The Unclad Soul

I watched on C-Span last night Secretary of Health & Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, return to Congress’s Roman Arena, known as the House Energy & Commerce Committee hearing. There she was once again thrown to the Republican lions who had a delightful time ranting and fuming against this public servant. I watched her wither and age in the hour I forced myself to view the spectacle. She does not come across as a warm person, but then not many people have sunny dispositions while being stomped and chewed to pieces by drooling lunatics all in a frenzy of uncontrollable rage. The petty insults, the sneering condescension, the harassing bitterness spewed by Republican members of the Committee were a shameful and atrocious display of partisan politics. Many made no attempt to control their tempers. Some of their outbursts were blatantly acts of bullying and some even bordered on just outright cruelty. To treat a woman, a professional member of the President’s Cabinet,...

For years liberals owned the day.  The amazing leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Great Depression and World War II guided our country through one of the most difficult periods in our history.  People saw the Democratic Party as the party of the people—the poor, the middle class, immigrants, minorities, and the wealthy.  The succeeding Democratic presidents demonstrated a similar commitment to all Americans.  And more amazing advancements in freedom and opportunity were the result of their leadership. Importantly, Republicans cooperated with these Democratic presidents.  They voiced their opposition at times.  They fought against policies they disagreed with.  But when it came time to work together and get important legislation passed for all of the country, they were willing to do their part.  And many of them contributed their own intelligent and compassionate ideas to the process. Then, somewhere during the 1...