While Senator Grassley appears to be the big dog on the front porch stiffing the President's pick for Supreme Court Justice, he may come out on the short end of the stick before this nomination runs its course. Blocking a moderate, well qualified nominee may turn out to be the wrong strategy in that when Republicans realize that Merrick Garland might be the best option compared to all the other scenarios, Grassley is going to look like a limp corn dog for his initial subservient blanket obstruction. He surrendered his authority without the remotest of factual arguments. Has he even tangentially referred to what might be the desires of the citizens of Iowa?

Years ago I took a psychology course at The George Washington University, where I also worked.  One of the exercises, which will be recognized by anyone who has ever taken a Psych course, is one called "moral Dilemmas."  In case you haven't taken such a course, I will give you a couple of examples:

Just call me Sammy.

Thanks. You've had a long career first in Hollywood and now in politics. I'm interested in your views on this election and the candidates, Cruz in particular, but also Trump and the others.

I didn't have two careers, just different audiences. You feed them what they want. They changed, not me. Politicians don't change, the times change. We've seen both Trump and Cruz before. Neither Trump nor Cruz experienced poverty but they're similar to the self made men from the early 1900's.

The "Bernie or Bust!" movement asks Sanders supporters to commit to vote for only Bernie in the general election. If he's not on the ballot in November, busters say they won't vote for President or will write in Bernie's name even though this could lead to the election of "il Duce" Donald Trump or Torquemada Ted Cruz. I am not a buster, although I certainly understand the movement's appeal.

In the Internet Era, we see changes happening faster than ever, more impressive, bigger impact than in any other era in history. Except for the late 1800's when suddenly steam gave way to electricity, lights, refrigeration, modern medicine, mass global immigration and the falling of borders everywhere. (followed shortly by modern nationalism and modern warfare, and whoops, back up went the gates).

The post-War period brought decolonization from East Asia to the Subcontinent to the Mideast to Africa to Latin America, a period nicely bookmarked by Mandela's release from prison in 1990 - similarly marked by the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Soviet Union's Communism. 45 years of transition and recovery across most of the world.