Reagan Was Right!

.. when he said "the government is the problem!" and give him credit for his ability to see the future. His administration "morning in America", gave us the likes of Cheney, Rumsfeld, the Bush family, ... who have given us "government" for the last 7 years (any mirrors breaking?), and nothing but problems. Look for a solution. Just one. Can you think of any? Heck, even Nixon gave us 55 mph, which, at the time did more for our dependence on foreign oil than any effort since!

Your NDT ed repeats his assertion: never has an increase in public cynicism failed to benefit the Republican Party.

The latest cave-in by Sens Schumer and Feinstein on the Mukasey nomination is another low moment in our history. All the discussion about rancor across the political aisle suggests this is a tw0-way street. The recent round (post-Bork) began with the throw up of Clarence Thomas. I blame Joe Biden, then chairing the Senate Judiciary for giving this guy a pass. Talk about greasy slope! While I might support Joe's tri-partite Iraq, and other things, Thomas was the unforgivable sin. As for Schumer and Feinstein, they think they can "build bridges" with this kind of support. That Mukasey wasn't a "loyalist" and shows some competence, he still showed too much political savvy in his hedged answer on waterboarding as torture. Don't even get me started on the administration's offer that "since he hasn't been briefed, how can he know". Let me offer this: First, ask him to tell us what he thinks torture is. Does it comport to the Gonzalez definition: "duress to near death". Somewhere between "Name, Rank, and Serial number", and the electric chair, one could begin to discern elements of torture, to the point of sharing that with Americas elected officials.

So, in the future, I hope a few things happen. Most, that Mukasey's performance comports with the law better than Thomas' hewing to political ideology, and that neither Schumer nor Feinstein need to be reminded that it was their opportunity to prevent the as yet unseen tragedy of another Bush nominee.