We all suffer from "martyr complex" now and then. But only weirdos get caught up in the power games that appear to be common in our intelligence and military communities. Both should be open to much more scrutiny than they use on us.

But nowhere near the levels of incompetence and corruption demonstrated by Congress.

It all goes back to toilet training.

Yeah. And the government takes such great care of our soldiers... Not!

Thanks,Diane -- though I think we're saying pretty much the same thing.

You're right. In order to double check, I went to that powerful tool, Google -- now more powerful than the Constitution, right? -- and find oversight is an assumed power that's been kind-of-shall-we-say "legitimized" by common practice and I was going to suggest sexual parallels but won't. Wiki says the Supreme Court okayed it -- Congressional oversight that is, not sex. Boehner should by now and by any decent measures be spending his life in stocks on the Mall.

That's a great photo,Paul. Thanks. I don't have TV and the paper comes in (by mail) later,so I missed that... Shame on all of us.

Not much time. If you come up with matters of substance I'll try and take a look. But you need to be more succinct.

"Basically what you just said is that all money for the NRA comes form gun buyers and gun users." No,I didn't.

Farmr: I find your argument to be deeply naive. Haven't got time to respond point by point -- it's been done already. But I do want to make sure you know that the NRA is not your voice, not even if you are a member. Your contribution is chickenfeed compared to the gun industry's backing of that organization -- gun industry and other interests. You are being a sucker for the gun industry. "The bulk of the group's money now comes in the form of contributions, grants, royalty income, and advertising, much of it originating from gun industry sources. "Since 2005, the gun industry and its corporate allies have given between $20 million and $52.6 million to it through the NRA Ring of Freedom sponsor program. Donors include firearm companies like Midway USA, Springfield Armory Inc, Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems, and Beretta USA Corporation. Other supporters from the gun industry include Cabala's, Sturm Rugar & Co, and Smith & Wesson. "The NRA also made $20.9 million — about 10 percent of its revenue — from selling advertising to industry companies marketing products in its many publications in 2010, according to the IRS Form 990. "Additionally, some companies donate portions of sales directly to the NRA. Crimson Trace, which makes laser sights, donates 10 percent of each sale to the NRA. Taurus buys an NRA membership for everyone who buys one of their guns. Sturm Rugar gives $1 to the NRA for each gun sold, which amounts to millions. The NRA's revenues are intrinsically linked to the success of the gun business." Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/gun-industry-funds-nra-2013-1#ixzz2QdoL8Kcr

No one is trying to take away your gun, Farmr. Nothing has been suggested that goes beyond what we do when we obtain a driver's license, register our car, and abide by the rules of the road. That was Charlton Heston who spoke of "cold, dead hands." He was a nice enough guy (I knew him very slightly) but was dramatizing the situation as, indeed, you are. Diane Feinstein had just see two colleagues mowed down by an angry nut with a gun and had a right to be a little dramatic, more than Heston.

Andrew,you're exactly right. May I add that to blog post over your name?

Peter - you make a hugely important point, one that's often forgotten. But it's still only part of the problem. It isn't either drugs or guns. Or parenting or schools. Or Celexa or Prozac. Or TV and films. Or narcissism. It's all of the above. If, as a country,we were freer socially and politically, we'd be more willing to explore and accept where we've gone wrong and not try to blame our troubles on a single problem.

You don't believe they're (excuse my language) fucking each other?

That is such nonsense -- and certainly not argument against registering a firearm.

I think we're stuck with the mess but not for much longer.

!!

Actually, you misunderstood me and perhaps Paul Krugman. It's not about morality. It's about playing the morality card and (as you point out) sounding sincere to the zealots ... or fools ... whichever. No need to be adversarial. We're on the same side. What I don't say (because the subject annoys me) is the extent to which Democrats are willing to adopt the language, tiptoeing around the word "socialism," going on the defensive rather than building a large, effective if figurative fist within the party and knocking the Republican radicals way way back into the century they belong in. Thing is, I think even the Republicans would be grateful if they woke up and found the tea partyers and kin had disappeared, never to return! That's nicely expressed, that "need" to concoct serial wars. The "conspiracy," such as it has been, is the outrageous John Birch movement and a variety of nutgathering look-alikes. On that, and other outrages, you might want to look over this interview: http://prairieweather.typepad.com/big_blue_stem/2009/07/terry-gross-since-the-republican-partys-defeat-last-november-the-party-has-been-struggling-to-redefine-itself-thats-become.html Sharlet had a wonderful article around the same time in Harper's, a very comprenhensive analysis of one of the main motors driving the GOP. But Harper's has hidden it now behind a paywall. But you can find some of it here: http://prairieweather.typepad.com/the_scribe/2006/11/jeff_sharlet_on.html ...And more/similar here: http://prairieweather.typepad.com/the_scribe/2007/01/american_fascis.html

1) When did the far right ever listen to the other side of the debate? ever use logic? or simple language? 2) Go to the link in the post and read more.

But our government (which is to say "people we chose to represent us")has a)the choice of taxing us to refill the coffers, and b) the ability to print money to cover the debt with the same goal and similar means. It also has a wide range of revenue sources like oil and lumber leases and on and on just for a start. Lots more... I wish my family had all those resources, but it doesn't -- and it makes no sense to think of the two kinds of budgets as comparable.

(A comment was removed because of !*#$*! language!)

Yep -- I'm using a wireless mouse and will be getting a keyboard. I also leave it plugged in. Last laptop I had was in 1993 and I don't remember it being this user unfriendly. One benefit: it doesn't harbor toast crumbs!

Baker(as usual) makes a good point. But I didn't pick that up from the Pearlstein article, which struck me as really useful. Will reread when I get a more stable set-up here post-crash!

I'd like to know whether he wants the presidency. Come to think of it, I don't want him heading Ways and Means either.

I don't think you can win with a "they do it, too" argument. Equivalencing just doesn't work anymore. Laughing makes sense, though.