"Karl Rove is an Evil Bastard"

Was the pronouncement of my former boss, head of a successful 25-year old video game company, Harvard MBA, former Dubai Ad agency owner, dad & husband and generally good natured, down-to-earth chap.

But these days, his nature is foul. What’s striking about that statement is that it sprung forth from a conversation not the least bit fertile for a discussion of politics or governing or international affairs. At least not to me. But, it needed to be said. Like a child that just has to let loose his thoughts. Bam. Karl Rove is an evil bastard.

So, I masterfully changed the subject as I don’t know Karl Rove and though he is credited with satanic abilities and mass mind-control, I really can’t speak on the subject of Mr. Rove. I don’t know Karl Rove.

But I do know my former boss…

A few days later I was sitting in the office of this former boss pitching my services to him for an upcoming project. I was ready to get down to business (basically how much are you going to pay me), when he said, “I’m glad to see more and more people are coming around to my way of thinking. The President’s poll numbers are bad and most people think the war is wrong.”

O.K. Gulp. My internal self speaks to self: Are we going to get into this? Geez. Do I tread lightly or let it rip? He obviously needs to “talk” about this. So, I said, “Well, it’s like a company, if you hear the media and so-called industry experts griping and complaining and saying bad things about the company and/or it’s leaders, then it seems likely the stock will go down and the brand will be diminished and that’s not good for all the people that work for that company. (He’s a company-man, he’ll appreciate the analogy--he's been there when the heat is on and the press and the industry hate you.)

“And that’s what I take umbrage with, not dissent because I’m one of the most anti-authoritarian people around (he smiles, knowing this all too well) and suspect of power—the ‘America bad’, ‘Bush bad’ emotional and irrational diatribes that go on and on ad nauseum instead of critiquing policy...”

He smiles…yes, he has drawn me into what is sure to be a lively debate and clasps his hands just above his lap—ahhh—the relaxed confident posture of a practiced debater. Very good. I’m amused.

Boss: But Bush sees everything in black and white, good vs. evil and the rest of the world doesn’t see it that way. (Posits his premise while trying to add credibility to his assertion.)

Me: The “rest of the world”? Actually, the rest of the world DOES see it that way—good vs. evil.

Boss: Not so.

Me: Is too (not really). Yes, they do. With the exception of …

Boss & Me in Unison: Europe

Me: Yes, but Europe is not the rest of the world in fact, Europe is just a small part of it. Take India for example…

And I continue for a few moments about India and other parts of the world that have an alternative view of his America.

Finally, I countered my former boss’s assertion that the world does not exist in absolutes that no right thinking and enlightened person would divide the world in moralist terms of good vs. evil and said: “I do think there are evil people in this world and reject the notion that those that kill artists, homosexuals and castrate and stone women are not evil. They are evil.”

But, I was struck. I like my former boss. He and I have sparred often and we both enjoy the clash of steel and the gentle stabs to deflate the air in inadequate or inane arguments. As an insider, I know that this private company has not taken care of its employees, that the owner /CEO considers them to be as close to servants as the law allows and has denied them vacations, raises and bonuses while he has taken month-long vacations, siphoned money from the company that could be re-invested or paid to employees, bought his 2^nd Malibu home and a new Ferrari in addition to the Bentley and all this in just one year.

While his staff struggles to meet their bills, he’s flying high and suffers no compunction. To many in the company (both present and former associates/employees) this man is considered evil and I think my former boss (his partner) knows it, yet has sold his soul in some way to keep his cushy high-paying position and stature and keep his wife in art classes, designer apparel and on the guest list of the influential, upper crust of Los Angeles society.

Just days before he was declaring Karl Rove an evil bastard and now he is ridiculing Bush for similar declarations.

The funny thing is, Bush’s enemies can and have killed Americans. I’m not sure you can say the same about Rove. But the bourgeois, in their languished lives, need to kibitz—it’s as old as the human race.

Tsk tsk. Hypocrite? Yes, I do believe that rises to the standard.

S.F. supervisors ask lawmakers to impeach Bush

Have you been to San Fran lately? Crime is rampant, gangs own the city and this is what the city's Sups spend their time on? It's clear that diverting attention from what you should be doing works in politics. They say "all politics is local", but shouldn't these sups be doing something about cleaning up their locale?

San Francisco's supervisors jumped into national politics Tuesday, passing a resolution asking the city's Democratic congressional delegation to seek the impeachment of President Bush for failing to perform his duties by leading the country into war in Iraq, eroding civil liberties and engaging in other activities the board sees as transgressions.

Ever notice how it's always the people that aren't doing their work griping about the people that are? It doesn't matter whether it's politics or companies--people are the same wherever you go. There are those that DO and those that DON'T.

San Fran could be the West Coast version of NYC--cosmopolitan, open to EVERYONE, clean, proud and safe for residents and visitors alike.

Hey San Fran Sups...GET ON WITH THE BUSINESS OF DOING SOMETHING!!! It was wrong when they did it to Clinton (impeached) and it's wrong now. At least the Mayor of San Fran is doing some thinking and trying to act on behalf of bettering his city. geez.