Watching Bush’s first press conference yesterday, he had a completely different tone about him. He sounded tepid. Scared. Almost like he sensed impending doom. That may bode well for your hopes of reigning in Bush back to at least right-of-center instead of right-of-right but one can’t help but worry how much effect that will have on a man who for so long has brazenly ignored facts and the will of the people he serves, not to mention someone who speaks to God for validation of his occupation in Iraq.

It looks like the people have finally realized what you stated – that they are being exploited at their own expense. That is why so many of the people being sent to Congress are grass/netroots candidates fueled purely by people power (how many buzzwords in that sentence?). They’ve got the sense now to realize that the stench is coming from both sides of the aisle (see: Joe Lieberman).

That is why I am optimistic. The people are taking back their country and their beliefs and opinions will be reflected in Congress.

For now.

I didn’t say that the Democrat winners are conservative, just that they’re more centrist or moderate.

That’s just my perception. I haven’t really studied all this too closely (the last two presidential elections really burned me out). I guess what I’m saying is that I seriously doubt that we’ll see an extremely liberal congress, despite what some crazy-ass conservatives are saying.

As for impeachment, it seems like, for the past quarter century or so, every congress tries to impeach every president. Clinton’s impeachment was arguably a disaster for the Republicans.

To be blunt, I think it’s a waste of time, and I think we’d be better served by a less insanely partisan government. The Republicans (and the shitty Democrat opposition thus far) have, over the past decade or so, managed to basically destroy any confidence I may have had in our government to be dignified and representative. Seriously — for longer than I’ve been of voting age (my first election was 1996), our government’s been bitterly divided, and that’s only been amplified in the last 6 years. It’s tiresome. I’m sick of seeing us (the citizens of the US) get exploited for these jerks’ professions (and it has become a profession rather than a civic duty, if not a stepping stone to lucrative lobbying jobs), and I’m sick of people frequently viewing about 50% of Americans as evil and/or dumb (talking to both conservatives and liberals here).

Of course, I’m basically a moderate with liberal tendencies who comes from a conservative family, so I have a certain interest in civility between people with different political ideologies. I’ve had relatives say that they love me but don’t like me because of my political views. Which is insane.

I’m hoping, though, that the Bush administration adjusts to the new congress and is more modest. Second term presidents tend to lean towards the center anyway. Bush has no more elections to worry about and can stop pandering.

Then again, I realize that I’m probably being too optimistic.

“The Democrats seem to be moving more to the center. At least, significant Democrat winners were closer to the center. Boo to right- and left-wing politics. ”

I guess part of that depends on what your definition of ‘significant Democratic winners’ are (I think they were all significant) but the real issue is what is being perpetuated as the myth of the conservative democratic takeover. This is the old guard way of thinking and not what happened in actuality. Here are some links that do a better job of laying this out than I can.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2006/11/8/12431/0402

http://www.mydd.com/story/2006/11/8/13534/5744

Why would impeachment talk piss you off? I think the situation this year is much different that the circumstances surrounding the Clinton impeachment…

-rob