The vicked vich is dead

Blago is out. Quinn is in. And now Illinois can get back to business as usual. Horse trading, influence peddling, and mutual back scratching can resume behind the scenes, out of the public eye--where it belongs.

The descent of a public figure like Blago (and our own Eliot here in NY) is saddening and maddening. The Already Dead allow themselves the privilege of spectral wandering out and about until their political spirits are separated from the body and all that remains are the remains. It's joyless.

Watching Blago and Spitzer sent packing and then Bush packing and leaving a failed presidency gives me no pleasure. Relief perhaps but not happiness. Some men and women become political failures in spite of their electability, and I wonder whether we the people share some of the responsibility for this.

Our laws and constitutional processes often save us from ourselves. In their absence, denial rules.  As long as we feel happy and prosperous and all seems or is made to seem normal on the surface, we allow ourselves the convenience of complacency in the face of injustice and other irregularities.  At least most of us do, including me all too often.

Can we stop being spectators to our own politics? Barack is calling us to action and responsibility. I have spent a lot of time thinking and planning what I need to do. More on that soon.