"Get out!"

The reaction in the Senate to a potential terrorist threat, when, what turned out to be a Cessna flew into secure airspace, was pathetic at best and ultimately comical. I don't know what was happening in the House, CSpan wasn't covering the house when it happened.

First, what is the plan? Capitol police, whom I respect greatly if only for the potential threats they must face regularly in protecting the majority of overpaid lawmakers who are less than adored, are also faced with a dilemma of actions. But judging by coverage and capitol hill's ubiquitous sampling of video cameras, it appears the plan is run about the building yelling, "Get out! Get out!" as if they had practiced by all learning the same part in a Tennessee Williams play.

Then, it was evidently 'cameras and children first' because the next thing available on televised news was low angle shots from video photojournalists who want us to believe that they had the presence of mind to keep the cameras rolling as they high-tailed it off of the immediate real estate. Great low angle shots guys...

And framed in the bouncing video images were scenes that could be used in the next (or the previous) Godzilla movies. "Run you bastards, run for your lives!! Where? How the hell do I know? We never got that far in Streetcar Named Desire!"

First off, "Get out?????" Now let me see, they knew it was a plane, and they had enough time to evacuate the building, so they basically had a fire drill. But now think back in ancient history to the Blitz in London. First off Parliament had the dignity to simply react (or not) to the the cool British air raid sirens.

In addition, I don't envision Parliament - the House of Lords or the House of Commons scrambling, like chickens out of the henhouse after a Weasel pops its head through a knot hole. No, if the inevitable were going to happen, they, in a dignified manner, would have proceeded - not outside - but to the nearest air raid shelter or subway 'tube.'

Actually, this may be a metaphor for congress' true colors. So many have a tough-guy bully attitude, but when it's time to get in line to meet their maker they're shaking like leaves ready to snap off the twig. Also it was the reaction of people actually taken by surprise - they really haven't taken their own rhetorical fear peddling bullshit seriously, because they've been making it up as they go along.

Most of DC has been protected airspace since shortly after January 13, 1982 when a Boeing 737, Air Florida's Flight 90, plowed into the Potomac due to improper de-icing prior to take off from Dulles Airport. It was then that people realized that, 'Wow, that airport is damned close to the city!'

Eighty-three people were on that flight and 78 died in the frigid water encrusted with ice. They were strapped in from take off when they went into the water, then they froze, as Coast Guard recovery reports said, "... you could see the last expression they had on their faces and their clenched fists..." when they died.


A few heads of a handful of survivors bobbed to the surface, and rescue workers were at a loss in the bitter cold - initially assuming it would simply be a recovery call with no survivors and not a rescue response. So a few tried to hurl lines to the survivors, but the frigid water and broken limbs prevented the living from a secure hold.

Then out of the crowd of onlookers, a splash as a 28 year old mail clerk named Lenny Skutnik has had enough, dives in and rescues a woman, Prsicilla Tirado, who had desperately tried to grab a life line.

Skutnik was making $14,000 per year, had a wife and two kids, saves a drowning, freezing flight attendant, gives his coat to another survivor who had broken both legs. Then, when approached by paramedics he at first refuses to go in an ambulance, not due to continued heroism, but because he wanted an assurance that he wouldn't be charged because he couldn't afford the medical bills. Later in an interview, he talked about his family and said, "Every once in a while you just have to close your eyes and blow a couple bucks," referring to the intermittent moments when he had saved enough and would take his wife and kids to dinner and movie.

Less than two weeks later, Skutnik was the uncomfortable guest of the Reagan's when the President delivered his State of the Union address. Skutnik only made 14 grand a year, but the political capital for Reagan was priceless as he introduced the self-effacing and visibly uncomfortable hero.

Ron got after the congress for the incredible deficit that existed (until Bill Clinton reversed that trend), and in the same speech he proposed a catastrophic health care plan for the elderly. Near the end he said:

In our Constitution, we the people tell the government what it can do and that it can do only those things listed in that document and no others.

Virtually every other revolution in history has just exchanged one set of rulers for another set of rulers. Our revolution is the first to say the people are the masters, and government is their servant.

And you young people out there, don't ever forget that. Some day, you could be in this room -- but wherever you are, America is depending on you to reach your highest and be your best because here, in America, we the people are in charge.

Just three words. We the people. Those are the kids on Christmas Day looking out from a frozen sentry post on the 38th Parallel in Korea, or aboard an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. A million miles from home.But doing their duty.

We the people. Those are the warmhearted whose numbers we can't beg into count who'll begin the day with a little prayer for hostages they will never know and MIA families they will never meet. Why? Because that's the way we are, this unique breed we call Americans.

We the people. They're farmers on tough times, but who never stop feeding a hungry world. They're the volunteers at the hospital choking back their tears for the hundredth time, caring for a baby struggling for life because of a mother who used drugs. And you'll forgive me a special memory -- it's a million mothers like Nelle Reagan who never knew a stranger or turned a hungry person away from her kitchen door.

We the people. They refute last week's television commentary downgrading our optimism and our idealism. They are the entrepreneurs, the builders,the pioneers, and a lot of regular folks the true heroes of our land who make up the most uncommon nation of doers in history. You know they're Americans because their spirit is as big as the universe and their hearts are bigger than their spirits.

We the people. Starting the third century of a dream and standing up to some cynic who's trying to tell us we're not going to get any better.

Are we at the end? Well, I can't tell it any better than the real thing-- a story recorded by James Madison from the final moments of the Constitutional Convention -- September 17th, 1787. As the last few members signed the document,Benjamin Franklin -- the oldest delegate at 81 years, and in frail health-- looked over toward the chair where George Washington daily presided.At the back of the chair was painted the picture of a sun on the horizon.And turning to those sitting next to him, Franklin observed that artists found it difficult in their painting to distinguish between a rising and a setting sun.

Well, I know if we were there, we could see those delegates sitting around Franklin -- leaning in to listen more closely to him. And then Dr. Franklin began to share his deepest hopes and fears about the outcome of their efforts,and this is what he said: "I have often looked at that picture behind the President without being able to tell whether it was a rising or setting Sun: But now at length I have the happiness to know that it is a rising and not a setting Sun."

Well, you can bet it's rising, because, my fellow citizens, America isn't finished - her best days have just begun.

Ronny was despised by bunches of people, including Cosmo. But, man I'd vote for him now in a heartbeat if I knew the vote wouldn't be rigged - I'd vote for him in his current condition over the current administration. But remember 'trickle down economics?'

Little did we know that his VP was grooming his own demon spawn - much like mama Hitler doted on her Fuller Brush mustahio'd offspring - to destroy the same constitution that Ronny was talking about - "We the People" - indeed.

Hell later, with Ronny on ice they used the old man's body, or at least a casket to string out the grieving and to grab a chance at the last gold of the political capital pot that Ronnie could give. I saw Newt Gingrich rubbing the coffin like Aladdin's lamp, as if he was hoping to have some of the Reagan magic rub off on himself. I'm surprised they didn't have him lie in state at the grand opening of some shopping mall that Tom DeLay had invested in while they were at it.

So last week the reaction to a Cessna entering secure air space was something to see, and the faces of the senators told the whole story. Their expressions said, "Wait a second, everything we've been saying about terrorists has been bullshit. The plans we put in place...all bullshit using fear for cheap political mileage. I mean planes really don't fly into buildings unless we tell them to... Let me out! let me out! Get out of my way!"

And that campaigning echoes across the nation. A few weeks ago I took a train to Chicago. At Union station in various corridors a recording is triggered every so many minutes. It says, "beep - If you see a suspicious package or luggage, don't go near it but find station security or report it to police officers. - beep" and I said to my traveling companion, "Listen, those bastards have a political message playing every five minutes until the next rigged election."

My friend replied, "It won't work - you can only fear fear so long."

I asked her what she meant and she told me, "Look, Cosmo, if you put a rat in a maze and it never gets the cheese, after a while it just stops looking for cheese, and starts looking for a sure thing."

Sounds like a good analogy, except we're not the rats.

Best ongoing effort award...

Watertown Peace and Democracy Coalition stays visible. I hear there was a single counter-demonstrator as they marched against efforts to limit filibuster. Bold on both parts, but in true form they invited the prodigal along to continue the discussion. Kind of a metaphor for the demonstration's purpose - the ability to continue debate. They used giant puppets, too - great!

They earlier hosted a discussion/presentation by George Martin of Peace Action Wisconsin. George told me that he was thrilled with the turnout, even though the WPDC had expected more.

Rumor has it that WPDC will be hosting a screening of a talk by author David Ray Griffin, PhD who poses concentrated questions on the government's potential involvement in the events of 9-11. Let's all ask those questions and the other questions over and over until somebody gives us an answer. Great job WPDC! Stay viable, credible and above all, visible!
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Bye for now,

Cosmo