News from yesterday's primary: The Democrats in Connecticut have purged one of the few remaining voices of sanity and civility in their party, as millionaire challenger and left-wing anti-war candidate Ned Lamont defeated incumbent Democrat Senator Joe Lieberman.
To me, it was all reminiscent of George Orwell's novel 1984. Lieberman was obviously guilty of insufficient orthodoxy to the fundamental principles of Demsoc (Principle #1: "Hate George W. Bush before all others"), and no doubt of thoughtcrime as well. Unlike most of the members of the Party, he didn't take part in the daily "Two Minutes Hate", in which the despised visage of George W. "Goldstein" Bush would appear on the telescreens to induce paroxysms of insane fury among the party faithful. That right there showed dangerous unorthodoxy. He just didn't bellyfeel Demsoc.
And the thoughtcrime: His failure to understand that the true enemies of the Party were not the Islamofascist terrorists who flew jet airplanes into skyscrapers or two-bit tinhorn dictators or mad mullahs seeking nuclear weapons, but rather the Republicans. Yes, it was the Republicans who were worthy only of rancor and venom, according to Democrat Party chief Howard Dean, whose quotes included "I hate Republicans." Civility, working together across the aisle for the benefit of the country, no, there could be none of that. There was no room for compromise. The Party was at war with the Republicans; the Party had always been at war with the Republicans. The Ministry of Truth (aka Reuters - haha, just kidding!) told them so. Eurasia, Eastasia, eh, they could take care of themselves. Not the Party's problem.
And so, the thought criminal Lieberman was purged, sent to Room 101 in an attempt to make him confess his many crimes. But a funny thing may happen in November: The proles may get a chance to vote for him as an independent. Not that it would really change anything, of course. One sane, civil Senator is not enough to redeem a Party.
