tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714063.post1746810377422194004..comments2023-10-09T00:45:55.603+09:00Comments on Shisaku: As Bad As It Ever WasMTChttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04626942240117432624noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714063.post-4451555561123343552012-10-10T09:02:32.417+09:002012-10-10T09:02:32.417+09:00Bryce -
Abe clearly has a sense of historical mi...Bryce - <br /><br />Abe clearly has a sense of historical mission, redeeming and indeed reliving his grandfather's life (I was once at a conference where Abe, in dinner remarks, confused himself with his grandfather and his grandfather's contemporaries, talking about "What WE were trying to do..."). That oppressive need for redemption clearly drives him now, despite the reality that if he prevails in his quest to become prime minister, he will be in a vastly more complex and enervated political situation than he faced in 2006-7.<br /><br />That being said, Abe and his inner circle have never been truthful for the reason for his sudden resignation and hospitalization. All the evidence points to a collapse into either severe depression or full-blown mania. That he left office not in an ambulance but stuffed in the back of a car, surrounded by SPs, without signing over paramount executive power to anyone indicates he was <i>non compos mentes</i>.<br /><br />The question no member of the news media has ever had the guts to ask is, "You are in a position to take over the position of prime minister after having quit for health reasons. When will you release your medical records from August-September 2007?" <br />MTChttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04626942240117432624noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714063.post-34607679581321648712012-10-09T16:50:55.026+09:002012-10-09T16:50:55.026+09:00Somewhat unrelated to your comment, and I realise ...Somewhat unrelated to your comment, and I realise that to speak ill of another's illness can be unfair at times. Indeed, a prime minister who becomes infirm in office has every right to cast her responsibilities to his nation aside and resign for the sake of her own health.<br /><br />Nevertheless, has anybody actually commented on how irresponsible it was for Abe to take the reins of the country knowing that he had a debilitating sickness that would prevent him from doing his job effectively? I know disqualifying politicians on the basis of illness leads us into dangerous territory and inevitable historical comparisons, but it is not as if, say, FDR had to excuse himself from negotiations with other leaders every 30 minutes. Abe's was a preexisting condition, and presumably he knew his limits beforehand. He didn't exactly become ill "on the throne," as it were.<br /><br />Unless, of course, his reason for resigning was a bunch of crap.Brycenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6714063.post-10295400039568247222012-10-07T08:51:23.438+09:002012-10-07T08:51:23.438+09:00Your last paragraph: my sentiments exactly.Your last paragraph: my sentiments exactly.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com