Love Canal

I just returned from a week and a half of training to be a rabble-rouser left-wing conspirator organizer. Many great briefings, great people, and great times. One highlight was definitely a lecture by Lois Gibbs. Listen to a lecture from her, and you can't help but get pumped about what we do.

Another highlight was a vignette from one of the Public Interest senior staff. He said that he was in the office of Harry Reid on behalf of one of the PIRGs, and when Reid came in, he told the guy what a great thing that the PIRGs did, and said "you guys are the only thing that keeps us honest here in Washington."

Warm and fuzziness abounds.

Pearlstein strikes again

I know I'm a fanboy, but this column is just fantastic.

Money quote:

Health reform is a test of whether this country can function once again as a civil society -- whether we can trust ourselves to embrace the big, important changes that require everyone to give up something in order to make everyone better off. Republican leaders are eager to see us fail that test. We need to show them that no matter how many lies they tell or how many scare tactics they concoct, Americans will come together and get this done.

If health reform is to be anyone's Waterloo, let it be theirs.

Mental Health Break (Sort of)

What happened after the cameras were turned off at the "Beer Summit".

Sarah Palin and William Shatner. Need I say more? Enjoy.