When Wonks Anonymous despairs of the world he often turns to history or dismal Victorian novels for consolation. He recalls that he survived the 2004 election by rereading the first book of Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.

(Eisenhower) was "surprised" to hear that the respected black leaders had become impatient with the federal government. As the meeting broke up, Eisenhower passed by King and with a shrug of his shoulders sighed. "Reverend, there are so many problems . . . Lebanon, Algeria . . . "(John Patrick Diggins The Proud Decades, pp 294-295)

'You find me my dears,' said Mrs. Jellyby, snuffing the two great office candles in tin candlesticks which made the room taste strongly of hot tallow (the fire had gone out, and there was nothing in the grate but ashes, a bundle of wood and a poker), 'you find me my dears, as usual, very busy; but that you will excuse. The African project at present employs my whole time. It involves me in correspondence with public bodies and with private individuals anxious for the welfare of their species all over the country. I am happy to say it is advancing . . .

'It is gratifying,' said Mrs. Jellyby. 'It involves the devotion of all my energies; but that is nothing, so that it succeeds and I am more confident of success every day.

Today our leaders worry about promoting democracy in Russia and Eastern Europe, giving Iraqis job training and spreading ethnic harmony in various conflict zones. They see these distant things very clearly. Maybe they ought to take a little walk in one of the less prosperous neighborhoods of our own country or visit a city emergency room and think about what can be done here.