THE CLASS OF THE HOUSE - AT 10:24 P.M. ET:  The warm feelings within the Democratic Party are something to behold.  The loyalty, the comradeship, the mutual respect.  Consider this scene:

WASHINGTON -- A key House liberal suggested Thursday that party moderates who've pushed for changes in health care legislation are "brain dead" and out for insurance company campaign donations.

Moderate Blue Dog Democrats "just want to cause trouble," said Rep. Pete Stark, D-Calif., who heads the health subcommittee on the tax-writing Ways and Means Committee.

"They're for the most part, I hate to say brain dead, but they're just looking to raise money from insurance companies and promote a right-wing agenda that is not really very useful in this whole process," Stark told reporters on a conference call.

COMMENT:  Now, it's true that Pete Stark is one of the most volatile members of the House, known even for scuffling with other members.  But calling colleagues in your party "brain dead" is not endearing, and reveals the utter bigotry of the liberal wing of the Democratic Party.  To this crowd, anyone who disagrees or even asks questions is "stupid." 

And yet, that wing controls almost all the committee chairmanships in the House, and most in the Senate. 

We are living in ugly times, presided over by ugly people.

August 27, 2009