We are in an intractable war, where we are spending huge amounts of money and losing lives daily. The war is getting worse by the day and there is no strategy to get out. We are facing a looming ecological disaster, a possible deadly flu pandemic, inevitable fuel shortages and a precipitous decline in our world status.

And what is the United States Senate doing for the next three or four days? Debating a constitutional amendment to prevent gay people from getting married. One that, even if it were a good idea, has absolutely no chance of going anywhere.