Did you ever have the feeling something very bad just happened? You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you sense something is wrong. Or worse, there’s that feeling you sometimes get that not only is something bad happening, but someone, somewhere is orchestrating it. Very eerie: the hint of impending doom, the frustration, the uneasy awareness something dreadful has been laid out for you and there’s nothing you can do.
As painful as those feelings may be, they’re not normally accompanied by anger – not unless there’s also a sense of outrage. To be really and truly angry, you must not only sense something very bad is happening and someone else is causing it to happen – but the added insult that they enjoyed doing it.
As if maybe they were laughing at you…
Democratic House members, including Speaker Nancy Pelosi (second from left) and Rep. Charles Rangel of New York (right), laughed at a news conference Thursday after the House had approved the stimulus bill.
Dave says:
Sean, Thanks for bringing it up…we have had the feeling something bad has happened for the last 8 years.
And yes George did enjoy it… did you?
I sure didn’t, the lying, the signing statements, the illegal war, the unecessary deaths of our good troops. One good thing came of it: we are now sure that cutting taxes for the wealthy doesn’t do anything for anybody but the wealthy.
So unless you are wealthy and enjoyed the extra money – I don’t blame you for having that “feeling”. The rest of us have had those feelings of dread, doom, frustration, anger and outrage for quite awhile.
Thanks for waking up to reality.
Dave
February 16, 2009 — 2:39 pm
Grog says:
I am pretty sure that I saw Cheney and Rumsfeld snickering a few times. Way to take a photo out of context.
February 16, 2009 — 2:57 pm
James Boyer says:
Stimulus bill my foot. The only thing stimulatory in the bill got taken out which was the $15,000 home buyer tax credit for anyone.
February 16, 2009 — 3:43 pm
Sean Purcell says:
Dave – You’re preaching to the choir brother.
It may have turned out that democracy is building over there and that the recent elections were a tremendous success, but the ends don’t justify the means. I share with you a general contempt for politicians in Congress on both sides of the aisle. Did you know that almost every one of them voted for the war? They even voted for the increase in appropriations. Then some of them had the audacity to pretend they were never for the war (some have still not admitted they were wrong about “the surge”).
The merits of war (or lack thereof) are not the sense of evil I’m referring to though. I’m talking about something with a much longer, more insidious reach: economics. Watching the previous administration bungle and misspend the money they begged Congress for and end up nationalizing the banking industry was a disgrace.
Now, watching that same Congress who was so incensed by the previous malfeasance step up like pigs to a trough and line the pockets of their own special interests in the name of National Crisis is trully abominable.
The people on the hill are economically ignorant at the least and – when given complete power – venally selfish. I hate this new reality, but I appreciate your welcoming me.
Grog,
Way to take a photo out of context.
If I explained the context it wouldn’t be satire, it would just be sad…
February 16, 2009 — 3:57 pm
Sean Purcell says:
James,
I agree with you… but only half way. There’s nothing “stimulus” about this bill. It is a bacchanalian orgy of spending and a travesty. But the $15,000 bribe wasn’t any better. Artificially propping up the housing industry or housing prices or whatever they thought they’d be propping up still just prolongs the problem.
February 16, 2009 — 4:04 pm
Chris Johnson says:
This reminds me of Catch-22 by Joeseph Heller.
Yosarrian thinks that they’re all trying to kill HIM, personally.
“But they’re laughing at ME, sir.”
February 16, 2009 — 9:02 pm
Clint House says:
Lol hilarious. I agree completely. Keep up the good work.
February 16, 2009 — 9:25 pm
Sean Purcell says:
Chris,
Love the reference. One of my favorite lines: “He had decided to live forever or die in the attempt.” Hmmm, are we caught in a Catch-22? If you don’t want to participate in an insane event… you are by definition sane and so must participate.
Clint,
Thanks, nice to know a little satire is appreciated.
February 16, 2009 — 10:24 pm
Michael Cook says:
I bet you just couldnt wait to use “bacchanalian orgy” in a sentence. I know I cant.
Not sure that the consequences of war are any better or worse then economics, so you might want to rethink that analogy. Check out Kosvo, Sudan, Irag, etc.
February 17, 2009 — 9:34 am
Sean Purcell says:
Michael,
Right? Say it a few times: “bacchanalian orgy” “bacchanalian orgy” “bacchanalian orgy” It’s just plain fun to say.
The analogy was introduced by my friend Dave in the first comment. I was only saying that economic ignorance has a longer and more devasting reach.
February 17, 2009 — 11:08 am
nancy otte says:
amen brother! be afraid. be very afraid.
February 18, 2009 — 12:48 pm
Joe Hayden says:
Last time I ended up on a thread like this I wound up debating issues that had nothing to do with the original post, nor my comment… Why do I punish myself so?
Dare I say… Loved the picture. It about sums up the “two Americas” as I see it. I just don’t believe it to be truly orchestrated… More the sad consequence of a power-drunk government naively creating problems and then proposing wild solutions destined to fail again…
It is going to get worse… The foxes freely roam the hen house…
February 18, 2009 — 2:17 pm