"Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq. Just ask President Bush."

That's what Senator John Kerry was trying to say when he spoke on Monday to a collegiate audience in California.  I wish I were surprised that the Rove hate-machine has jumped on this along with the right-wing radio nutjobs, but am truly appalled that there are democrats who are willing to join the fray on the side of the President.

Whatever happened to truth?  Whatever happened to honor?  Whatever happened to talking about the issues rather than making up issues with which to attack others?

There are days on which I believe that the system is irretrievably broken.  I am a political scientist by training and a teacher of history by profession.  How do I explain this to my class without dashing their hopes ofbrightergther days to come?  If all this nation is capable of is the sort of garbage that is issuing from the White House and from some Democrats, then we are quite likely doomed.

Time to turn the country over to the American Taliban and head to the EU where there is still a glimmer of hope here and there.