In other news, our man Obama is now the leader of the free world, and he inherited a pretty shitty situation, so let's hope he makes the best of it. He's off to a good start, un-fucking the financial sector of their bad habits (like buying a $50 million dollar jet, as Citigroup did after receiving TARP funds), but there's more to go - like lining up at least token Republican support, which may be neccessary to achieve some of his bolder aims. Already the Republican lawmakers in the house are falling in to support the party line, with exactly none of them voting for the new stimulus plan. With people like Rush Limbaugh and Hannity, though, the Republicans are just making it easier for us. I'll quote Harper's here:
"I’m not sure I understand the full Democratic strategy for building out the already substantial majorities in Congress. But I’m sure that Democratic strategists are praying that Karl Rove and Rush Limbaugh remain as the guiding lights of the G.O.P."
Until the republicans can hatch someone like Obama to lead them into the new urban-dominated political landscape (perhaps Bobby Jindal?), they'll just have to settle for grumbling about things and protesting ineffectually, which might not be a bad thing after all.
http://harpers.org/archive/2009/01/hbc-90004289
http://www.gallup.com/poll/114016/State-States-Political-Party-Affiliation.aspx
