will they or won't they

I've declared in this space a conviction that the U.S. Senate will have to take on this Administration in the weeks ahead to rein in behavior that appears consistently mad.

It was Chesterton (in Orthodoxy, I think) who described the utter consistency of the madman. Normal people leave room for all the things that don't fit -- all life's rough edges and incongruities. The mad man, he said, constructs a mental system into which every detail fits tongue in groove. Think Mel Gibson's character in Conspiracy Theory.

I've seen this in meth addicts -- the capacity to make everything fit, including those strangers causing these heart palpitations somehow connected to that dollar bill that keeps showing up in stores and restaurants: "NO, NO, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I KNOW THEY ALL LOOK ALIKE BUT THIS IS THE SAME DOLLAR BILL AND IT'S FREAKING ME OUT!"

I've also witnessed this apitute in fundamentalists of just about every persuasion. This is one reason I have so little regard for systematic theologies; it's crazy how neat they are.

I say all that to say this: Even if they aren't madmen, I believe Mr. Bush and his associates are political fundamentalists whose philosophically-driven behavior seems crazy and yields crazy results. Or maybe they're just on drugs.

I'm willing to be persuaded on this but I don't see anyone except the United States Senate positioned to rebuff the Bush Doctrine and it's assault on the common good. This is not to diminsh the House of Representatives. They just seem too scattered to make a difference any time soon.

What troubles me lately is the number of people -- especially those in their 20s and 30s -- who simply don't believe the Senate is capable of standing up to the President. They base this opinion on recent behavior and I have to admit they have a point.

Most don't have the historical memory to know that they're grandparents' Senators put a stop to the madness of Richard Nixon (I know it's more complicated than that, but bear with me if you can).

I have vivid recollections of the work of Senators Sam Ervin, the Democrat from North Carolina, Howard Baker, the Republican from Tennessee, Edward Gurney, the Republican from Florida, Daniel Inouye, the Democrat from Hawaii, Joseph Montoya, the Democrat from New Mexico, Herman Talmadge, the Democrat from Georgia and Lowell Weicker, the Republican from Connecticut.The Senate commissioned them to build a case against the President if there was a case to be made. Their findings fueled articles of impeachment in the House of Representatives, which led to Mr. Nixon's resignation.

I remember precisely where I was when I heard that Mr. Nixon resigned. And I remember my first thought: It works. Our democracy works.

I tend to believe it still.

We can, and I think we must, tell our hundred Senators what we want them to do about the war, easy access to assault weapons, the ugly underbelly of the Patriot Act, retaining the estate tax, rescinding tax cuts to our wealthiest citizens and ensuring health care for our most vulnerable citizens.

I think this is too important to leave to pollsters. I'm convinced now is the time to speak directly to our Senators. It's never been easier: Here are their email addresses.

We have nothing to lose by speaking our minds and a great deal to gain when they hear us. Will they or won't they? History suggests they will.