For years the Republican party claimed itself to be the party of "We LOVE America" - no country song about America was too corny to sing, an inch of space not covered in the flag was a wasted inch, any insinuation that America was anything less than AWESOME!!!!! as granted by God himself was absolute treason, to be greeted with a boot-heel kick to Canada stamped with "Love it or leave it, bro!!!!!"
And now these exact same people, now that they've screwed themselves out of power, have become the party gleefully hoping that their own President fails in times of crisis. And I'll be the first to say it out loud: nothing will make these people happier than a terrorist attack, so they can say it was on Obama's watch.
But more troubling (and more practical in their ability to make it happen) is their hope to scuttle Obama's stimulus plan, of which the main gist is jobs jobs jobs for about 5 million of the very shit-kicking, "normal" Joe 6-Packs the Republicans have co-opted over the years, wrapping themselves in bald-eagles claiming to be fighting for these people.
If there was ever a moment for Joe 6-Pack to be sitting on his couch right now scratching his balls to The View and think "Now here's something interesting...I've voted for these people for a decade, was told they're working for ME cause I've an average small-town guy who loves America and drinks beer...and they're fighting against passing this thing which hopefully will create jobs cause they're more worried about more tax cuts for the rich. Hmm." I mean, if that doesn't wake Joe the fucking 6-Pack up, it might be officially time to give up.
I sincerely hope it does lull them from their perceived slumber, X. I'm sure Thomas Frank would be quite pleased. But I wouldn't hold my breath. It's gonna be a long four years...
