In a time of great national turmoil -- war, economic malaise, domestic terrorism and inept leadership -- it's good to see the House using valuable time to reaffirm the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance.

While I agree with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision to strike that language (it's blatantly state-sponsored promotion of religion), as a realist I hope the full appeals court reverses. If that ruling is upheld, we would be up to our necks with talk about a Constitutional Amendment and it's hard to see how such an amendment could be stopped.

Better to let the rote recitation of the pledge bleed any significant religious meaning from the words -- becoming empty syllables repeated by bored, half-asleep gradeschool students.