We've all heard it; the Republican's without Responsibility ™ chatter, "fear fear afraid fear fear terrorist fear fear. . ."
Yesterday, that chatter, combined with showing some documents that can't be discussed with us because they're "classified," resulted in our Senators and Representatives taking another whak at The US Constitution
I learned to view the US Senate and House of Representatives as serious offices where serious debate took place; where intelligent men (and more recently, intelligent women) pondered the problems that faced our nation are carefully took steps to address those problems. Those steps included research, debate, and conversations with their constituents.
But it wasn't until yesterday that I realized gullibility, not intelligence, is the key to legislative action. More below the fold.
An example
T wo years ago, 14-year-old Nathan Zohner, a student at Eagle Rock Junior High in Idaho Falls, announced on the Internet that he had circulated a petition demanding strict control of a chemical known as dihydrogen monoxide. This substance, he wrote, caused excessive sweating and vomiting, can be lethal if accidentally inhaled, contributes to erosion, and has been found in tumors of cancer patients. The student asked 50 people whether they supported the ban. Forty-three said yes, six were undecided, and only one knew that dihydrogen monoxide was... water.
The same story goes on to explain that people need to make sense of their environment, and they'll accept psudo-science if it sounds right.
So here's some information to help our legislators:
Since 9/11, there have been no terrorists attacks on US soil, this despite the fact that there are millions of unprotected bridges, roads, water supplies, schools, churches, parks, town halls, malls, and night clubs. Millions of Americans go about their business every single day, and never come face to face with terrorists. Never. I know it's hard to believe, but it's true.
The greatest threats to Americans' health and well being include the food they eat, driving cars, and joining the military. I might add global warming since a "thousand year event"of a thunderstorm just wiped out my community's water supply a few weeks ago, but that was only a threat if you didn't hear about the boil-water order.
We've also discovered, very painfully, that our own negligence is a threat. Not our negligence about protecting ourselves from terrorists, but our negligence about maintaining our own house, our roads, our bridges, our schools -- all those terrorist targets that haven't been attacked (likely because they don't need to be, they're crumbling on their own.)
There's a lot of talk about recruiting new dems to challenge those who caved, who voted yet again to dismantle the constitution. WE NEED TO BE AWARE OF EACH CANDIDATES GULLIBILITY QUOTIENT. So see if anyone you're considering recruiting thinks dihydrogen monoxide is a threat before collecting signatures for a run. It's the only way to take care of our constitutional infrastructure.
And finally, don't be a gullible voter. If a candidate tells you government is bad, recognize it as a self-fulfilling prophesy. For that candidate will govern badly. Good, ungullible candidates believe in good government, maintaining our freedoms and infrasturcture, and understand that while dihydrogen monoxide may do stuff like wipe out my town's watersupply, it shouldn't be banned.