I have mixed emotions when I watch the following footage from the 9/12 teabagger rally in Washington DC. I am happy to live in a country where people can speak their minds, no matter how misinformed they might be. And yet, I cannot help finding it at least a little embarrassing to recognize that these individuals belong to the same species as I do.

As hard as it may be to stomach the insanity on display at these rallies, I agree with Universal Heretic that there are lessons here for the rest of us. If nothing else, these teabaggers remind us of our limitations and the ease with which we can be deceived, riled up into nonsensical frenzy by those who have no concerns about manipulating us, and the value of rationality in a complex world.

Representative Bart Stupak (D-MI) is known mostly for attempting to use health care reform as an opportunity to restrict female reproductive freedom. He has now been linked to the Christian extremist organization known as "The Family." I suppose his willingness to hold up health care reform for this reason makes a bit more sense now.

I am starting to wonder whether there are any elected officials left who aren't under the spell of this anti-democratic group. I also find it incredible that the mainstream media has evidently decided that this is not newsworthy.

When Sarah Palin went on Leno, she commented that she is glad she's not the Vice President. Finally, I get to agree with Sarah Palin about something! I'm glad she's not in the White House too.

Palin is dangerously ignorant and could have done real damage in a position of power. As disappointed as I have been with President Obama (especially on his refusal to investigate Dick Cheney's war crimes), I have to admit that he's doing a far better job than McCain/Palin would have. How do I know? Well, we aren't at war with Iran yet.

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Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) may be widely recognized by both Democrats and Republicans as one of the Senate's crazier members, but his latest stunt reveals plenty about Republican values. While 99 of 100 senators favor extending unemployment insurance and COBRA benefits past the February 28 deadline, Bunning opposes the extension.

Bunning was more concerned about missing a college basketball game than easing the financial woes of countless Americans. And yet, his Republican colleagues did little to stop him. Could it be that Bunning's stand reveals the typical Republican position on the poor..."tough shit?"

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There are a number of strong arguments which can be made against Congress funding President Obama's escalation of the war in Afghanistan. One might argue that we cannot afford this war, that it is the wrong priority for funding, that there is no clear mission in Afghanistan and sending more troops will make matters worse, etc. The sad reality is that none of this matters for one simple reason: Democrats in Congress lack the will to risk appearing weak in foreign policy. They are stuck in a primitive mindset that fears Republican attacks based on claims of inadequate support for the troops, apparently without realizing that Republican attacks no longer have to have any basis in reality to be effective.

Until we make electing real progressives a priority, I am not sure we have anyone to blame but ourselves.

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