Pearls of witticism from 'Bo the Blogger: Kushibo's Korea blog... Kushibo-e Kibun...
Now with Less kimchi, more nunchi. Random thoughts and commentary (and indiscernibly opaque humor) about selected social, political, economic, and health-related issues of the day affecting "foreans," Koreans, Korea and East Asia, along with the US, especially Hawaii, Orange County and the rest of California, plus anything else that is deemed worthy of discussion. Forza Corea!
Friday, April 10, 2009
North Korean parliament re-elects Kim Jong-il as supreme military leader
Americans should take note: this is how smoothly things go when you aren't encumbered by Florida, Ohio, Minnesota, a directly elected presidential office, or any form of functioning democracy.
I take it from that comment that you don't care much for Al Franken, though it could mean that you admire Al Franken and you feel he could be the one to save the North.
Um, if it's the former, what do you dislike about the guy? I remember — twenty years ago! — being very impressed with his live, on-air drawing of a state-by-state map on Saturday Night Live for the purpose of showing how Dukakis could pull off an electoral win against George H.W. Bush.
I picked up the last several of his books, namely "The Truth (With Jokes)" and "Lying Liars," and I thought they were not just funny but reasonably well-researched and with thought-provokingly good ideas. I was actually happy to see someone that knowledgeable who obviously cared about the issues to be running for Senate in a state I'd spent considerable amount of time in as a child.
Of course, he's on the left, and more liberal than I am (there are points on which I would disagree with him), so I imagine most on the right wouldn't care for him at all. None of my GOP relatives in Minnesota like him, but my Democratic relatives do.
I think to many pop analysts of foreign countries get carried away with the propaganda about North Korea (in this instance) and fail to understand (or even see for that matter) the complex politics that underly what is happening there. Man is a political animal, and democracy a basic trait. Kim jong il has to work to get the numbers, and it appears he still does. Hitler had to do the same, as did bush, napoleon and alexander the great.
It's just so much easier, though, for the Western press to think of KJI as crazy or irrational. But he's a human being (even if he does monstrous things) and he wants things, he bargains for things, he has to do things to make his supporters happy, etc.
It would have been a funny gag, though, if everyone had voted NO on him (you, know, a kind of "brown parade" coup d'etat).
After I get done with this one work assignment I've got to do tonight, I'm going to write something about Sonagi's Weekend at Bernie's post, but I think there is a chance that a post-stroke KJI might just simply get tired of running the state. If he can hand over the reins to someone he trusts won't throw him (and his family) into the clink or send him to the gallows, he might just step aside.
since you made reference to the minnesota senate race, i'll say al franken should be president of the glorious DPRK.
ReplyDeleteI take it from that comment that you don't care much for Al Franken, though it could mean that you admire Al Franken and you feel he could be the one to save the North.
ReplyDeleteUm, if it's the former, what do you dislike about the guy? I remember — twenty years ago! — being very impressed with his live, on-air drawing of a state-by-state map on Saturday Night Live for the purpose of showing how Dukakis could pull off an electoral win against George H.W. Bush.
I picked up the last several of his books, namely "The Truth (With Jokes)" and "Lying Liars," and I thought they were not just funny but reasonably well-researched and with thought-provokingly good ideas. I was actually happy to see someone that knowledgeable who obviously cared about the issues to be running for Senate in a state I'd spent considerable amount of time in as a child.
Of course, he's on the left, and more liberal than I am (there are points on which I would disagree with him), so I imagine most on the right wouldn't care for him at all. None of my GOP relatives in Minnesota like him, but my Democratic relatives do.
i love al franken and i want him to destroy the right with an iron fist.
ReplyDelete(warning: my opinions with regard to american politics may be strange and/or wrong)
I think to many pop analysts of foreign countries get carried away with the propaganda about North Korea (in this instance) and fail to understand (or even see for that matter) the complex politics that underly what is happening there.
ReplyDeleteMan is a political animal, and democracy a basic trait. Kim jong il has to work to get the numbers, and it appears he still does. Hitler had to do the same, as did bush, napoleon and alexander the great.
True that.
ReplyDeleteIt's just so much easier, though, for the Western press to think of KJI as crazy or irrational. But he's a human being (even if he does monstrous things) and he wants things, he bargains for things, he has to do things to make his supporters happy, etc.
It would have been a funny gag, though, if everyone had voted NO on him (you, know, a kind of "brown parade" coup d'etat).
After I get done with this one work assignment I've got to do tonight, I'm going to write something about Sonagi's Weekend at Bernie's post, but I think there is a chance that a post-stroke KJI might just simply get tired of running the state. If he can hand over the reins to someone he trusts won't throw him (and his family) into the clink or send him to the gallows, he might just step aside.