We have gotten through the first quarter. The housing crisis is in full bloom, as are the crocuses. Are we in a recession? Depends on your particular situation. If your neighbor lost his job it's a correction. If you lost your job it's a recession.
The campaign goes on endlessly. McCain needs money and an answer to his remark about staying in Iraq for 100 years. Hillary is gamely (stubbornly) hanging tough. Obama is having to put up with the chatterers who enjoy character asassination.
Joan Walsh, an editor for Salon was quoted by Limbaugh. She was pleased by the compliment, even if L didn't mean it that way, simply because of Ls larger audience.
It is a sad commentary that a large number of people find what L says to be of interest. He is so often off base and bloviating that I can't stand even the tone of his high pitched voice. Salon is slanted for the most part but it does have good writers with resonable ideas. It also gives both sides, R & L, blogs an airing.

I was amused at the meeting of Bush and Putin. I can imagine Putin thinking of Bush as a jolly fellow of low regard. Frankly the bone of contention over missiles in Poland is a no brainer. We couldn't tolerate missiles in Cuba, why would Russia countinence them on their border? It is American hubris that turns other countries off from us. We seem to be taking the wrong tack on this business of being the reigning superpower. We obviously can't run the world with our military and our administrators can't even run our government. The legislators seem to play the part of a Greek chorus, chanting incantations and making ineffective protestations.

Robert Reich's book "Supercapitalism" spells out the loss of voice for the citizen.
He decries the status of corporations as "persons" having the same rights as persons.
K Street seems to be more effective in legislating than Congress. Mitch McConnel says that campaign contributions are "free speech". The fact is they become bribes when the legislators depend on them regardless of that the average citizen thinks.
News accounts often announce that legislation designed with some beneficial intent, such as reducing auto emissions, "is blocked by lobbyists". How can "lobbyist" block legislation unless it is through intimidation of legislators who are dependent on them for contribution (bribes).

In general the whole moral fabric of the country and the world is being tattered by the loss of a healthy sense of responsibility on the part of individuals. Agency heads are constantly being found irresponsible in their duty to oversee the work of their eemployees. The FDA is lax, underfunded, in checking pharmaceuticals and food products. The VA is derilict in taking proper care of veterans whether wounded grieviously or just trying to get readjusted.

The so called "healthcare system" is in disarray with costs going through the roof.
Standards of care are not maintained and the average citizen is increasingly hard pressed to keep up with the costs of almost everything. Medicare is way over the limit on costs. That is part of the Social Security problem. Legislators agonize over
raising tax percentage or lowering benefits. To me on immediate and simple way to alleviate the crisis is to eliminate the cap on income subject to SS tax. That is NOT a tax increase, it is simple equity. What is holy about income over $90,000? Why is that excluded from the tax?. It means those high incomes pay a lower percentage over all than tha lower incomes. That is simply an inequity that is long over due for correction.

Of course the most stupid inequity of all is the diversion of billions of dollars down the drain in Iraq that could be applied to our crumbling infrastructure, our schools, our research for alternate energy sources, our police forces, and the rehabilitation of our armed forces and National Guard.