Howard Beale was a fictional news personality that characterized the end of news as we know it in a film called Network that was directed by Sidney Lumet and written by Paddy Chayefsky in 1976. But, he also is a character that seems to be making appearances over and over again in the U.S. Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives. That is, more and more each day leaders are showing up in video going off in fits of rage as they tell Americans to tell Bush, the Republicans, the Democrats, the corporations, the government, and America, “I'm a HUMAN BEING, Goddamnit! My life has VALUE!' So I want you to get up now. I want all of you to get up out of your chairs. I want you to get up right now and go to the window. Open it, and stick your head out, and yell, I’M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
Witness Pete Stark who was coerced into apologizing for his “I’M MAD AS HELL” remarks to Bush by the Democratic Leadership, no doubt:
And then recently, Tom Harkin made an “I’M MAD AS HELL” statement and stood up and asked as Michael Mukasey was being confirmed as the next Attorney General despite the fact that ten Democrats had the power to stop his confirmation had they organized in favor of a pro-American anti-torture policy that demanded people like Mukasey who cannot give a definitive answer on waterboarding not hold high positions of justice in America if we really wish to turn he clock back to before the Magna Carta was signed:
Most recently, we have Bernie Sanders making an “I’M MAD AS HELL” statement demanding that we stand up to the president on the Constitution as he spoke out against the soon-to-be confirmed to the post of attorney general Michael Mukasey:
In fact, any American could make the case that Chris Dodd’s presidential campaign slogan should be “I’M MAD AS HELL AND I’M NOT GOING TO TAKE THIS ANYMORE!”
If only these representatives and senators could channel their madness into something positive for this nation like, oh say, impeachment of the president so we could get people in power to start putting a stop to these wars and passing legislation for health care for all (H.R. 676) and meaningful reforms for jobs, education, energy, and the environment in America.
You know, it is possible to be Howard Beale on the inside and control your insanity. Or rather, I mean, it is possible to keep that energy steady so it looks like you are a vibrant reformer in the world of politics---a revolutionary soul to be reckoned with.
Rather than an old coot who should throw in the towel and retire from politics.
