Of course I know that our friend Shooter has his LLPOF (that's liar, liar, pants on fire) tendencies, but whenever I spot a tiny bit of agreement with any conservative, I feel compelled to engage and encourage that line of thinking, because so few of them ever even get that far. After all, 99.94% of righties religiously avoid, like the plague, infecting their "beautiful minds" (h.t., Babs) with conflicting ideas, and if nothing else, he is interested enough to argue, albeit poorly and abusively at times.

OK, almost all the time, but I'm the half glass full type. And you have to admit that, if only in the rebuttals, sometimes he provides fun for us all, and that can't be all bad.

I always enjoy your perspective, and thanks for your input.

That's the beauty of this medium; I too have often felt that the whole world had drifted into a dystopic combination of Lewis Carroll and George Orwell, but reading the (often) brilliant analysis, as well as earnest efforts at dialogue, I regain my faith in the genious and wonder that is the human mind. We really are too good for the dreadful situation in which we find ourselves, and all of us, with Glenn's efforts and encouragement, have something to cling to.

And in these times, the key is not to lose heart. It is only in the last few years that I've ever protested, sent letters, donated money, and generally donned the mantle of real citizenship. I can only hope others feel the same, and care, and most of all act.

The hour may be late, but perhaps the lateness has shaken the best of us out of our complacency.

Peace.

And go vote at bloggerschoiceawards.

Oh, for Pete's sake.

Along with many other liberals, I harbored deep reservations about the war in Afghanistan, for the reasons you cite, as well as the Taliban's appalling destruction of ancient monuments, but hoped against hope that were we to resort to such violence, our leaders might have really focused on improving that long suffering country. And thereby, living up to our ideals while living down our excesses might offer some hope of defusing the hatreds and resentments that made us a target for terrorists in the first place.

But it was not to be.

Entertaining the idea that there was anything idealistic about dropping that potentially worthy endeavor in favor of using our overbearing military to destroy Iraq is, simply, pathetically naive or profoundly cynical. I don't know which, because the truth never entered into the equation.

The disasters I feared in both places have come true in spades. It's heartbreaking, and I take no pleasure, but only shame and despair, in that fact.

Again, you are fighting imaginary liberals, because the real ones, unfortunately, were ignored.

Please think about this.

Your interviewee makes an important point, one that cannot be emphasized enough.

FISA was enacted to protect the privacy of citizens from government spying. Not to allow the govenment to spy, but to prevent proven criminal excesses engaged in by an overzealous government.

Using typically deceptive language, the right loudly and consistently refers to FISA as a "tool" to "protect Americans." Nothing could be further from the truth.

It was a legitimate and necessary response by a horrified and embarassed nation to prevent egregious abuses of the peoples' trust.

There is NO reason to avoid the oversight of a secret court except to commit crimes. Period.

The Bush administration's enemies are it's own constituents and political opponents, not terrorists. That is abundantly clear.

If they were not using this power for political ends, it would not only be shockingly out of character, but unnecessary to cover up.

As if one sickening capitulation to wealthy scofflaws weren't enough for one day, the FCC is preparing to ram through another treat for media conglomerates. Now the special people who've left us so pathetically uninformed and distracted will be able to gain further power, silence more voices, and have more money with which to purchase politicians.

Of course, the 3-2 vote may well meet the same fate that Michael Powell's recent abomination, but forgive me my pessimism, today.

As usual, there's some sort of tearing rush to get this done.

The earlier mentioned "time to leave" idea looks better all the time.

Thomas C....

Your historical perspective is a refreshing tonic for the sickness all around us. I would only add that during Watergate, we still had (frightfully few) members of the media personally dedicated enough to their obligation as members of the fourth estate to expose gross violations of the oaths of office, despite unrelenting threats from the Nixonites. But today faceless corporations, utterly unmindful and contemptuous of this trust, are as easily tempted by carrots (deregulations) as their predecessors were defiant of sticks. Dick Cheney was taking notes.

Pasta...

Your letter is as eloquent as it is unprintable, given today's climate. A pity. But keep writing. I have found that, deep in the bowels of these outfits that reluctantly print a paper only because they can't print money, ther are brave souls that pass good letters around, and it not only engenders shame and sympathy, but sometimes has influence.

Thanks..

I laughed so hard at that post that a curler flew off my head and landed in my gin fizz.