Our August Senate(?)

Thursday night I watched tapes of our august Senate giving a standing ovation to a felon recently convicted on seven counts.  It was a pretty disgusting display… like their moral compass was in the grip of some kind of powerful magnet, spinning wildly through a three hour tribute to this criminal while the nation’s and world economic crisis cries for their attention.

Today, I read that the same felon is stepping down a few weeks early. Some speculate this will allow time for Bush to pardon him.

Here is a short summary of his illustrious career: This man was the champion of earmarks… architect of the “Bridge to Nowhere”.  As he himself carefully said over and over… he was for Alaska period.  Well, he was also for himself and his innovative financing of personal home construction projects.  But where was the champion for the United States (?) the part we most needed (?)… he was giving rambling speeches about the Internet being a “series of tubes”.

Okay!  Well we have that problem solved. Case closed.  Great job Washington!  It is good to see that your priorities are straight and your problem solving skills remain sharp. 

As a voter, doesn’t it make you feel proud to have elected these great Americans to office?  In fairness, not all Senators participated in this dark comedy – thirty were there…including Byrd, a man whose faculties left him sometime ago. And who can forget the world’s greatest foot waver, Craig?  Yes, he is still hanging around there… on our dime by the way. 

How are we managing to survive with such a fractured legislative body?  I think it is all entirely on us.  In good times, we tend to become complacent so we reelect officials simply because they are there.  It is not a sound approach. America is only great, America is only beautiful, America is only the greatest country because we work at it.  If we stop, it won’t be.