I am left to conclude that no one in the senate is really serious about any of this, even Dodd. Sure, they give nice speeches. But if they believed what they were saying they would do something. Stage some acts of creative civil disobedience in the senate to bring attention to such an important issue. If soldiers are willing to die for America, why can't these people even embarass themselves in front of their colleagues for America? I spit on all of them.

"His answer wasn't completely satisfying -- basically said that he had felt he had done as much as he could, particularly given the low level of support he got from his colleagues in the caucus -- he got a little defensive, explaining that he single-handedly blocked this before and it would have happened in December without him.

Like I said, I think he should have done a real filibuster and been a little more obstructionist -- to fulfill his promise if for no other resaon -- but in the scheme of things, it's hard to direct one's anger and criticism towards Chris Dodd of all people. His sins are minsicule compared to the rest."

I really disagree with you there, sir. He seems to know what is going on. Yet he refuses to do anything embarrasing (like an act of civil disobedience). His sins are worse.

all the invective that comes out in these kinds of forums. It's just flat out strange to me. I have heard the theory that it is because it is anonymous so people feel free to vent, but that doesn't make sense to me, because I would know, at least, what I was saying: I am not, after all, anonymous to myself. If someone calls me an idiot I simply would feel like I was an idiot if I replied in kind. There are some really smart folks posting here: why do you do it? Get into these exchanges of invective? Don't you find it a total waste of your time?

What is the point of all this back and forth invective? It is tedious to have to start to read it and then scroll down once I realize what it is. It's not worth reading these things if it is going to be so full of this venting or whatever it is like it is today. If you think someone is a troll then why not ignore them? And if you disagree with them, why not argue with them?

you wrote: It's as if they compete to become Supreme Nerds of all history,

It's as if they are wanting to be a Chief Nerd who never grew up.

It's embarrassing to have to tell them how 99% of the world sees them?

That is exquisite: it captures it exactly.

Gads! indeed!

"That is exquisite. Captures it exactly. Gads! Indeed" is my comment (didn't get the html tags right: need a way to edit these after posting!)

first made me aware of this. First election I voted in was between Reagan and Carter. They both put up speeches the night before election day: Carter's a rational account of the situation and what he would do to handle it. Then Reagan came on with a huge American flag behind him and told stories about how American could be great again, along with some recollections of his good friend John Wayne. I went to bed thinking, boy, will that clown Reagan ever lose big. Thus began my education into the realities of mass delusion.

what a great post.

Thanks.

thanks for linking to the nader video: it was great.

And Martin Gale: I always thought dirty fucking hippies were the most normal looking people I have ever been or met.

thanks for the Homey link: a good long laugh was a nice thing to have this afternoon.

Thoreau writes in that chapter also (context of the quote):

"The Vedas say, "All intelligences awake with the morning." Poetry and art, and the fairest and most memorable of the actions of men, date from such an hour. All poets and heroes, like Memnon, are the children of Aurora, and emit their music at sunrise. To him whose elastic and vigorous thought keeps pace with the sun, the day is a perpetual morning. It matters not what the clocks say or the attitudes and labors of men. Morning is when I am awake and there is a dawn in me. Moral reform is the effort to throw off sleep. Why is it that men give so poor an account of their day if they have not been slumbering? They are not such poor calculators. If they had not been overcome with drowsiness they would have performed something. The millions are awake enough for physical labor; but only one in a million is awake enough for effective intellectual exertion, only one in a hundred millions to a poetic or divine life. To be awake is to be alive. I have never yet met a man who was quite awake. How could I have looked him in the face?

We must learn to reawaken and keep ourselves awake, not by mechanical aids, but by an infinite expectation of the dawn, which does not forsake us in our soundest sleep. I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by a conscious endeavor. It is something to be able to paint a particular picture, or to carve a statue, and so to make a few objects beautiful; but it is far more glorious to carve and paint the very atmosphere and medium through which we look, which morally we can do. To affect the quality of the day, that is the highest of arts. Every man is tasked to make his life, even in its details, worthy of the contemplation of his most elevated and critical hour."

Thanks, bebop, for making me think of this.