Hi everyone, and happy new year.

I'm trying to get back into it, but my present befuddlement shows that I'm still suffering from a bad case of post-election dissonance that just won't go away. I can't watch the news. The craziness just makes me want to throw things. Check this Carpetbagger post for a sparkling example.

Jeanne Phillips, who chairs Bush's inaugural committee, offered an unusually helpful response recently to questions about the role of American troops in Bush's upcoming festivities.

NYT: I hear one of the balls will be reserved for troops who have served in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Phillips: Yes, the Commander-in-Chief Ball. That is new. It will be about 2,000 servicemen and their guests. And that should be a really fun event for them.

NYT: As an alternative way of honoring them, did you or the president ever discuss canceling the nine balls and using the $40 million inaugural budget to purchase better equipment for the troops?

Phillips: I think we felt like we would have a traditional set of events and we would focus on honoring the people who are serving our country right now -- not just the people in the armed forces, but also the community volunteers, the firemen, the policemen, the teachers, the people who serve at, you know, the -- well, it's called the StewPot in Dallas, people who work with the homeless.

NYT: How do any of them benefit from the inaugural balls?

Phillips: I'm not sure that they do benefit from them.

NYT: Then how, exactly, are you honoring them?

Phillips: Honoring service is what our theme is about.

All I can think to say in response to this is ACK. Also, WTF is Jeb Bush of all people doing in tsunami-land? Haven't those poor people suffered enough?

Anyhow, sorry to be so lame. I am obsessed with election fraud and its ramifications, and it's at present all I can take seriously.