In my opinion, the last paragraph of Article 6 of the U. S. Constitution  contains one of the clearest statements to be found in that august document (emphasis mine):

" The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the Members of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial Officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation, to support this Constitution; but no religious Test shall ever be required as a Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the United States."

End of discussion.

Courage,

Woody

Senator Bingamanr:
There are few states in the country in greater need of a strong public health insurance option than New Mexico. Yet you have shown a disheartening and invertebrate willingness to negotiate away the "public option" in the name of unattainable bipartisan compromise. The ideal public option would be a Medicare-like single payer plan - in particular, the co-op option that you seem to be willing to settle for is an unsatisfactory sham. 
A few years ago Grover Norquist clearly stated the Republican attitude toward bipartisan compromise - then and now - when he said "Bipartisanship is another name for date rape." One would think that the last 15 years or so of abusive Republican tactics would convince the Democrats to stand firm on important progressive issues, now that they enjoy Congressional majorities. If they do not, they can expect to pay come election time.

Woody WoodruffSanta Fe

If you want to frighten yourself, check the Wikipedia entries for "Weimar Republic" (especially the early part) and "Sturmabteilung" (or better yet, the definitive bio of Hitler by John Toland). The Nazis started in 1919 with 70 attendees at a meeting at the Hofbrauhaus, and were only a few thousand even several years later. One of the main ways they gained power was because, in the Weimar Reichstag, nearly any united minority could block almost anything. The Nazis made sure they used that power, so anybody who wanted to get anything done had to give the Nazis something they wanted. Another way they used to gain power was mob tactics and thuggery via the Sturmabteilung. A third was the simple mechanism of demonizing minorities (Communists, Jews, Blacks - - -). Any of this sound familiar???

We are developing into the Weimar Republic of America, complete with minority veto power over legislation and our own home-grown Sturmabteilung.

Scares *me*, and I *used* to be fearless.

The current Palin frenzy on the Wingnut side carries eerie and ominous echoes of Spiro Agnew and his attack-dog tactics. Those who minimize Palin's potential influence on American politics do so at their peril.
Remember when the term "liberal" was a perfectly respectable descriptor of one's politics, not a dirty word? How did this transformation take place? In my opinion it began about forty years ago with Spiro Agnew referring to any opponent of the Trickster regime as a "radical liberal". He did this so often and indiscriminately that some commentators on network news actually made fun of him. But the term caught on with the Wingers of the time, and spread via the Winger press (very prominently by Agnew's speechwriter William Safire on the op-ed page of the NYT). The rest, as they say, is History.
Recall Safire's speeches, delivered by Agnew. The "vocal minority", repressing the "silent majority", was "encouraged by an effete corps of impudent snobs". What a line! Even after all this time, one cannot help but admire the messages conveyed to the resentful by these few words. The leaders of the "vocal minority" were "effete"; they had delicate mannerisms, probably queer (excuse the term of the times, used here for effect). They belonged to a "corps"; they were organized, even marched in lockstep. They were "impudent"; dismissive of the ideas and values of the silent majority. They were "snobs"; you would never be able to get into their universities, country clubs, or cocktail parties.
Modify a few of these terms slightly, and you have Palin and her movement. One key difference is, Palin has a committed base that Agnew never had - yet even so, over the decades Agnew left an effective legacy. Another difference is that, at the moment, Palin has not found her Safire. If she does - Katy, bar the door! Fortunately the Effete Corps has resources - the internet and email campaigns - to fight back at the individual level that were lacking in 1970.

No reason so far makes sense. Gonna run for Senate in '10? Big-time shit fixin' to hit the fan?? She's just plain bug-ass nuts???
Been hiking thu Appalachian Trail, Sarah????
It is tempting to say this is a total political flame-out. But the Checkers metaphor could be too apt. Remember the 1962 CA Governor's election, and what happened afterwards.

Once upon a time, on a tiny isolated tropical island called Nevada, there lived a famous Oracle. Because this Oracle was known to his followers far and wide as one who spoke nothing but the Truth, he was called Oracle the Truth Teller. And because the island was a United States territory, and the Oracle had served in the U. S. Navy and risen to a lofty rank, he was known by that rank, Oracle Ensign the Truth Teller. He told the Truth to his Great Leader, and insisted that the Leader should be punished for misdeeds. He told the Truth to the Oracle of a nearby island, and insisted that that Oracle should resign because of his misdeeds. He was noted for telling the Truth about Family Values.

 

Because he was revered by all, Oracle Ensign the Truth Teller was presented a magnificent thatched hut on the dune line above the beach, with beautiful views of the sea and the championship golf course behind the dunes. But his most ardent followers did not think that was enough. With great effort and superb craftsmanship they fashioned a massive throne and presented that, too, to Oracle Ensign the Truth Teller. Oracle Ensign the Truth Teller loved to sit on the throne and watch the Duke Kahanamoku Championship surfers in the sea, the PGA Tour golfers behind the dune line, and the little old ladies spending their Social Security savings trying to pull jackpots off the cabana slots nearby.

 

But one sad day Oracle Ensign the Truth Teller realized that he could no longer tell the Truth about a misdeed of his own. So Oracle Ensign no longer the Truth Teller decided that he had to give up his throne. He could not bear to let it go entirely, so he had his followers remove it to the attic of his magnificent thatched hut, and he replaced the throne with a Barcalounger. But unfortunately the structure of the hut was not strong enough to support the massive throne in the attic, which broke through the attic floor and crushed Oracle Ensign no longer the Truth Teller as he watched the finals of the Duke Kahanamoku Championships. Which just goes to show that people who live in grass houses shouldn't stow thrones.

Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Moderate Republican, the Courageous Democratic Senator, and the Right-Wing Republican Nutjob are playing seven-card stud. After the dealing is done, Santa Claus has a pair of aces and a pair of kings showing, the Easter Bunny has four hearts, the Moderate Republican has four clubs, the Courageous Democratic Senator has the queen jack ten nine of spades, and the Right-Wing Republican Nutjob has garbage.

 

Question - who wins the pot?

 

Answer - The Right-Wing Republican Nutjob of course. There's no such thing as Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny, the Moderate Republican, or the Courageous Democratic Senator.

 

Moral - And for the same reason, the pot is zero.

Question for all - is George W. Bush to the Republicans as Henry Clay was to the Whigs? Has Bush's monomaniacal self-aggrandizement already killed the Republican Party as we know it, as Clay's did the Whigs? Are the Republicans going to have to resurrect themselves under a new name with new core principles? 

The world wonders.