The main reason what we are watching is nothing more than kabuki charade is...

Come their "holiday recess", they will all suddenly stop, smile, pat each other on the back, wipe faux sweat from their brows, hoist a few and go home.

The ones that are supposed to "give a damn" will help roll up the carpets, put away the chairs and join their brethren in some holiday cheer.

Where is the out rage? Where are the acts of defiance?

Those things, my friend, are written in the pages of Hollywood scripts. Where good wins out over evil and the little guy catches a break. That's why those movies sell so well, because they are written whole cloth from the minds of fiction writers.

There will be a few that will mumble and grumble as to "why aren't we doing the peoples work?", that unnamed senator, representative will shout!

But when that gavel falls, they all, even the grumblers, will gather their papers and go out to the masses to weave tales of how hard they really "tried".

They will be in their warm homes, eating their gut busting meals and knowing that their health plan will take care of them if they choke on a bone from the roasted beast.

And within any direction of a dozen or less miles from that same little Hallmark moment gathering, there will be people, we the people, struggling to pay bills, deciding whether to eat, pay the mortgage/rent, the medical bill or keep the heat on.

While they make their plans for reelection, we make our plans to survive and live.

I'm tired of it all. I really am. I'm sick of these thieves, sycophants and glad-handers that masquerade as people representing out "best" interests.

I will be impressed, really impressed of one of these store bought tools actually shows a little guts and keeps congress in session into the holidays.

THAT would spark, in me, a flame of hope. That would show me that someone anyone cares about we the people.

Alas I feel as I am reading that script from Hollywood again.

Sigh.

These are, indeed, the times that try ones souls.

to that effect, it's sad commentary on the state of our country.

Let me say- not only is that sad, but it also doesn't have to be that way- as residents of other western nations know. In fact, when they find out how appalling the situation is in the state, they shake their heads in disbelief.

It was like watching a parent scold a child. An act of defiance that was so small that it was practically imperceptible. Yet it created a real ruffle in the Senate. Droopy Dog was shut down by Al Franken.

I think there is a slow change coming to Congress. More and more members are unbought.

We need a complete upgrade, overhaul, revamp, renewal, removal, of at least the Senate. How long will it take? We have Franken. According to McCain it was the first time he's ever seen a Senator not given the extra time to talk. Ooh, the humanity!

Hopefully he will be gone from the Senate very soon.

I've been trying to remember the little zit that ran against Franken. Norm, little Frankenstein, Coleman.

Mark Twain was way ahead of his time.

I'm sorry -- is it the Senate? Or has Obama let us down. After listening to Dr. Dean earlier today, I firmly believe that if Obama were really committed to the social justice of a public option, he would have displayed entirely different behavior and leadership. He's a no show here, and I'm not happy. Not happy with him, at all.

"Happy Holidays, Ralph."

What we need is a whole new congress. One that uses the internet for meetings and one that has 5 times as many members.

Everybody says that we are not well represented, well, get more representatives, then.

Now we have one rep for 600,000 citizens.
5 times as many reps would be one rep for 120,000. Much better.