This afternoon a grass fire became a wildfire in George Bush park near Alief.  It's been burning for six hours already.  Although it is not near any homes, the destruction in the park will be massive.  And with no rain in the forecast for too many more days, it may continue to burn and smolder for a while.  Looking at it and smelling the smoke and ash make me think about the drought of activity from the Congress over the past two years and the scorched earth policy of the Tea Party members.  When President Obama asked for $4 trillion in deficit reduction, they burned the bridges to the American people by refusing to negotiate and insisting on protecting tax loopholes for the wealthiest individuals and businesses.  Even when the country's credit rating was at risk, they fanned the flames of divisiveness and extreme partisanship.  While they label themselves as political novices and Washington outsiders, the truth is that they're political pariahs and outside of the American mainstream.  Their brand of oppression and obstructive politics through intimidation and exclusiveness must be extinguished by a rain of Democracy.  It's time we as Democrats speak up and build a fire break between average Americans and those who would burn the hopes and dreams of "we the people."