Dynasty is as dynasty does

[allisburning]

Long, long ago, I was visiting with some very politically-Liberal friends who began to criticize Ronald Reagan (then beginning his second term) and to look forward to how much better life would be once the U.S. electorate had dumped him

Comments

[theonides]

sorry if it sounded like I took offense... I was feeling a bit beseiged since last night. I really should know better than to talk to anyone when I'm in that mood. I really wasn't that pissed off. And it wasn't me every time. I only started keeping track myself because I knew a couple other people who were.

Jeb has also said THIS year that he's not interested in running for President. I'm sure I posted a link to the article in my journal a couple weeks ago because I wanted to bitch about Barbara's anti-Clinton comments when HW was trying to be civil. True, he might still change his mind, but I'm going to take his adamancy as a good sign. If I had to trade him for W though, I'd do it.

I think the pendulum HAS to swing back precisely because things are so extreme. The Inquisition was followed by the Englightenment. Hitler was followed by the Civil Rights Movement. And change happens much more quickly these days. Things would last this way longer if it wasn't so extreme. It would be that much easier to ignore.

And I agree with you, the Democrats HAVE BEEN Republican Light lately. But I think that, too, is starting to change. I find most Democrats to be way too conservative. I liked Clinton because he was extremely intelligent, and I could forgive our political differences for that. But I found Kerry to be positively mainstream compared to me... Hell, I'll be old enough in 2008 (barely), I could run for President and make Hillary Clinton look conservative! Of course, a certain amount of conservativism is a good thing... especially when it comes to civil liberties. The authoritarianism of the right is extremely dangerous, and not just conservative, it's positively benighted.

True, you may be right that we may see a moderate evangelical one day as a welcome relief from lunatic W, but on the other hand, Americans may get so disgusted that they will simply swing completely in the opposite direction. Liberals need this kind of firebrand. That's why Dean was so popular. And the worse the conservatives get, the more likely I think this scenario becomes. I don't see the Republicans nominating ANY moderates any time soon, controlled as they are by the lunatic fringe.

And actually, I think it was opposition to the Soviet Block that fostered extremism and started us down this path in the first place. McCarthyism? From where I'm standing though, the Christian right used to just be content to bash non-Christians, particularly atheists, as symbols of communism (because of course, they don't know enough to tell them apart). Now, however, they are alienating even other Christians by telling them they aren't good Christians, or that they are Christ-haters, or whatever. They are starting to attack their own, and this is where their power dies.

But I still have to believe that things can and will change. I get depressed enough about other things. I have to cling to some optimism somewhere. I have to be a genuine patriot and believe that America is better than this, and that in the end, our true ideals will win out, that finally we will look at the lessons of history and stop this reckless path to tyranny and fear. Some people believe in god. This is what I believe in.