which is why he was arrested in the first place. No immunity. However, I'm sure if this is true a deal of some nature will be struck to let him go.
The French are much more advanced than the US, in some ways, when it comes to tolerance for certain sexual behaviors. On the other hand, that level of tolerance has led to certain degrees of rationalization for behaviors that are criminal. The issue isn't that a politician had a sexual dalliance. On its own merit, even that is relatively boring here in the US. Certainly not to the degree of the French, but boring "enough" because so many politicians do that sort of thing. The issue is that it's a sexual assault. In other words, it's a rape. Even in France they have laws against rape. By and large, their blase attitude is primarily because they sniff at everything the US does. They simply don't view us as their moral, political or economic superiors (not that we necessarily are - but there is much to commend our lifestyles and belief systems compared to that royal mess they've concocted over there). As a result, had this occurred in France, the whole thing would've been swept under a rug, a payoff made....and life would go blissfully on as if it was no big deal. I'm sure that's what he expected here, too. My wife said "men in power believe they cannot be touched and eventually overstep their bounds." I altered that to say "people in power". She disagreed and said it rarely ever happens with women. I replied "you and I may just rarely hear about it because men have a different attitude about what to do when it happens to them." By and large, their blase attitude is primarily because they sniff at everything the US does
The French sniff at everything any other country does. Its a feature of their social and cultural psyche. Sadly, it is misplaced as they are inferior at almost everything except for food - and even there it is pedestrian crap covered with different sauces.:>) From http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/05/16/imf-chief-held-without-bail/:
"The IMF has said they would deny immunity because the alleged assault occurred when Strauss-Kahn was on a personal visit, not a business trip." Apparently, he is considered a diplomat in some contexts... Thankfully, not this one. "Part of the shock comes also from the unusual scene, until now unthinkable here: police arresting a top-level politician on a matter of morals."
Physical assault and rape are "a matter of morals"? Self-entitlement, narcissism and power are common bedfellows - there is no such thing as a superman. That's why you've gotta check and balance these guys.
In my utopia, every power system would be made as democratic as practically possible. It's the best we have for ensuring competency and integrity. A few slick salesmen will always get through, but it beats 'winner takes all' totalitarian systems. I'm opposed to democracy. I ends up being mob rule. As Ben Franklin is supposed to have said but apparently didn't: "Democracy is two wolves and a sheep voting on what's for dinner."
Democratic Republics tend to be a bit more fair. Pure democracy does result in mob rule, and more dangerously it often leads to bizarre outcomes since votes can take place during periods of high emotion.
Republics have the veneer of democracy with none of the drawbacks (though many others of their own). I prefer the Churchill quote that "Democracy is the worst political system except for all the others." I guess I was speaking in terms of all power systems. Isn’t there usually a vote and white smoke somewhere in Rome? Imagine if the papacy was entirely determined by Imperial Machinations. Instead of the popular guy Catholics would be getting the smartest thug.
I would choose a democratic republic - like we're supposed to have. That's not nearly the same thing as a democracy.
All forms are government are fatally flawed. Self government is the most difficult and most fragile. Laws more often than not seem to be for 'the little people'™(Insty), but once in a while someone of the political class steps on his sexual apparatus and is brought to the Bar. Heaven for-fend should we persecute him like a commoner.... YUP we should.
So nothing would have been said or done had someone not complained. Sexual immorality does not exist sans complaining party. That seems to be the message.
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