Layers of invention 

I don't regularly read Andrew Sullivan, so thanks, Tom, for linking to him. Sullivan has been on a rampage about Ron Paul, pointing out a variety of voices, liberal and conservative, who think we're all smart enough to move beyond "They attack us because they hate freedom."

The crazy thing is the layers people are putting on Paul's remarks about our policies having an effect on Islamic terrorist behavior. Guiliani answered as though Paul said "We deserved the 9/11 attacks." Not the same thing. Sullivan is also following Michelle Malkin's and John Gibson's statements implying that Paul is a 9/11 conspiracy believer. That's so typical of the Fox crowd, so slimy to sneak in an idea they know will play to their base and spread their poison, never mind if it's completely made up.

Same kind of thing they tried in hinting that Obama holds on to Muslim sympathies. And not too far from the purposely obtuse spin on Kerry's bad joke about "ending up in Iraq" just before the elections. It seems like faithful Fox viewers (and consumers of conservative radio talk shows and blogs) could see they're being played. I don't understand it. I'm trying to figure it out.

I do understand liking to hear juicy new political developments written about and spoken by people who lean the same way I do. I guess that's what they count on, but there's plenty of truth out there to report and speak opinions about. Why risk betraying trust by making stuff up? I think it's disrespectful to citizens. We're not stupid. We can figure things out, and damned if we're not starting to, you can feel it in the air. Something's happening here; what it is ain't exactly clear ... Look what's going down.

The citizenry seems way out ahead of politicians though. Did you catch the polls about approval ratings for Congress? I like politics but I'm really disgusted with hearing every government action or vote positioned as merely a cog in the works of the upcoming elections. The war is a supporting player in the main drama of who holds power in Washington. Something's wrong with that picture. I think it's upside down.

Turn signals and uncomfortable chairs 

Being a mom means a lot of driving and watching. Just realized I've been dropping off one son or the other at the employee entrance of the AMC Cantera 30 for about eight years. In a bit I'm going to watch my older son in a ballroom dancing competition. He's almost 23, so that's 20 years since his first appearance as the grey squirrel with the cute bushy tail in a pre-school program.

In a way it's kind of nice there's still some of that watching for me to do, even after they move on. Not so much, though. I'm thinking I probably need to shift to a new mode, where I become more doer than watcher. See how that goes.