Life in a Mausoleum

[mishalak]

I was watching a program about the Jacqueline Kennedy story on PBS. The various commentators talk lovingly of how the White House was transformed into a museum under her leadership. Meanwhile I was silently horrified. To me her vision of an American Versailles sounds rather terrible; presidents above the people as our kings anointed by election. I suppose it was inevitable, but I find myself disliking her intensely. I like style, but I hate ossified and stifling tradition which is what she crated in this mania for historical objects.

And she steals the limelight from the president who really saved the White House. Harry S. Truman. He actually moved out of the White House for a time so it could be rebuilt on the inside. I doubt many other presidents would have had the courage to do that. All she did was decorate what Harry built.

If I were president would move out of the White House. If it must be a museum then let it be one, I would act as one of the people and live in a real house.

Comments

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

So after Mishalak for TAFF is successful, Mishalak for President? (You'll be 35 the NEXT round?)

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Oh heck no! I wouldn't want to be a politician, I'd far rather be Prime Minister of some place nice like Canada, and there's no way I could win given my oddball views. And I won't be 35 until 2012.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

As Bush the Younger has shown, you don't actually have to *win* to be President.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

He still had to get within striking distance even if you believe he stole it. And he still had to have support from somewhere even if you believe the conspiracy theories. Who would support a gay freethinker whose major position is "politics is boring"?

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

Aside from me, you mean?

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Ooo, I have the filk vote tied up! I smell victory! <grin>

[thette.livejournal.com]

Hey, anointing kings by election is an old and fine tradition!

I'd much rather go back to elected kings, but only if we could sacrifice them when there's the modern equivalent of bad harvests. Too bad we'd have to change church for that, or be really, really heretic.

[mishalak.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but I don't like kings. At least not when the have actual power. I don't like the sense that there is this gulf between the people and the government. I guess I have too much Steerpike in me.