(10 am. – promoted by ek hornbeck)
(from the Ancient Greek ???????? eironeía, meaning hypocrisy, deception, or feigned ignorance) is a literary or rhetorical device, in which there is an incongruity or discordance between what one says or does and what one means or what is generally understood. Irony is a mode of expression that calls attention to discrepancy between two levels of knowledge.
Yesterday was a marvelous day, on many levels, with some great people newly sworn into Congress, on both the Senate and House sides. …
The irony …
Of watching Dick Cheney administer the oath of office to the Senators of the 111th Congress.
It was a marvelous day, on many levels, with some great people newly sworn into Congress, on both the Senate and House sides.
While there is no doubt that we will have lots of reasons to scream from the rafters, it will be much better to be fighting to figure out how to get people to do things better (writ large) rather than figuring out how to fight rear-guard battles against destructive, divisive, and dangerous policies.
And, I felt privilieged and heartened to have invitations to join receptions for a number of new Representatives and Senators, including some from the Energy Smart list. With a bounce in my walk, I approached Congressional offices considering that it would no longer be Representative-Elect Perriello but Representative Perriello(D-VA-05); not Representative-Elect Peters but Representative Peters (D-MI-09); not Representative-Elect Nye but Representative Nye (D-VA-02); and tens of others. No longer Senator-Elect Warner but Senator Warner (Mark, that is) (D-VA); not Senator-Elect Begich, but Senator Begich (D-AK); not Senator-Elect Jeff Merkley but Senator Merkley (D-OR) and many others.
A real bounce in the step.
Within a few minutes after entering the room for Senator Merkley’s (okay, read that out loud: Senator Merkley, doesn’t it sound sweet!) reception, another reality set in, one that was a real surprise. I knew a number of the people there, people for whom I have fundamental (serious) personal respect who have known Jeff for years and think extremely highly of him. … Hmmm … that was a good sign. I then met others who greatly impressed me who have the highest regard for Jeff. Hmmm … What does it say of someone when good people think so highly of them?
A very positive feeling, being amid people buoyant over having a chance to see and congratulate a good person on being sworn into the US Senate.
Hip! Hip! HOORAY!
But, then the swearing in ceremony began and a different reality set in, hitting deeply in the gut driving
A bittersweet taste …
It was incredibly odd (to the extent of stomach turning) watching Dick Cheney give the Oath of Office to Senators …
I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.
While no video in hand from yesterday’s swearing in, below is the 22 January swearing in of Robin Wicker.
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution …
Do you, like I, wonder where the Constitution says that whatever the President wants to do in ‘wartime’ (by the way, are we in “wartime”, right now, as I don’t recall a Declaration of War) is legal.
Against all enemies, foreign and domestic …
Dick …
I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same
F…ing
I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office
Cheney!
Hearing those words from that man, literally, turned my stomach.
Considering the past eight years, one might actually think that there might have been grounds for Cheney’s impeachment.
13.5 days …
13.5 days and the man who has the Constitutional responsibility to be the President of the United States Senate will actually be someone who believes in the US Senate …
In the meantime …
Join with me …
HIP! HIP! HOORAY!!!
For the new Democratic members of the 111th Congress.