Six months

It's been six months since the Great Republican Vindication of 2004, when (according to Republican party) America defied liberals and lefty types in favour of doing whatever the GOP and Christian conservatives felt like. One would expect the GOP to use all that 'political capital' to pursue great projects and wrestle with the most important issues of the day.

Which, apparently, are the following: judges who don't agree with the wingnuts 100% of the time, and the continued existence of the middle class. To address the first, the GOP has decided to pursue the 'giant hissy fit with revolutionary procedural implications' strategy, effectively trying to destroy the Senate. To address the second, they have decided to go after the social security system -- the closest we have to a national retirement plan for the middle class -- and have already illegalized bankruptcy -- an important safety net for the middle class when, for example, unexpected medical expenses appear -- for private citizens. Oh, and also doing jack shit about the skyrocketting costs of health insurance and gasoline, which also hit the middle class harder than the poor and wealthy. Not to mention our shit-tastic public education system, the environment, racism, and sexism.

And, of course, the elephant in the room, the question no-one except us "radical lefties" wants to ask, is: WTF is wrong with the American middle class? None of this shit from the GOP is a surprise! I could understand if the vast majority of people really did care more about gay people getting married and abortions than about their own economic security; everyone's entitled to prioritize in their own way, after all. But it's simply false: according to poll after poll, the overwhelming majority of people in this country are a little squeamish about gay marriage and abortion, but would still rather have them at least somewhat legal than not, and really do want better schools and cheaper gas and the possibility of getting by after they retire. And, at the same time, they happen to catch a report on the evening news or in the newspaper about the latest assault on their interests by their duly elected representatives, and they shrug, yell a swear at the bastards in DC, and go back to making dinner.

It's enough to get one very annoyed at one's fellow citizens. And write meandering, facile rants on one's blog.

Another rant in this vein over at dKos.