Starting the New Year: The Rev. Dobson of Colarado appears to be putting on the "brown shirt": Dobson is threatening Democratic senators "if they block conservative appointments to the Supreme Court" according to David D. Kirkpatrick of the New York Times.

Dobson is evidently feeling his muscle following all the hype about the relegious right's influence in the recent election, including the defeat of Tom Daschle. According to the times, Dobson's organization has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for the purposes of imposing ultra right wing elected officials on the American public. One wonders how much the good Reverend has raised to assist the victums of the recent natural disaster in Asia and India.

Could it be that Dobson's goal is to become America's "Cardinal Richeleau," the power behind the throne, the king maker? Surely not!

Curiously, Dobson sent the threatening letter announcing his intentions to the media before submitting it to the threatened senators. Let's see, you spell "Dobson": D-e-m-a-g-o-g-u-e.

In the future: Look for a major battle between congress and the courts coming during the next Bush administration. Congressmen are attempting to threaten judges with impeachment if their decisions don't match the latest wind blowing through congress. They will also use the power of the purse (the budget) to strangle the courts. They can effectively destroy the balance of power that is our true backbone of government in the US by closing them down through a lack of funds. Then the Bushites can lock up anyone who opposes them at will.

(See Linda Greenhouse's article in today's Times.)

We have become very sedate in this country, assuming our rights are carved in stone, but the truth is that we always live on a knife edge. The lunatic fringe have at least that part right.