"These are the times that try men's souls.."

In December of 1776, Thomas Paine wrote the first in a series of pamphlets called "The Crisis" which contained among the most stirring words of the nascent revolution against England. Considering today's events, these words seem very appropriate:

THESE are the times that try men's souls: The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country but he that stands it NOW, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain, too cheap, we esteem too lightly:--'Tis dearness only that gives every thing its value.

I visit many different sites and see too many nay-sayers who believe all is lost and the circumstances we find ourselves in seem irreversible.

They seem ready to throw the towel in, proclaiming that this cannot be undone.

I agree that it will be difficult, but not impossible and, if nothing, this country and its good people are all about accomplishing the very difficult -- if not the impossible.

In remembering Paine's words and searching for a suitable link, I came upon other fragments of our Revolutionary War history and - strangely enough - the one that gave me the most hope was the memory of the bitter winter of 1777 that George Washington and his ragged army spent in Valley Forge. To be sure, there were those that abandoned the cause and went back to their homes and farms, content to cede to England their freedom and liberty. These were the Summer Soldiers and Sunshine Patriots that Paine wrote of.

I forgive them and would have felt sorry for them because they could not endure.

But for those who chose to stay, it was not just a matter of wintering over and emerging with the spring thaw to claim their victory. Indeed, they had to endure four more years of bitter fighting before Conrwallis surrendered at Yorktown and another two years before the treaty with England was signed.

Not to be overly dramatic, but just as our Revolutionary War forbearers' travails were only beginning, so are ours. And we cannot afford the luxury of just sitting on our asses and waiting for the job to get done for us by the eunuchs who serve in Congress. There's a whole lot of sleeve-rolling-up that has to be done. Personally, with all of this work ahead of us, I am not too terribly interested in listening to all of the whining willies, failure-freaks, Big-L-libertarians, and Ron-Paulista-ultraconservative-holier-than-thou wusses piss and moan about how if it is not just so, they're going to take their ball and go home.

We should get a grip and remember that this slide arguably started in November 2006 when people decided that they'd hand the Republicans their walking papers because they'd pissed away a golden opportunity to put sound conservative governance in place. And we should also remember that, since the mouth breathers, the 52% put that joke of a POTUS into office along with the botoxed crone and the old stookey from Nevada, the American public has reacted by giving these three stooges free-falling poll numbers and have turned on the Democrats - and, to a great degree, the do-nothing GOP - with unbridled revulsion and enmity. Recent polls proclaim that the ersatz Tea Party Movement is better thought of than either the Democrats and Republicans. And this has been in eleven short months.

I cannot remember either Clinton or Carter being disliked with as much intensity.

..and if those patriotic images are not working out for you, try remembering the recurring theme of the disconsolate fan in Major League II played by Randy Quaid who was always badmouthing Rick Vaughn until that final scene where "Wild Thing" comes in to relieve and advises Quaid to "Blow it out his ass".

Yeah, that'll work.

So, if they ask you if this health care is a killer and you're gonna tuck in your horns and slink off the battlefield, you tell 'em what LtCol Frank Slade told 'em, "Nah, I'm just gettin' warmed up here!"

And, I guess this is as good place to get warmed up as any. I suggest a call to this gentleman's offices telling his minions what you think of his upcoming vote:

Ben Nelson, U.S. Senator for Nebraska:

Washington, D.C. Office
720 Hart Senate Office Building United States Senate Washington, DC 20510.
T: 1-202-224-6551.
F: 1-202-228-0012

Omaha Office:
7602 Pacific St. Ste 205.
Omaha, NE 68114.
T: (402) 391-3411.
F: (402) 391-4725.

Hat tip to OmahaConservative on Hot Air