Those Who Control The Past Control The Future

“This election is about the future, about what kind of country this nation is going to be in the 21st century. This next election is actually a generational choice. A choice about what kind of nation we will be in the 21st century.” Thus spake Marco Rubio, .” America is a “special country,” he he continued, one where “anyone from anywhere can achieve anything, a nation that's been a force for good on this planet.” The senator from Florida is the youngest candidate in the race, and so that whole "generation" thing probably makes the most sense coming from him.

Sounds a little like a young Barack Obama: First term senator with an ethnic background and a vast storehouse of youthful idealism. And what is that idealism all about? Well it sure isn't that fuddy-duddy old school Florida Republican thinking that we are getting from Jeb "!" Bush. Of course, it was Jeb (!) who was recently caught on the Youtubes saying, “What Marco has, I think, is something that the Republican party needs to have which is a hopeful optimistic message based on our principles.” This was the Rubio campaign's way of saying, "See, even Jeb Bush (!) agrees that Marco is the man for the job. The quandary becomes, however, if we aren't supposed to trust J!eb, then why would we care what Je!b thinks about Marco? If the enemy of my enemy is my friend, then who is the guy who is polling just below me, if not my friend?

This is precisely the kind of question that would give a philosopher pause. Not that divining any sort of real truth at the central core of the matter would give them a bigger paycheck than, let's say, a welder. It is Senator Rubio's position that we don't need more philosophers, we need more welders. This is a peculiar bit of logic, since the glut of philosophy majors that he suggests exists will almost certainly find someone else to vote for, and the dearth of welders though swept up by Marco's bold statement of appreciation would not help him win the day. Unless it turns out that there are plenty of philosophy degrees and welding certificates as well, and it has nothing to do with logic but only the fresh-faced pandering to the working class. You remember them, don't you, guys?

This next election is about the future. “He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past.”