“They need water
Good, good water
We need water
And I’m sure there ain’t one of us here
Who’d say, “No, ” to somebody’s daughter.” — Pete Townsend
It’s often funny how phrases get started. If you looked up “jump the shark” in the urban dictionary I’m sure it would tell you that it is a reference to when something ceases to be cool. Funny but it derives from a real reference. In one of the later episodes of “Happy Days”, The Fonzie actually leaps over a shark. You can almost draw a direct line from his former coolness to what he has since become.
He certainly isn’t the only one. Matthew Broderick went from being Ferris Bueller to being a geek as well. He’s been well compensated for his trouble, so I’m sure he doesn’t mind. I certainly wouldn’t mind trading places with him just for a few moments.
One of our personal indulgences around the house is the James Bond series. I think we have almost all of the them on DVD and we’ve seen each one at least once. Most we have seen numerous times. The formula in those films always includes an over the top Bond villain. Simply killing his or her enemy isn’t enough. It has to be done in an elaborate and dramatic way. That always proves to be their undoing in the end.
At this point, you are probably wondering what this has to do with anything. The Georgia legislature and governor have jumped the shark and have gone from being mean-spirited people into Bond villain territory. You can see their evil wheels spinning as they plot their revenge against the Democratic party.
We start by making it more difficult to vote. We do that by requiring IDs and then limiting the ability to obtain an ID. We continue down that road when we limit the number of polling places in certain neighborhoods. So, if you aren’t deterred by the hassle of getting registered to vote then maybe you will be deterred by the long lines.
Sadly, this wasn’t enough for the state legislature and governor. Now, they have made it illegal to pass out food and water to citizens waiting in line to vote. I’m not sure if a goblin dressed up like the hamburglar will be dispatched to collect any food and water people bring themselves. I guess we will have to read the fine print in the bill.
Certainly, we can all see the dangers of allowing people waiting in long lines to have water. Water is a gateway drug. Give someone water and they might stay hydrated and think clearly. We simply can’t have that. If you want to pull the lever for the Democratic party or simply have the audacity to vote at a precinct where the majority support Democrats then you need to suffer. You need to wait in long lines and you will get nothing. And like it.
The cold, hard reality is that this law has already been challenged in court. I can’t imagine the courts allowing this portion of the law to stand. There’s no constitutional basis for it. Hell, there’s no human basis for it. Thus, we see the true core of the modern Republican party. Humanity is optional. In fact, it’s actively discouraged.
In a scant twenty years, the Republican party has gone from compassionate conservatism to being the heir to the throne of Goldfinger. In one of the scenes, Bond asks him if he expects him to talk. Goldfinger responds by saying, “No, I expect you to die.” Thus, we have seen the soul of the Republican party if there ever really was one. It is a black one indeed.
halloffameindex 