Books? Newspapers? Who needs ‘em!

Take a look at this clip from the Colbert Report, which lampoons the overwrought reaction several politicians had to the recent Boumediene decision. (Tim Lynch wrote about it here, here, and here.) Fear-mongerers are increasingly looking like buffoons, thanks in part to the native common sense of comedy writers. And thus Colbert introduces Neal Katyal for a quick primer on the U.S. Constitution and the genius of its design.

Comedy Central doesn’t meet your standard? Not effete enough? TV has something for you too.

Here (in RealAudio and MP3 format) is a segment from Friday’s Newshour with Jim Lehrer on PBS in which something unique and exciting happens: A victim of the flooding in the midwest exhibits personal responsibility and does not ask for government help. Here’s the key couple of sentences:

Narrator Elizabeth Brackett: Despite the devastation, [flood victim Barb] Boyer, like many who farm in these floodplains, says she does not expect much government help.

Barb Boyer: We’ve always lived our life that we’re responsible for our own choices, our own destiny. And we chose not to carry the flood insurance. That was our responsibility. There’s a lot of people that - of course, we are going to need help, but do I expect it? No. We’ll start over. That’s all I know right now.

It’s stirring and inspiring to see people in dire straits who haven’t abandoned their values, the values that make this country great.

And it’s all brought to you by TV!