R i g h t a r d i a: Huffington Post: Allan West makes a catachresis

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Huffington Post: Allan West makes a catachresis

Rep. Allen West, arrogant war criminal wonk

Catachresis is the misuse of a word; an application of a term to something which it does not properly denote.

Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.) made one today. The freshman Republican drew historical analogies between current times and pre-World War II Europe, comparing Democrats to Neville Chamberlain and his fellow appeasers.

Of course, Obama and the Democrats did not agree with the House bill and told the Republicans to "go fish!" This is hardly appeasement.

The congressman’s office had the following statement placed in the Congressional Record with respect to the stopgap measure, also known as the “Department of Defense Appropriations Bill.”

Mr. Speaker: Will we be Chamberlain or will we be Churchill? Neville Chamberlain, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1937 and 1940, will forever be known for his foreign policy approach of appeasement. Prime Minster Chamberlain, even with Germany’s increasing aggression in Europe, turned a blind eye to the impending danger and did not prepare his nation for war.

Winston Churchill, who saw the dark clouds approaching, was looked upon as an alarmist at the time, even though he saw the true danger. Churchill stated: “An appeaser is one who feeds a crocodile, hoping it will eat him last.”

Mr. Speaker: I once again will not be feeding the crocodile. I once again will not be voting for yet another Continuing Resolution. However, having spent 22 years in uniform, having served on the battlefield in defense of this nation, I will be voting for the Department of Defense Appropriations bill in order to support our men and women in uniform. Our nation is involved in two conflicts and our President has now involved us in a third. It is my constitutional responsibilities to provide funding for the service members in uniform who are defending our nation both at home and abroad.

Some would argue that comparing World War II to the debate on the budget for Fiscal Year 2011 is not an appropriate comparison. However, I would argue that Winston Churchill was prepared to lead his country courageously, in the way that would ensure England’s future. Today we are also faced with the question of protecting America’s future.

First of all, both Neville Chamberlain and Winston Churchill were conservatives. Chamberlain was concerned as much about the Reds as he was the Nazis and the his 'appeasement' was based on calculated cynical politics based on current historical thought.

Second, who is being appeased? Did the GOP think this cheap trick of extending the continuing resolution one would week would work if they tied it to the armed services? It's the domestic economy that is suffering not the armed services. Why should people in uniform be excluded from sharing the pain?

From Rightardia's perspective, Speaker Boehner is trying to appease his Tea Party caucus. Boehner knows the GOP will lose big if the government is closed own.

If the government is closed, it is because the congress was unwilling to compromise with the Senate and the President. The Congress is not in any position to dictate terms to the Senate or the President.

Like it or not, the Democrats still control the federal government.

Congressman's West comments are not only unhelpful they are a a catechises, a bad metaphor. Did you expect more from a war criminal?