When I think of good intentions in government and where they often lead, I think of Jimmy Carter and Gov. Jerry Brown (who seems to be doing an ok job of Atty. General). Despite being bright, energetic, and full of all the right ideas, they couldn't get the Big Jobs done in the cesspools of Washington and Sacramento (yes, I know Brown didn't exactly fail, but he didn't exactly thrive either). Back when she was a smart, well-intentioned outsider, Hillary got nowhere trying to achieve health care reform. And I'm no big fan of Ahnold, but he's another well-intentioned, motivated person who truly believed that all California needed was a kick-ass outsider to shake things up. And now my state tax rebate will be taking the form of an IOU. Awesome.

As thankful as I am that we have Glenn to illuminate all that is corrupt in DC, and as skeptical as I am that any lubed-up insider is going to actually rock the boat, on some level I actually think the outcome is more likely to be positive when a Master Rat like Daschle is calling the shots. At this point, the only realistic hope we have for an actual shift for the better in DC is the wild card that is Obama. As Glenn points out repeatedly, we have yet to see whether he's the game-changer everyone (who's not Republican) is looking for in DC. Finally, don't forget how effective Clinton was at leading this country, despite all his compromises. Sausage can be pretty tasty, especially if you don't get too caught up in the manufacturing details.

...but it's always true that we have to be careful what we wish for...

Is it simply inevitable that dems in my lifetime will dither, hem, haw, muddle about, and generally seek to avoid taking a stand whenever something obviously needs to be DONE about one "politically sensitive" issue or another? A freaking secret inquiry that will take another YEAR to complete? After yet another episode of pant-wetting dems abdicating leadership like it was the plague I am positively EAGER to see some of them toppled from their precarious perches. Let the special prosecution begin.

And I caught that appearance on To The Point yesterday, Glenn -- you were all very mean to poor Clifford May -- the guy had a job to do, justifying torture and trying to protect the powerful from owning up to their lawbreaking, and you didn't have the common courtesy to let him off the hook and agree to disagree. I loved his argument about what a travesty it would be if current DOJ lawyers ever held their predecessors responsible for going to great lengths to interpret as legal what has always been recognized as patently illegal.

I'm just hoping that it's becoming so obvious that we need to clean house in this country -- on both sides of the aisle -- that maybe we'll at least shake out a few rugs.

Although the local KPBS station has been running a good series on the San Diego water shortage, they ran a promo today that blamed the problem on drought and the need to protect endangered fish in the Sacramento Delta. No need to make this too complicated -- just blame it on the wacky environmentalists! That's your liberal NPR for you!

... for a liberal blogger!

Joe is truly a scared little Wizard of Oz whose magical powers are slipping away. By now, just about everyone ought to know that.

What an utter snot. I've been in the happy situation of my wife delivering babies twice in the past two years, and never would I use the occasion to airily dismiss a serious request for clarification of something I wrote as a professional. Just another way Professor Chesney shows his stripes.

I don't have time to read other comments or to leave a long one myself, but I was just so glad to see this post, Glenn! My wife and I are both liberals and we both reacted with a bit of disgust and dismay at the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to one who has yet to accomplish anything of particular importance on the world stage (other than escalating the Afghanistan war, continuing some of W's most disturbing power grabs, etc.). There are plenty of good reasons to question whether this was really a just award or simply a cheap political statement. Too bad not everyone understands this.