Friday, June 8, 2012

King Canute: North Carolina Republican?

Canute was king of England from 1016 to 1035.  He is generally seen as by history as a good king and an effective administrator, but he is famous for one story: His attempt to order the tide not to rise.  Let's let the chronicle of Henry of Huntingdon  tell the story:

with the greatest vigor he commanded that his chair should be set on the shore, when the tide began to rise. And then he spoke to the rising sea saying “You are part of my dominion, and the ground that I am seated upon is mine, nor has anyone disobeyed my orders with impunity. Therefore, I order you not to rise onto my land, nor to wet the clothes or body of your Lord”.
Well it's really not fair to compare our state's Republicans with such a delusion.  After all, King Canute tried to command the sea arbitrarily, as if it would obey his will simply because he was king.  On the other hand, NC's legislative Republicans follow procedure and take a democratic vote before commanding the sea.   So they are much more rational.

Maybe it's not fair to just give Daily Kos's view. Stephen Colbert's is much funnier:


Of course there is more to the story.  Canute was actually trying to make a point, and prove to fawning courtiers that his power was limited.  NC's Republicans... well, nevermind

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