Author Oliver Lange in his novel, Vandenberg, had this to say about American society in the 1970’s.

“We proved the lie, were served up with a gagging portion of our own vintage distillation of apocalyptic horseshit

— all the narcissistic swill about indomitable spirit, invincibility, courage and nobility of purpose

— and demonstrated once and for all to those who looked on with interest a fact long suspected:

that this nation, through a self-administered indoctrination of spurious righteousness, larded with the false rewards of superfluous luxury, had at last achieved the most tractable, malleable — let’s face it, spineless — people to walk the face of the earth.”

Aptly described by Oliver Lange in Vandenberg – The Journals, 1971

Lange’s Cold War novel concerned a fictional lone American holdout against a Soviet occupation of America – hardly a liberal theme by today’s standards.

Yet the description still appears to fit this society to a Tee.

Our politicians of both parties thrive on tossing our way narcissistic swill about what America stands for and what the American People are truly like. I’m reminded of G.W. Bush during his presidency expressing surprise that the rest of the world might not see America and Americans in the same light as our narcissistic swill and all those talking points celebrities of all stripes throw at us.

We do hopefully attempt to teach, encourage and try to foster ideas of indomitable spirit, invincibility, courage and nobility of purpose in the military. You know, those on whom we count and by whom have cast our imperialistic dice; importing Democracy, war, defense and security.

For the rest of us talk is cheap. We indomitable spirits are inspired by the cheap theatrics and propaganda of talk-show and political personalities, movies and commercialized patriotism more interested in money than global peace, global honor or global respect.

Who was that smiling congenial man who gave the opposition party rebuttal to the State of the Union address by the president?

He’s the ranking member, Committee on the Budget. He has published a plan that is his notion of what is best for America during this time of financial crisis. You can find it online at the following website.

As for his post-SOTU rebuttal speech, I also noted the following as written in the Washington Post Business section:

Ryan managed to get through the speech without mentioning, or even alluding to, his Roadmap. Nor did the words “Medicare” or “Social Security” pass his lips. It was like watching Colonel Sanders give a speech that never mentioned chicken.

McCain campaign on McCain:

"There was one man who was presidential tonight, that man was  John McCain."

Let's see … McCain never looked at Obama during the debate.

Not looking at your opponent is "presidential?"

This very much was the "don't talk to your enemies – don't look them in the eye" foreign policy expert practicing his "presidential" craft for a nationwide audience.

McCain campaign continues:

Speaking as a veteran, I cannot see how or why Candidate McCain considers himself commander-in-chief material purely because he is a veteran

… or because Hanoi on his resume somehow instilled in him commander-in-chief ability.

Note: Originally cross-posted to Daily Kos last week. A later post on Kos resulted in one or two suggestions that I sign on to Docudharma and begin posting here. I like what I’m seeing and have reposted the DU article here. There is more published in this article here.
  Additional information was sent my way revealing to me more information about this trolling online defender of the use of Depleted Uranium.  Originally reluctant to name the individual (thinking he was a local member of our Washington State Google Group and would respond with an email to me) I’m no longer concerned about his privacy.  I’ve added updated information about the troll to this essay as well as pasting an entire article (Fair Use) published about him in 2005 by Axis of Logic.

My wife and I have included a concern about depleted uranium in our writings now going back almost five years. Recently – as members of a Google group that focuses on Veteran Health issues in Washington State – we received an email  from another military veteran group member which included the following:

Since you are a former AF brat, wife of a Viet Vet and mother to soldiers still serving, I would appreciate it if you would contact me. You have been gravely mislead by a bunch of frauds about DU.

What made you even go looking for them (or did they come to you) — you are the perfect person for them to make a dupe as they have made Congressman McDermott who was sent a forged document that is purported to be from 1943.