There are few writers/commentators who have given this Old Geezer as much material for cheer, cogitation and solace as the gifted Mr. K.

I'm so very happy you have survived this latest jab by the spectre of darkness Garrison. Those of us who specialize in cranking out morbidly blank verse would have been so much the poorer in our lives .... We lost Mary Travers this week ... to have lost you would have been truly depressing ... and heartache for your family ... both by blood and by like humanity.

Do take care and do continue to "Be well, do good work, and keep in touch."

Many are the words that have taken flight in the tumult of these 'mean spirited' times. We are always pleased that Mr. Keillor speaks with a mocking magniloquence and is adept at hoisting most buffoons on their own petard.

Garrison knows that the crime committed by all those in a position to speak out against this current "Incivility" is that they contribute by their failure to act to the maintenance of a permanent, ignorant, poverty stricken underclass in America that is too desperate and bewildered to focus on anything but food and shelter.

Ignorant, Illiterate and ill-informed masses are an easy target for the multi-media flood of subliminal and blunt propaganda (and bald-faced lies) that are heavily funded by the wealthiest agents that sally forth against the peoples best interests.

Disgustingly most of 'Tea-Party' wretches speak and act against their own .... and their children’s best interests out of fear brought on by the messages delivered by right wing goons, 'astro-turf' groupies and religious miscreants.

America is unfortunately now locked into being what is a self perpetuating and growing dystopian corporate controlled ‘consumer plantation’.”

We deeply long for the escape to a quiet week in Lake Wobegone .... take us there as often as possible before you leave this mortal coil Mr. Keillor ... for it is the perfect balm for these 'Days of Dystopia in Democracy' .... Please stay as well as you can ... and check your health insurance coverage again ... and again ....

I truly love your flippant & caustic wit at times Garrison but the truth is that many of us Canadians fear that it is almost to late to save the Great Republic from the avarice of its most self-serving residents, namely the affluent and powerful who control the money, media and masses of 'morons' AKA 'Republicans' or their least thoughtful supporters .... Medical care for citizenry is a deadly earnest matter and requires triage be performed on its opponents that should be more severe than denial of all care save aspirin and hand sanitizer ...

What else can one say of those illiterate masses who are sucked into attending and supporting the "Protests" against the best, nay mortal, interests of the citizenry. The walking & squawking zombies at ‘tea-parties’ that have been organized by astro-turf lobbyists. Masses of the most “ill-willed and ill-informed” who are egged on by the most base and immoral media members and their corporate moguls and overlords.

There certainly seems to be a shortage of just and decent men and women who will stand and say "Enough" and confront the deliberate confounding and lies of the rapacious right who would like to go back to a pre-1900's society of inequality and servitude to an elite of "Robber Barons" ....

America is now the neighbour that we of the civilized world ‘acknowledge’ - but we really don't want to associate with .... We observe so many of your nations spokespersons arrogance and inhumanity people who proudly tout a nation that they are not even wise enough to have taken stock of. A nation that espouses morals while being the only 'developed' nation that claims moral high ground while starting arbitrary criminal wars (Iraq, Vietnam etc) a nation executes the imprisoned, tolerates torture by refusing to prosecute its perpetrators, turns the poor and least capable away from many doors (education & health) and strides the world stage with a hubris befitting the all too apparent smallness of its collective souls.

Fear, hatred and lies are not the signs of an 'open' society ... they are the signs of decay and demise ... your poverty of the spirit may well cause your nation to perish for want of a few good human beings to set the examples of love and compassion ahead of capitalist greed and narcissism.

Many of us pray for your nation … but sometimes the answer to even the most earnest supplication is a ‘NO’ and so we fear for the least of your brethren …for your ‘fat cats’ will always get by … such a shame!

Michael Lind is reminding everyone of an obvious truth ... but he is but one voice among all too few and he is as "a voice crying in a wilderness" -- A widerness of 'FUD' that the powerful(and their media forces) are throwing out Willy-Nilly 24/7 ...

From a distance it is apparent that a majority of Americans seem to be into Navel Gazing as their country comes apart ... "This is the way the world ends ... This is the way the world ends ... Not with a *Snap but a whimper" ...

May God [or anything, anyone] have mercy on those unthought of millions who will suffer all manner of pain and cruelty as a result of the complete lack of 'Social Conscience' by those who have accumulated all the wealth and power to themselves in your country ...

Perhaps the new generation of callous "Robber Barons" will get their just desserts in some manner ... but from this vantage point ... even were that to occur ... it will be cold comfort for the souls and sinews of their victims ... we pray for you all...