I'm not sure where the harshest criticism is going to be targeted in the history books that review these years: George W. Bush or the Democrats that appeased him. As I watch history unfold in this apathetic nation, my outrage turns into grief over the death of a republic. And guess who I blame the most?

A republic can't survive if it has no opposition party to an aspiring despot and its citizens don't care.

We have been watching the republic die a painful death since Bush vs. Gore in 2000. Byrd is only a surprise if you still believe in the Democrats - I lost my religion a long time ago.

"No doubt the greed and grossness of the Abramoff ring truly offended him"

Joe Conason normally hits everything right on, but his gushing take on John McCain seemed to have caught a heavy case of amnesia. Does anyone remember the Keating Five in Arizona in the mid-1980's? McCain was one of five senators connected to white collar criminal business man Charles Keating which were targeted in an ethics investigation. McCain intervened on Keating's behalf after receiving thousands of dollars of campaign contributions and other perks from the racketeer.

McCain is often held up as a star of ethical standards, but having lived in Arizona during this investigation has forever opened my eyes to this business as usual politician. Forget the fact that he is hostile to women's reproductive rights; the environment (contrary to Conason's take that he's environmental friendly. Compared to this administration, yes, but you can't fall off the floor); and civil rights.

Please, leave McCain worship to others that may not be as willing to support a Democratic candidate for President. Especially since it is not accurate.

Although I recoiled in disgust at much of what was being written about in this article, I couldn’t help but also recoil at the following: “On the coasts, he seemed a ridiculous figure the latest in a line of grotesque Southern anachronism....To the growing Christian nationalist movement, though, Roy Moore is a martyr, cut down by secular tyranny for daring to assert God's truth.” So, I’m not on one of the “coasts” so that automatically makes me a Christian nationalist – or what else could I be?

As an atheist and Midwesterner, I ask you to please stop perpetrating the condescending attitude that all of that live in “fly over country” must be either bible belt extremists or maybe even just moderate Christians going along for the ride. I too feel that our country is on the dangerous precipice of religious based fascism. Could you please reach out to us in the rest of the country rather than slapping us in the face?

I read the New York Times endorsement of Lamont with the increasing sense that I was a witness to something monumental in our country's current situation. The power of the writing came through in between the lines and could be loosely translated as: "We're in a shitload of trouble folks and this Senate race important to a lot more people than those in Connecticut."

This well written op-ed was the first time in the mainstream media that I have seen a glimmer of what the real issue is regarding Lieberman. Up until yesterday all I have heard (other than in the blogosphere) has been that Lieberman is in hot water due to his support for the Iraq war. No, he's in trouble because of his unfathomable verbal attacks on his own party and his cozy relationship with the right wing media machine just when the Democrats have been starting - at long last - to gel against the most corrupt and incompetent administration in US American history.

What has been so frustrating is that Lieberman seems to embody the inaction of the Democrats. Any opposition that gains momentum has been getting regularly zapped by his obsequious sound-bites towards the party in power. At no other time in history do we need a strong front to protect what is left of our republic.

My only hope is that the voters in Connecticut also recognize this moment in time and throw out a man who - like our President - acts as though he is entitled to his place in our government as if he were a noble born into his seat in the House of Lords. If his constituents vote Lieberman off the Democratic ticket, perhaps we could all have hope that we still live in democracy after all and we can look to November with hope rather than cynicism.

Even without the long documented quotes to point out the contrary it's remarkable that any Republican today would say with a strait face that Clinton had their support during military operations. It wasn't all that long ago, after all.

Taken into today's context of the second Bush and his Iraq war executed under false pretenses one can only marvel at the shamelessness of the denial.

However, given that we are living, as Gore Vidal has so accurately pegged, in the United States of Amnesia, I'm sure they are betting that no one - especially our mainstream press - will notice.

I am so outraged that I emailed Harry Reid even though I do not live in Nevada. Since he one of the major voices of the party, I felt it necessary and relevant to do so. I encourage everyone who reads this to do the same. Email or call your own representative as well.

I cannot stand by and watch everything our country stands for be flushed down the toilet due to fear of losing a cushy job in the House or Senate. If not, I will look back and wonder what I could have done to prevent our goose step towards totalitarianism.

Call it naive if you like, but I believe they will listen if enough Democratic voices are raised in protest.