by ANDREW LEVINE
Biologists sometimes do thought experiments in which they reflect on the consequences of imaginary catastrophic events wiping out particular populations. For a day or two, one could hope that a natural experiment of a similar type would soon transpire: that Hurricane Isaac would do in the Grand Old Party of wingnuts, whackjobs, semi-retired war criminals, neocon war mongers, and some of the most noxious capitalists on earth.
However nature soon proved itself, yet again, indifferent to urgent human needs. But surely a “targeted” annihilation would not be too much to expect from a superannuated thunder god who is supposed to be good (or at least not malicious) and just. Too bad that the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Pat Robertson is not up to the task.
Just think, after all, what an omnipotent and omniscient Being could do; think of all the “creative destruction”! With thunderbolts and tornadoes, He (or would it be She?) could out perform the best of Obama’s drones – striking all and only those who “deserve” it; no “due process” questions asked.
With zero “collateral damage” the White House and Pentagon would turn green with envy. Or perhaps not; if it turns out, as seems to be the case, that, weasel words aside, they actually get off on collateral damage.
But we can still ask what if? What if the party that keeps dragging our politics rightward, to such an extent that it is now off the spectrum of just a decade or two ago, disappeared from the face of the earth?
To be sure, a God with decent politics would need more than just Isaac for that inasmuch as the worst malefactors wouldn’t deign to show their faces at a mere Tampa infomercial. But an omniscient God would know how to find them.
God would need to exercise divine wisdom too because not all Republicans are created equal. In particular, Ron Paul and his followers pose a problem. On the whole, they are bad news, but they come with a redeeming feature.
On economic matters, they’re no better than the rest; just a bit more lucid and consistent — though with Paul Ryan doing the thinking for the GOP, it’s not hard to lead the field in the lucidity and consistency departments.
But Paul was the only genuinely anti-war candidate running this year for the nomination of either of the two semi-established parties, and though his views on foreign policy have more to do with antiquated economic nostrums than principled opposition to the predations of empire, the effect is much the same. He was also the only real defender of civil liberties.
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