The Democrats' contempt for democracy

Apropos of that, Timber, it has been my experience that politicians of both major political parties -- from local council people on up to the White House -- are always interested in doing the best job possible for the common good of the citizenry...

...unless there is a buck to be made by the individual politician or for his/her party.

At that point, a conflict araises which, nearly as I can tell, is ALWAYS decided in favor of taking the bucks and to hell with the common good.

Luckily, there are just enough times when the conflict doesn't arise so that the common good is not ignored 100% of the time.

Pretty much agree with that, Frank. The prime function of any bureaucracy is to perpetuate itself and expand its own influence.

It has ever been thus.

Timber, I recall David Brinkley stating that the worst thing that ever happened to American democracy was the installation of air conditioning in the Capitol. Before then (it was around 1937, if I remember correctly), Congress had to adjourn in the spring in order to avoid being in Washington during the brutally hot summer. So America was at least spared from Congress for about four months out of every twelve. Once air conditioning was introduced, however, Congress could remain in session throughout the year. Now there is neither respite nor reprieve from congressional mischief.

We shouldn't be talking about redistricting, or campaign finance reform, or ballot initiatives. We should be sabotaging the HVAC systems on Capitol Hill.

Setanta has insisted that the Statement I made concerning Liberalism was a "false statement of what liberalism means to those who espouse it.

Having read the argument made by Mr. Setanta, I am not persuaded that he is aware of what problems Liberalism has brought on us.

Irving Kristol, in his book-"Neoconservatism" has written that "Liberal society is of necessity of secular society, one in which religion is mainly a private affair. The inevitable consequence is that the demands placed upon liberal society, in the name of temporal "happiness" have become more and more urgent and ever more unreasonable."

I am sure that even though Mr. Santata referred to a "rant" against what he thought LIberalism really was, Mr. Setanta's Liberalism is a liberalism that must exist in a "secular" society.

Mr. Setanta proclaims that the definitions offered of Liberalism were twisted but he does not untwist them.

But, if JOe from Chicago's dreams came true and the HVAC systems were indeed dismantled, the huge rabble that keeps Daley in power would not receive their welfare checks( I am sure Joe from Chicago is aware of this) and the Democrats would be removed from power to be replaced with

God forbid-A troika of Jesse Jackson

Luis Gutierrez

and Dorothy Tillman

Those who do not know who Dorothy Tillman--you are informed that she is the only person living with a bigger mouth and smaller brain than Maxine Waters.

There was, a couple centuries ago, great argument over the propriety and practicallity of establishing the Nation's Capital in a "Steaming, vermin infested swamp". Advances in engineering have rendered the steaming swamp part irrelevant, but the place is still vermin infested. The critters introduced since back then are positively thrivin'. Drainin', landscapin', and airconditionin' the habitat has entrenched them beyond remedy, I fear ... a clear lesson in the dangers of ecologic tampering

Neither party is in the majority -- it's the swing voters who decide elections. In California, this will decide if there is a recall and who will be our next governor. As far as the US legislature, there isn't a commanding majority by the Republicans and the moderate Republicans are known to vote with the Democrats.

IG, you do have reading comprehension problems, i swear . . .

I wrote that Mr. Shapiro's characterization of liberalism was a distortion, and therefore constituted a straw man argument. There is no point in making any effort to refute such as that--to indulge in an argument point by point on a screed which has as its basis a fallacious premise, requires accepting that premise at the outset. I don't--end of argument.