Linked by Instapundit to Wesley Smith at the Corner who in a sweeping epiphany realized the similarity between the launching of Obamacare debacle and the launching of the Swedish warship the Vasa in 1628. It sank within minutes of launching less than a mile from the dock. As soon as the first wind came up.
The problems and similarities, chiefly:
1.) top heavy
2.) insufficient ballast
3.) haste
a) King Gustavus Adolphus wanted to join the Baltic fleet in 30 Years War
b) subordinates lacked political courage to inform king of structural problems.
4.) inquiry
5.) nobody found culpable nobody punished
Wesley Smith says, "Perfect!"
A few commenters say not so perfect.
Imagine what a Swedish warship looks like. What do you picture?
They have the ship. Freshwater estuary sank into the silt. Recovered the ship and built a museum to house it.
11 comments:
Wonder what an Obamacare Vasa-ectomy will entail?
Christ, Sixty, what a thread-killer you are. Can't top that..
The Swedes were a military power back when.
Then they figured it was easier just selling weapons.
Often to both sides.
"Wonder what an Obamacare Vasa-ectomy will entail?"
The details are above my pay grade, but I bet it involves grabbing you by the nuts for starters.
The similarities are scary:
" Despite an obvious lack of stability in port, she was allowed to set sail and foundered only a few minutes after she first encountered a wind stronger than a breeze. The impulsive move to set sail was the result of a combination of factors: Swedish king ... was impatient to see her join the Baltic fleet in the Thirty Years' War; at the same time, the king's subordinates lacked the political courage to discuss the ship's structural problems frankly or to have the maiden voyage postponed. An inquiry was organized by the Swedish privy council to find personal responsibility for the disaster, but in the end no one was punished for the fiasco."
Also identical was that nobody responsible was interested in being on board what they built.
Did you notice how incredibly ornate the boat is?
The thing is ridiculously over-ornamented for a warship.
OK Amp, that made me laugh out loud and wake up the dogs.
Yes, at least the Vasa was well-crafted.
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