Combat "Rage Fatigue": Get Perspective

Ask any liberal talk show host; due to perceived let-downs of newly-elected Democrats to the House-- especially regarding Iraq policy-- supporters feel let down, burned out and worse--angry: rage fatigue.

How do you combat that sense of anger and the fatigue of carrying it with you? There are many ways to manage anger, but those not requiring activities longer then a blog post can cover, work too.

First check your expectations. In nearly every case anger is a result of expectaions being misaligned with reality (yes, this is a personal responsibility thing). Recognizing your own part in inflating your expectations, though humbling, can go a long way toward lowering your blood pressure.

Then try getting a broader perspective of the over-all issue and look for the areas of "wins" behind which you can invest what's left of your passions. The occupation of Iraq (please do yourself a favor and loose the "war in Iraq" frame NOW) is a part of not only larger foreign national policy concerns but a symptom of this administration's general policy attitudes.

There are many fronts from which Democrats must fight--not just one fire to put out-- but a whole country's worth. If you simply *must* focus on Iraq, look for the news that reinforces the opportunity to discuss solutions--like what was working in the arena before this whole mess started-- and then revive pertinent areas of those debates. Take this for example:

Told you so, U.N. Iraq arms inspectors' report says on Yahoo! News: "'Despite some skepticism from many areas within the international community, in hindsight, it has now become clear that the U.N. inspection system in Iraq was indeed successful to a large degree, in fulfilling its disarmament and monitoring obligations,' said the unit's 1,160-page summing-up report.

'The UN's verification experience in Iraq also illustrates that in-country verification, especially on-site inspections, generate more timely and accurate information than other outside sources such as national assessments.'"

By going back to what the world was like before the invasion of Iraq you find there was sanity and methodology for problem-solving. Those solutions are still sound.

Find what has worked and what can work and focus on solutions--not failures--and your anger will find direction.