The new "normal" for political discourse is crazy. The kind of political rhetoric that is taking place today is new in public discourse. I think you can trace lunacy in compaigning back to the beginning of the country, when one politician would accuse the other of killing babies and eating them and such. But in those days when the media had less impact on society, not so many of us were affected by the claims of lunatics. Of course the politicians weren't lunatics at all. Their game was and still is "say anything and someone will believe it." Their hope is to create enough doubt in the minds of those in the middle to turn elections in their direction.

The conservative "twenty-eight percenters" are an interesting bunch. During the eight years of the George W. Bush presidency, even when it was clear that the ship of state had been run on the rocks, approximately 28% of the country (according to the polls) continued to say that the country was headed in the right direction. As the stock market crashed in the final months of the administration, those numbers did begin to slip lower, but only then. Opinion polls had settled at 28% in favor of Bush policies years before. Those 28% see the world through different eyes. They are a noisy group as well and celebrate their place in the world, believing that the 72% who do not share their beliefs are simply "stupid." The "we are smart, you are dumb" defense of their position creates a fortress around their monologue. That's right, I said monologue. They do not hold dialogue. Their leaders, like Rupert Murdoch (owner of Fox News) Newt Gingrich, and Rush Limbaugh, hand out "talking points" with the order to their minions to "repeat these words and phrases as often as possible in the media." By media, they mean every media possible. Get on local TV, call in radio shows, write letters to the editor, write in the "free speech" portion of community papers, write comments on blogs, set up "informational" web pages. The twenty-eight percenters are charged by their leadership to flood the market with their message. One of their latest spoofs is to refer to the Democratic Party as the "Democrat Socialist" Party. Of course one of their favorite fantasies is that all media outlets favor "liberals." A liberal is anyone who is not a twenty-eight percenter. I saw a good one today that said "60% of Americans didn't vote for Obama." Nevermind that about 52% who voted, did vote for him, and a landslide vote in the electoral college gives him a mandate not seen in many years.

Now all they have done by holding their untenable positions during a series of national crises is to lose their hold on congress and the presidency. Things have been so bad for them that we are about to see a filibuster-proof majority (a 60 to 40 majority) in the United States Senate to go with the Democratic Party led House. In these rare times, legislation may actually be enacted. Changes may be made.

"WHAT! OH NO!" The fact that change is now imminent has raised the vitriol of the few to levels not seen since the pamphlets in early America. The Republican Party's current attacks are on the level with Obama kills and eats babies.

Are the twenty-eight percent a solid group? No. Without all the rhetoric they'd lose many members. But their core groups are those who weep for every abortion and those who fear the government will come after their machine guns and rocket launchers. Ah yes, and one other group, the uber-rich, who finance the right-wing monologue.

Cross your fingers for national health care that works lowering the cost and increasing the benefits. Cross your fingers for a national energy policy that is neigher oil or coal based. Go hydro, wind, solar. Cross your fingers for an end to senseless American agression overseas.
Cross your fingers that we will build allies once again. Cross your fingers for policies that will reduce global warming. Cross you fingers for a reduction of global polution. Cross your fingers for financial regulations that will protect us from fraud and stock market crashes.