Over the years, I sometimes was pretty accurate at "reading" the feelings and/or intentions of people, sometimes when I didn't even know them very well. Here's a couple of thoughts that passed thru my mind as I sat and listened to Rich Nugent's presentation yesterday...

• He is an open, honest, well-intended man. While he speaks from a definite conservative idealogy, he did not dodge questions or parse words. He seemed to have well-defined principles and was willing to act on those beliefs, even if might not be the politically-popular or politically-correct thing to do. I liked that.

• While his message was a serious one--the imminent financial disaster facing the country as the result of irresponsible spending--he seemed to be trying to maintain a 'glass half full' attitude. (WInston Churchill's comment that "...the Americans will do the right thing, but only after they've tried everything else" crossed my mind.) But taken in the context of his entire presentation and answers to questions, his attempt at a positive attitude began to sound a little like whistling on the way to the graveyard.

• He didn't mince words that he was surprised, deeply disappointed and frustrated by the system of governance that he found when he arrived in Washington. He used the word 'dysfunctional' several times.

• The only real hope he held out for change was that if one party, the Republicans, were able to gain firm control of all three branches of government in the 2012 elections. His wasn't a campaign speech for this happening, rather a statement that not much can or will happen in Congress until it does.

• I came away thinking that I would not be the least bit surprised if he decided not to run for re-election in 2012. Part of such a decision might result from re-districting--the Fifth District will be downsized and the boundaries re-drawn before 2012. (Since the 2000 census, the growth of the District to a million+ residents is about one-third too big, so the district boundaries will be re-drawn to get the resident population closer to 650,000 or so.) My thoughts were that the deep frustration he was feeling in seeing the members of either party in Congress unwilling to compromise to do either the right or necessary things as not being worth whatever benefits accrued to a member of the U.S. Congress.

I'm pretty certain about all but my last point. Lest's see what happens.