I was plenty outraged when I called my congressman and my senators today. Not mock rage intended to get their attention. Real rage at how cavalierly they were playing with my hard-earned money and my children's future. Real rage that they would sell all of us down the river without any oversight or attempt to minimize the cost to us.

I am so f'ing tired of being pegged as a tax-and-spend liberal when in fact both my personal life and the majority of the Democratic politicians I've voted for have been far more fiscally responsible than any Republican Congress or administration during my adult life. (I'm 50, so that puts me all the way back to the mid 70s.)

Yeah, I'm outraged, and you should be too. Take action and hold your representatives responsible.

P.S. Mr. Keillor, you are too kind. John McCain forfeited the right to be referred to as a gentleman quite some time ago, with is lying and pandering.

I vote for Steve Goodman's "A dying Cubs fan's last request." Poignant and hilarious at the same time. I don't know how many times I've heard it, but it's a treat each time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBxZGQ1dJk

It's necessary. Why? Because by making it explicit, it gives the idiots that do it no excuse to claim that they are somehow able to do it without endangering.

I bicycle commute to work and have to deal with folks that can't be bothered with paying attention to the road because, God knows, texting someone (or talking on the phone) is just too important. I have yet to have one of these self-important folks acknowledge that what they're doing is wrong when I point it out to them. And it makes no difference whether I'm polite or confrontational.

I, for one, am sick of having my well being and my family's welfare put at risk by individuals who can't exercise common sense and control their urge to be connected at all times. Texting and talking on the phone in the car is the height of selfishness and simply has no place. Make it explicitly illegal and then hold them to account so the rest of us who are responsible are not put at risk by their behaviors.

I forced myself to watch the clip so I could form my own opinion of the exchange. (Yuck.)

There is no way one could argue Frank was out of line. BillO went ballistic at the outset and Frank did his best to remain rational in the face of Bill's ranting and raving. The fact that Frank ended up calling BillO stupid was entirely justified by BillO's behavior, and, as Frank noted, it was impossible to be on the show without being nearly as boorish as BillO due to BillO's behavior.

The only thing I would add is that it is largely pointless to go on O'Rielly's show, so if there is any criticism of Frank to be made it is in having volunteered to be BillO's "guest." Otherwise, I think Frank acquitted himself as well as possible under the circumstances.

Many years ago when I was a young idealistic person, I mentally cataloged the various ways one could insult someone by swearing at them, seeking non-sexist, non-gender-specific epithets I could use to get my point across without having to fight a rear-guard action of being accused of being sexist.

Unfortunately most common English swear words have gender-specific connotations. But there are a couple that can be deployed for Sarah Palin that will leave no doubt that she is being insulted for something other than her gender: dumbass and asshole. The first is particularly apt for the Couric interviews, and the second applies well to her vicious, fact-free attacks on Obama.

We all knew it would come to this in the end. A bare knuckles, fist fight with Rove and his minions. So be it. Obama is smart enough not to take it lying down. It's time to hit back and hit hard. There's no point in being in the right but losing the election. Give it right back to the McCain campaign, and since there is so much *real* ammo for Obama, he can do it without having to lie. Give'em hell Barrack.

Lewis is right. The sort of hatred and division McCain and Palin are stirring up are very dangerous. Although only a boy then, I remember all too well how George Wallace and others in the 60s effectively incited folks to violence with their hateful rhetoric.

If Barrack Obama should come to harm, I will blame both McCain and Palin. I just hope his Secret Service detail is redoubling their effort to keep him safe. If I were a praying man, I'd be on my knees begging for this madness to stop.

Once again the Daily Show shames the MSM by doing their job for them AND making it entertaining. How sad....

Looks like Bachmann has had her own little "Macaca Moment." I just love it when these right wingers are hoist by their own petards. It consistently amazes me how they can have such tin ears about their choice of words and topics. Even if they believe some of the racist, unpatriotic garbage that they keep getting caught saying, you'd think they'd be sufficiently tuned into things--either directly or via their staff--that they wouldn't give voice to it in ways that would harm them.

Oh well, no point in looking a gift horse in the mouth.

The page says the winner of the contest for Opus's final resting place won't be up until about Nov. 3! This is almost as bad as waiting for the election results.

If you weren't joking in your last post, you should seek professional help.