I’ve thought for many years that the function of Republican administrations, in general, is to push the limits as far as possible, maximizing benefits for corporations and private interests at the expense of the people, and that the function of Democratic administrations is to preserve the gains so that the outrageousness of these gains will be normalized in the minds of the people, a sense of relief and calm between Republican offensives against the rights of the people.
This seems to be happening now.
For example, gas prices have gone back down; I’ve seen gas at $2.39 per gallon recently. A year ago, people would have been outraged to pay these prices, but now, after being over $3 per gallon for much of the summer, most people are delighted to pay $2.39.
This pattern seems to be reasserting itself again with the Supreme Court nominations. I just read that Harriet Miers has officially withdrawn her bid to be on the Bench. I think she was nominated because she represents someone utterly unqualified, a completely outrageous example of cronyism at its worst.
So now that she is out of the picture, many people will be glad to get some experienced, right-wing, hardcore redneck judge who is “qualified” yet holds many of the same political positions as Miers. It was a win-win scenario for the BuShites: if accepted, she’d be a friend in a high place; if rejected, they could come up with another horrendous nominee that people would feel glad to get — New Nominee X isn’t as bad as that Miers chick.
Watch and see….