Speaker Newt Gingrich (R) was a history professor, a science-fiction fan, even the coauthor of an SF book. He will not run for Speaker and will probably resign from Congress.
Senator Patrick Moynihan (D) was one of the few highly intelligent people in
the Senate. He will not run for reelection in 2000.
The shepherds are gone, and with them the last vision beyond the next
election. Now the hungry, snuffling pigs rule with their bellies.
It is eery, looking at history, how terribly often the best and brightest are removed or disabled just before the deluge. Someday, I think, historians will look back at this moment and say: "Here marks the decline of the American Pax."
There is now no hope that Congress will act rationally in the coming storm.
Who is John Galt?
--
sentience@pobox.com Eliezer S. Yudkowsky
http://pobox.com/~sentience/AI_design.temp.html
http://pobox.com/~sentience/sing_analysis.html
Disclaimer: Unless otherwise specified, I'm not telling you
everything I think I know.