We do not have a representive democracy. Congress has become the Soviet Era Politburo, and the there is but one political party, the entrenched corporate interests, of which there are two factions. Our splendidly free press functions as official stenographers, never asking the important questions, but blathering on and on how "manly" W looked in his flight suit.

And the rot runs riot through the blood stream of US politics.

It is my opinion that it is revelations such as these, showing the utter disregard for the law, disregard for accountability, and a "Fuck You" Cheneyesque attitude by our "leaders" that will lead to a rapid crumbling of societal adherence to the laws of the land. We are already seeing it clearly playing out in our financial industry. Neuter the SEC, gut regulation of all kinds, and then go rip people off at will! Charge it to the taxpayers, they're good for it!

After all, if we see all these top government officials and powerful corporate executives committing felonies and getting away with it, why should we plebes have to follow the law? Why pay our taxes? Why not hit and run? Why not knowingly rip someone off on that next plumbing/carpentry/financial assessment job? Chances are you won't be held to account, and if you are, simply cite all the criminal activity happening in the halls of government as your teacher.

Oh wait, I forgot, the two tiers of justice thing......yeah, now I remember....the key to holding society together. Preach adherence to the law, harshly punish crimes by those who aren't connected or super wealthy to make examples of them, and then as gov't leaders and corporate raiders, continue to loot America for everything you can, for as long as you can, to as many as you can.

It is apparent that even THIS kind of stuff won't wake the people up. It is certainly hard to have hope for the future of this country and the future of my kids when I see this shit going on uninvestigated and unpunished, with no real reform of any kind being put in place with teeth to back it up.

Speaking of which, more good news: Just watch the Bill Moyers interview from last night with the former top executive of Public Affairs for Cigna as he reveals the inner workings of how insurance companies have been killing americans for decades via "charm offensives" and other immoral and unethical tactics. I cannot stress enough how brilliant is this 35 minute interview as it totally encapsulates everything that is wrong with the way gov't, corporations, lobbyists, and money work in unison to hurt the American people (link at sig).

Sorry for the long rant, but this is just so damn depressing when I want so much more for this country and its people. As always, Glenn, thank you for putting this great material out there, no matter that it is so difficult to read and digest.

And not to beat a dead horse, but this stuff is the best proof yet that electing better Democrats isn't the right way to approach this. It's like being on a speeding train that has lost its brakes and putting tape over the red "brakes out" indicator. Glenn demonstrates today, and nearly every day, that the system is SO broken, it simply needs to be trashed and we need to start over. How will that be done? Perhaps that is what we need to start spending time discussing.

In my sig. now, or go here:

http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/07102009/watch2.html

The fact that Chuck Todd is reading you and emailing you, on top of agreeing to do an interview with you, means you are having a great deal more influence than most in the MSM are willing to admit.

IDEA: Read that Thomas Jefferson quote back to him during your interview and ask him what it means. Then, follow up by asking him how his performance today (or any day for that matter) lives up to that standard.

You are simply body-slamming them into the ground, and hard. Keep doing it. Over and over and over. Take no prisoners and make no apologies. This crapulent behavior simply has to stop.

Excellent journalism, Glenn. Damn I'm proud of what you're doing!

Every time I see her father, Zbigniew Brzezinski, speaking on Rachel Maddow and in other public forums, I wonder what happened there.

That's super super easy to answer: A seat at the media stars table and a big, fat paycheck.

Her very next thought: "Now don't do anything to f&$k this up!"

Mika is a pretty suck-up who's convinced herself she's something she is most definitely not: A reporter.