Winter slumber

It has been cold indeed.  And it is amazing how tempting it ease to hit the snooze and hibernate some more, particularly with the progressive losses of the year ending and the one starting up. 

But things seem to improve, progessive causes due rally, skepticism and science have had some successes.

What more needs to be said for now of, finally, having the president raise his banner yet again.  The silence until now has been costly.  There has been a need for leadership.  And that cannot be done wholely from behind closed doors.  And now he has met the nation face to face, the Republicans, and even his fellow Democrats.

And I have been pleased with the results.  Progressives have been given a voice, lost by dithering reps in office, and lackluster reporting.  Republicans have been answered and challenged.  And so have Democrats.  They need to act.  They need to represent.  They need to work.  And did love the president pointing out to them the now well known joke about 41 votes being a majority in the Senate.  Some of them laughed.  Obama did not and looked sternly at them.  This is not a joke.  It is not just politics.  Nor is it just how Washington is.  It is flawed governance.  And we have long needed him to stand up and tell them so.

In turn we have finally had action in Britain over the Lancet article by a joke of a doctor.  He has been a leader in attacks on vaccination over autism, and he has used bad research to do it.  Now he is called out now for what he has said and the Lancet concedes the problem. 

In both areas the fight does continue.  Conservatives will block and also jeer.  Antivaxers will deny, ignore, and lead people to death.  The fight goes on.  So we must as well.