So the war mongers are saying we need to engage militarily in Libya because of the humanitarian crisis that’s underway. Really? What about the humanitarian crises of a similar nature in Bahrain, Yemen and Sudan? (Answer: those countries don’t have oil we want.)

And how about the humanitarian crisis here at home? People are dying from neglect.Probably because we don’t have they oil they want either.

The people elected to positions of power, who each take an oath to protect (among other things) the domestic tranquility are surely shirking their responsibilities on that one.

As I was suffering with a nasty tooth abscess and infection last week, I came across this lovely news tidbit about a man who had lost his health insurance along with his six-figure salary and life savings, and died because of a toothache.  Well, actually, he died because instead of going to a dentist, he treated himself with massive doses of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, effectively killing his liver, which then killed him.

Bottom line: people are dying because they can’t afford insurance and certainly can’t afford medical…or dental care!

I spent the last couple of weeks complaining about a bad toothache.  It’s on a tooth that already cost me a small fortune, as it was the recipient of a root canal and a crown (which, for the cost, you’d think would have been jewel-encrusted).  The dentist confirmed that there was an abscess – a bad infection at the root, which was the cause of the pain. He gave me a course of antibiotics, and referred me to an endodontist to have yet another root canal performed on it.

The appointment was for Thursday afternoon. I went in, prepared to pay $950 or so for the procedure, and just deal with it.  Unfortunately, after getting me numb and drilling through my beautiful crown, the doctor told me that the tooth was fractured, necessitating extraction.  Yes, the tooth would have to be pulled and replaced with either an implant or bridge – both costing in the neighborhood of $3,000 to 4,000.  Lovely. The bill for the failed procedure: $375.00

Next stop, the periodontist (who generously didn’t charge me for the evaluation, x-rays or emergency appointment and gave me a 10% discount on his services).  The grand total for the surgical extraction of tooth 14 and the bone replacement graft was $642.

Still to come, should I like the option of chewing food on my left side, the surgical placement of an implant will cost $1778, and a crown built on top that that, another $950 or so.  But who’s counting? At least I’m still alive! Who needs to chew on the left side. I still have teeth on the right. Right?

But what about the scores of people who are unable to find work, therefore unable to pay for shelter, clothing and food – let alone health care? Where’s the congressional concern for these US citizens who are dying a little more with each passing day? Hunger and exposure and lack of medical treatment for any and all ills … it’s a slow and painful death. But is it any less inhumane than just being slaughtered by your government?  I say not.

Today on the show, I spoke with Sue Siprelle and Sam Newman, two of the people behind the must-see new multi-media project Over 50 and Out Of Work.

I checked in for a brief chat with Kevin Zeese about this weekend’s anti-war rallies and protests in support of Bradley Manning.

And Crooks and Liars’ Nicole Belle joined in for our regular Monday morning “Fools on the Hill” segment, recapping the Sunday talk shows.  Here’s what she brought us today:

One of the things that becomes glaringly obvious as you monitor the Sunday news shows is this almost monolithic effort on the part of the media to guide you to how they want you to feel about a news item.  So when the big news of the day is the recent air strike and establishment of a No-Fly Zone in Libya, there are no peace activists at the table, no one to counsel against American imperialism.  No, instead we get the same people who told us there was a moral imperative in attacking Iraq.   And the most liberal person asked to speak is Jane Harman, former Blue Dog Rep, who left Congress to work for a think tank of centrist foreign policy scholars.  And for all the focus on the desperate financial straits this country is in, not a peep on the cost in blood and treasure for yet another front in the Middle East.   Do you know how many teachers we could have employed for the costs of those Tomahawks we rained down on Libya? Nor do we want to talk to someone who thinks that there are too many risks involved in continuing a nuclear energy program.

So that’s why we’re treated to Sunday’s favorite news show guest, John McCain and his BFF Joe Lieberman simultaneously cheering yet another front in the Middle East and concern trolling that maybe Obama didn’t commit forces quite soon enough.  Of course, they’re very brave with other people’s children and concerned for the safety of the Libyans.  But where’s their concern for Americans, since they’ve also said that the deficit is so overwhelming we can’t afford to care for our own?

And the third leg of the holy McCain triumvirate, Lindsey Graham, had to get his concern trolling in as well.  On Fox News Sunday, Huckleberry Graham thought America should be grateful that Obama had “strong women” advising him.  Nice little bit of emasculation AND misogyny there.

Meanwhile, how weird is it when George Will is the voice of reason on a Sunday morning?  George Will is seriously concerned about “mission creep” in Libya.  The irony that he states that in front of Paul Wolfowitz—one of the original architects of the creeping Iraq invasion and occupation—is just too delicious, but goes unmentioned.

And David Gregory—as much as it pains me to admit it—asked a reasonably pointed question about our involvement in Libya and why we need to be worried about the citizens there and not about the citizens in Bahrain.  Just a shame that he didn’t ask how we can afford this when last week everything was all about how the country was going bankrupt.

And then, because we really shouldn’t be concerned by the levels of radiation detected in food and water supplies in Japan, Senators Carl Levin, John Kerry and Jeff Sessions tell us that it’s important for the environment that we pursue “clean” nuclear energy.  In fact, Sessions thinks that the pursuit of energy is so important that the Obama administration should open up more permits for deep water drilling in the Gulf.  Something tells me that Sessions doesn’t understand the whole environmental aspect of fuel development.