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S/SW blog philosophy -

I credit favorite writers and public opinion makers.

A lifelong Democrat, my comments on Congress, the judiciary and the presidency are regular features.

My observations and commentary are on people and events in politics that affect the USA or the rest of the world, and stand for the interests of peace, security and justice.


Thursday, June 09, 2005

How to swallow indigestible material

On my plate are several hard-to-digest news items:
  • California Supreme Court Justice Janice Rogers Brown has been appointed to what may be the second highest court in the land
  • The so-called Downing Street Memo is hardly getting a second glance from the US public, but it has gotten a lot of play amongst bloggers
  • Questionable global warming "science" was edited into governmental policy
I find it hard to swallow that these things are actually happening. I chew on the information, try to take it in, to assimilate that these are actually facts of life. My inner peace gets disturbed; my head spins; my gut roils. What to do, what to do? I am forced to use a fairly sophisticated psychological defense known as "rationalization." This is how I am able to rationalize the items:
  • Justice Brown's lone dissenter position is likely to be repeated as she serves on the Washington court. Her views are not likely to prevail as the court decides cases.
  • In a way, the US public has already taken in the overall thesis of the DS Memo. Most recent polls reflect growing discontent with the Iraq war, and with President Bush's job performance. Despite yesterday's vehement denials by our President and UK's Tony Blair, many of us know the truth about the 2001-2002 run-up to the war. Pressure will build to make a plan for next steps to get us out of this unjustified war.
  • The survival of the species is an internal biological imperative. Once the human race comes to understand the implications of global warming (conveniently renamed "climate change" by the current administration), the United States will be forced to make the necessary fossil fuel consumption adjustments, or find another planet upon which to live.
Now my tummy has settled down just a bit, and I am up for another day as a news junkie.

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