talbotlucas.org: a word to the wise is sufficient

From the Times review of Worse Than Watergate by John Dean (no stranger to Watergate):

Dean has again amassed evidence of a cancer growing on the presidency. But he has forgotten the lesson of his Ervin committee testimony: to strike a blow against a president, it takes a calm demeanor, clear presentation and a voice devoid of rancor.

Good advice, and not just for striking blows against the high and mighty. Calmness, clarity, and an absence of rancor are not qualities I associate with current politics or political commentary, or public discourse generally, and I don't know how to make it better. We can all try to do our part--to participate with those qualities as our guide--but I have the feeling that I'm wildly outnumbered by those who enjoy rancor, who don't care about (or don't even recognize) muddle, and who associate the loudest voice with the strongest opinion. I can't bear to watch "news" shows on which the debate consists of raised voices lobbing generalizations and vague insults, but apparently these rate very highly and spawn more shows in the same vein. Ugh.

Have to stop now. It's a sunny Sunday morning. There's a lot of work to do: laundry to wash, dinner to plan, corgi to walk, and oh, yes, two exams on the horizon. Off my soapbox...