I live in central Indiana and the same god dam thing is true here.

I have been reading about Lincoln, and I was struck by his ability to understand the rational for equality, as laid out by the genius of the founding fathers. Man can only progress, political systems only survive, when ALL men are given an equal opportunity to make their lives better, a political system of hope. All men, not just white ones or those connected to middle eastern money. At the end of his life, Lincoln advocated to his cabinet for black suffrage, a radical position, because he understood that American dynamic.

Lincoln did not act from malice, or pettiness, Lincoln did not seek to control or humiliate others, Lincoln preserved the union, in part understanding the hope legal equality brings to a man, and with it, the progress of the nation. He saw with slavery the union would never stand, the dynamic that slavery creates would come back, again and again, to destroy.

Our right wing, which believes in power through suppression of equal rights, is a replica of the civil war confederate mindset, the one dying to maintain slavery. Why would one human want to own another? “Culture” is a catch all, slavery, and political suppression are systems of denial and fear, a function of a stunted psychology. And it doest matter if it’s your boss, or the President, or Putin, any system of authoritarian denial will fail, and anyone seeking to curb the equality of otherwise law abiding people is simply functioning from the mindset of slave owner, to one degree or another.

And so it is with the right wing. The confederate south was a country in decline, the culture stagnant, the economics purely driven by fixed slave labor, it’s lack of progress breathtaking when compared to the more egalitarian North.

The US has been lucky, within a democracy, many pluralities exist. If our Congress is corrupt, say, the progressives will hold political feet to the fire, initiating clean up, much like Lincoln and the republicans did with slavery. This as opposed to the USSR, in the late 1980′s, which did collapse, due to it’s political legacy of oppression.

And 130 some years later, we’re still dealing with the fall out from slavery, we are a continual work in progress. This is why it is so important to keep the balance of power equal, so the country will survive and progress, no one class being superior to another, despite “elite” delusions.

But the US survives, and thrives.

IRONY OF IRONIES about that Chief Justice who got replaced: The man who beat him was regarded as an “ambulance chaser” — all the “experts” were appalled he won. Interestingly enough, he dedicated himself to the job, and has become one of the most respected, fair-minded justices on the state’s supreme court. (That’s NO EXCUSE for the idiots who voted for him because his name sounded familiar, because it was a major Seattle/Tacoma TV station anchor’s name. But it is a relief it didn’t turn out so badly.)

Also: That former Chief Justice came to me several times for updates to his resume. He ended up being sent by the State Dept. to Russia to advise them on how to set up their judiciary, after the fall of the U.S.S.R. He was full of fascinating stories. He also said he was quite sure that the CIA was tracking him and what he did in Russia. Who knows.

EXACTLY as it worked more than 100 years ago for Jefferson Davis and the knotheads who sold the whole idea of the Confederacy to the peckerwoods who’d never be able to afford a single slave, nor likely to ever be invited into the Parlor of a plantation owner’s mansion for a Bourbon and branch water.

One might think the peckerwoods would learn, wouldn’t one?

DISCLAIMER: I get to say, “peckerwood,” since I are one. CSA officers and soldiers in my family tree, just going to show that you can’t control your heritage.

SEE: “Roadmaster Republicans”

The Department of Justice has no plans to change its policies on handling possible violations of the Lobbying and Disclosure Act, despite new reports that it has a backlog of 900 unresolved cases.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/justice-defends-backlog-of-disclosure-cases-2008-01-29.html

another concern of mine is how right wing nut jobs have hijacked the initative process in many states. i could give you numerous examples where ballot measures were passed with the electorate being informed, ahead of time, that a particular measure would be ruled unconsitutional. what is very troubling is how so called grassroots organizations like the club for growth can swoop in and spend millions to push an onerous bill.

i dont have an easy answer on how to control or mitigate these concerns; but, i’m still not sure restricting citizen involvement is the answer. as ol kent jones use to say on rachel’s show daily … vigilance. good post susan … it will give me something more to think about today. thanks!

wring hands. wring hands. all is lost. all is lost.