At a time when world peace hinges on careful diplomacy, we also now have a president with, apparently, a pontoon bridge where his synapses should be. It doesn t look good. But maybe the Bush Mach II years form the dark, dense planet our democracy needs to curve around like a space probe in order to reach maximum velocity. Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom, and I think more people are waking up to that. Not so easily, I think.
Citizens are more wary now, more active.
The WTO protests wouldn t have happened in the 80s. Things are getting interesting, and the very fact that an unelected president will be residing in the White House will be a daily reminder of that. We in Orange County can hope that Newport Beach congressman Chris Cox doesn t wind up with a cabinet post, like Secretary in Charge of Looking Smug. I betcha the economy is going to tank during his watch not his fault, but because it s riding on speculation and that s not going to help him. People are going to have many occasions to remember that this president wasn t the one we wanted.