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Rick Conti's avatar

Or as Aragorn said it, "A day may come when the courage of men fails... but it is not this day. "

I wish I shared his and your optimism.

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Martin John Smith's avatar

I'm a huge Shelley fan, hence my online persona: "Aussiemandias". Your blog is a bright star in a dark nebula of uncertainty. Keep it coming.

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Andrew Maliniak's avatar

Great. As I grew up a Burkean conservative, this means a lot.

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Barbara Christiansen's avatar

I love this, Peter, and not just for the references to English Romantic poets! I’ve been despairing and wallowing of late, struggling to see a way out of this mess. Your newsletter gave a dose of measured optimism that I needed.

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Jerry Banks's avatar

I enjoyed your words and needed to hear your optimism.

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Judith Ann Henderson's avatar

Thanks for this viewpoint, Peter. It gives me just a modicum of hope at a time where there is so much doom and gloom all around. And yet one more prod to continue to write and call my Senators and Representative.

I do love this line: "The scent of incompetence in the government today comes strongest in his peculiar variety." The only thing I might suggest as a change is to substitute "stench" for "scent".

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Ziggy's avatar

Two things to note. First, the Congressional surrender of foreign policy power has been bipartisan, and of very long standing.

Second, Republican Congress-critters are only afraid of their primary electorate, thanks to gerrymandering. And primary Republican voters are Trumpazoidal. A few purple-state Republican Senators have to fear both the primary and the general. But most Republican senators only fear the primary. I don't expect much independence from them. They seem to value their jobs more than their country.

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Miggy's avatar

1). You are a gifted writer. Yours is the only newsletter I read where I have to regularly look up words. I both appreciate and resent this fact. 2). Thank you for your words. Like many people around the world I find myself swinging between doom and hope pretty regularly. So when people who have a much better grasp of history and the functions of our government, I definitely feel a little higher swing towards hope. Like you, I will continue to serve my family, my community and those within my circle of influence to the best of my ability. Thanks Peter.

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