Powerless

Polls and the favorability of both parties and all political establishments are precipitously low. Watching Senator Bunning yell and flip the bird at ABC while holding up unemployment benefits to those who need them is harrowing, and could be an indelible image for many Americans.

Health care is held up. Unemployment, at 10 percent and as high as 25% underemployed. Stimulus money, untrusted and wrapped inside out. A government furlough. State furloughs. Stagnation all around the process of governing and working together to get things done for the American people who pay the bill.

The Olympics, a boost to world morale, are over. Rotating states have been whacked by storms, leaving millions without power and unable to watch the Olympics. But the TVs and computers are coming back on as March thaws the snow, and Americans are still powerless.

Candidates Obama, Clinton and McCain all talked about how you feel powerless to try to show you they understand. Ron Paul, John Edwards and Wes Clark talked about it.

But this is a blog, and you don't need them or me to tell you how you feel. We are in a partisan quagmire and the Constitution is being stomped on angrily. President Obama looks and is powerless, caught between the left, right and center and the use of the filibuster.

How much power do you feel?