October 8, 2006

Dear Sis~

I'm glad that you are finally settled in in your new home in your new state, the Commonwealth of Virginia! As you are already learning, Virginia is the heart of the old Confederacy, and while the culture is different from say, Mississippi or Georgia, there still exists an element of the plantation mentality, at least in the minds of the power structure (including the court system). This is still the deep south, culturally, if not geographically...

It's interesting to watch this latest Washington DC sex scandal play out as the Republican leadership scrambles to contain the fallout. A lot of these guys were the same smug, self-righteous crew who campaigned so vigorously to impeach Bill Clinton, and now they are being hoisted on their own petard. I think the voter disillusionment now reflected in the polls is a reflection of not just this scandal, but a belated recognition by the people of the imcompetence and arrogance of this administration and the Republican leadership in general. In their hearts, most Americans sense that this nation is heading in the wrong direction on a lot of fronts. I think this latest scandal is just the tipping point. Today I saw that the latest poll has President Bush's approval rating at a record low of 33%, and I'm wondering how it's even that high. Who the Hell are those 33%? Anyway, now there's at least a reasonable chance that the Democrats can recapture the House and/or the Senate. If they do, it won't be because the Democrats have put forth any great and grand alternative policies, nor do they have any real telegenic or personable leaders, not anyone I'd be willing to charge the hill with, so to speak. It's amazing how the Democrats can be so singularly successful at failing to find and put forth sound, strong, sensible candidates who can inspire confidence in the electorate. These people exist, they just never rise to the top, through the filter of the political machine. Sometimes I feel like saying "a pox on both of your houses". I'd really like to see the Democrats come up with a Democratic version of Senator John McCain, but I don't see that on the horizon...
Alright, Sis, enough pontificating from my soap box. Give the dogs a belly rub for me and I'll see you soon!
Love & Peace,
Bill