I am not, by nature, prone to flights of paranoid fantasy.
I routinely sneer at conspiracy theorists and their logic-defying, evidence-free approach to understanding events.
Unlike many Lefties, I don't believe that Bush "lied us into war" - I believe HE believed he was right, and belief is more important than truth to him and the Neocons.
I tell you this, so you won't think I'm just another paranoid crazy, seeing plots around every corner to sap and impurify our precious bodily fluids.
But right now, I am noticeing something I find very disturbing.
First, there was an article by Jonah Goldberg essentially bemoaning how stupid his fellow Americans are. The title:
"The will of the uninformed
"Pundits and politicians love to be on the side of the people, even if the people don't have a clue."
tells it all. Americans are too stupid to be trusted to know what their Government should do. Of course, this sounds like the old wheeze about Clinton - "He governs by polls!" And there's nothing quite so ironic as the folks who insist on pushing Democracy on the Muslim World not REALLY believing in it at home.
But this strikes me as a little more ominous. Then there was Thomas Sowell today, saying
"When I see the worsening degeneracy in our politicians, our media, our educators, and our intelligentsia, I can’t help wondering if the day may yet come when the only thing that can save this country is a military coup."
When these clowns start talking OPENLY about a military coup as the only way to "save" the country, I sit up and take notice. That, I figure, is a BAD sign.
I used to buy the rhetoric of my Republican friends, that Republicans were just Libertarians who knew how to win elections. Then they won both the Congress and the White House, and the mask came off - Not "That government is best which governs least", but rather "The only acceptable role of government is to do what WE want."
I remember back when Clinton was nearing the end of his term, and some of my Conservative online friends were worrying that Clinton wouldn't actually leave office - that he'd declare Martial Law, and take over the country. I figured they were just being ludicrously paranoid at the time. Now it makes me think back to a story I heard about Kruschev. Supposedly, after Stalin died and Kruschev managed to take over, those who had opposed him were SURE that he'd have them all dragged out and shot. He didn't. He told them, "You measure people by your own yardstick" - they expected him to do it, because that's what THEY would do in his place.
So I wonder - did wingnuts fear Clinton pulling off a Coup d' Etat, because that's what THEY would do? Is that what they MIGHT do? These are the people who brought us the "Unitary Executive", after all, and who think opposing The Decider is tantamount to treason.
SO, I'm a little anxious, and I'll finally calm down when I see them actually release the reins of power in 2009.
Assuming they will.....