On Sunday night, before Christmas, the blockbuster movie "TITANIC" was aired. The thing that was once again brought to mind was the arrogance of mankind. When the word "arrogance" is mentioned, the President of the United States, should be available to a constituent to come to mind. But this year it is unavoidable. Let us hope that our ship of state fairs better in the future...

The pattern continues. Does one have to be a lefty to think any distortion of news is wrong? Why does it appear that moral values are so important to the Republicans, but that little white lies are not a moral issue. White House Web Scrubbing is not a good thing. Logic and reason cannot exist in a realm where shifting facts do not match reality. Democracy is dependent on logic and reason.

I'm glad to see a conservative acknowledge some of the hypocrisy that exist in the rhetoric of the Republicans. I got to commend Mr. Safire for a productive contribution to political dialogue. This kind of emphasis on the accurate rather than the inflammatory can be healing. But I don't get the impression that the NEOCONs of the Republican are done yet. I get the sense that they won't be happy until they are the only party.

The story about Strom Thurmond continues a pattern of behavior that is characteristic of Republican that I have known. The behavior is not having children out of marriage.

It is a behavior of denial. It is a behavior of control. I have noted a priority for the success of the party over the health of the body politic.