I hope we haven’t heard the last of Congressman Anthony Weiner. The country needs him. It doesn’t deserve him, of course. The American public – goaded by the media and led by stampeding politicians – has turned out to be more prudish, more shallow, more uncharitable and more unChristian than I imagined possible. But if they get what they deserve, they will not be the only ones to reap the bitter harvest; the future is at stake for the rest of the civilized world, too.

I am going to have to hold my nose to vote for the Democrats next year.  I know I must do what tiny bit I can to thwart the vicious agenda of oppressive corporate rule that Republicans would implement. But the Democrats have not just disappointed me, they have disillusioned me.

How sad it is to witness the president’s concessions to the worst in America, his prosecution of pointless wars, his willingness to put social and environmental programs on the bargaining table, his apparent acceptance of the blatant fallacy that cutting taxes for the rich will create jobs in this economy when it is so obvious that any jobs that do result would go abroad.

How sickening it is to observe the behavior of so many Democrats, who disloyally stood up and cheered Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu when he impertinently defied the president of America, who voted against single-payer health care, who joined the misguided Republicans in demanding deep budget cuts at the worst possible time for the economy.

And how disgusting it is to watch them all scurry for cover, sacrificing Anthony Weiner to save their own pitiful hides.

Ted Kennedy must be turning over in his grave.

I have come to the conclusion that I – and people like me – are unrepresented in Congress today (with such rare exceptions as Dennis Kucinich and Bernie Sanders). We cannot afford to lose Congressman Weiner.

His Brooklyn constituents know how valuable he is. I am sure they would re-elect him in a heartbeat.

And I hope Weiner knows this, too.

I hope he runs again – if not as a Democrat then as an Independent.

If sleazeballs like Joe Lieberman can run successfully as an Independent after being rejected by the Democrats, I don’t see why Weiner can’t.

So, hold on to this thought, Congressman Weiner. It’s from an ancient Greek play, and it was a favorite of Canada’s late, great Tommy Douglas, who knew what it was like to fight and lose – and keep fighting:

I shall lay me down to bleed awhile then rise to fight again.