** Pat Buchanan in the Miami Herald, Thursday, November 13, 2008: "The GOP needs to confront the truth: The failure of the Bush presidency lies not in a failed execution of policy but in the policies themselves and the neoconservative ideology that informed them." Yes, you read that right. (I guess since then Buchanan has “seen the darkness”, you might say, although he’s not entirely insane. Bigoted, but not insane. Not quite.

Flash: Kansas secedes from union!

Also from Kansas, Evangelical Scientists Refute Gravity With New "Intelligent Falling Theory"

The steadfastly Republican state gave it’s nod to McCain by a margin of 56.8% to 41.4%.

Head over to the "Yes Men’s" beautiful, fully functional parody site on the New York Times.

** 45 percent of Republicans strongly or somewhat agree that "Republicans should give Barack Obama the benefit of the doubt and help him achieve his plans." 47 percent of Republicans strongly or somewhat agree that "Barack Obama will lead the country down the wrong path and Republicans should oppose his plans." This gives some idea of the sorts of splits within the GOP. Source: Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, Nov. 7, 2008

** Ed Kilgore in Thursday’s (November 13) Talking Points Memo Cafe article has a brilliant discussion of the stillborn debate within the Republican Party which, as usual, the Traditionalists seem to have won before the moderates could make any headway. Basically, the Republicans no longer control (think Congress and the Electoral college map) any territory where more moderate views are popular. The article, titled "The Anatomy of Conservative Self-Deception," should not be missed.

Palin Abandoned by Governors

** Over at Think Progress, it just came out that the RGA, the Republican Governor’s Association, has adjourned and revealed their organization’s new leadership positions and that Sarah Palin got NOTHING. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was voted RGA Chairman and the other positions were filled, but the Queen of Wasilla was a wash.

Run Sarah Run

Will Sarah Palin run in 2012? Is she a national joke? Was she the reason the Republican base was AT ALL energized in this election or were far more on-the-fence voters, Reagan Democrats and Independents so turned off that Palin caused, at least to a considerable degree, the 9 million vote plus margin of victory for Obama? What do you think? Before you make up your mind, I have this little tidbit to contribute: the CNN analysis of the Saturday Night Live version, and the real version, of part of the Palin interview with Katie Couric. Personally I think that if the Republican leadership should be so foolish as to allow Sarah Palin ANY degree of prominence in the months and years to come, they will really regret it. Hardcore right wing and fundamentalist Republicans still seem very interested in her, but the party leadership (correctly, it appear[ed] to me) seems intent on her fading into the woodwork. As a committed Democrat I think Palin prominent in the Republican Party would guarantee the 2012 election for the Democrats (oops, I guess we should shut up and let them hang themselves). Watch the video and decide for yourself:

Current (3-7-2010) comment by Evans Liberal Politics owner Paul Evans: Well, what’s changed since November 23, 2008?? It IS pretty obvious that the Republican leadership has fully embraced the far right and to a lesser extent fundamentalist positions, and is now opposing Obama tooth and nail. From this post it appears that initially after Barack Obama was elected, it was more like people such as Sarah Palin who were outside the mainstream of the Republican Party. Sadly, that isn’t true anymore. Go ahead, Republicans: run Sarah Palin for President; PLEASE, we Democrats are begging you — run Sarah Palin for President! Pretty please???

CNN Laughs It Up Over Sarah Palin Interview

See also, Keith Olbermann: McCain/ Palin couric interview, September 29, 2008, MSNBC, YouTube video.

*****

"Every company in America should be on its knees thanking Jesus for being born. Without Christmas, most American businesses would be far less profitable." — Bill O’Reilly

…and THIS, kiddies, is how the Republican leadership really feels. This is why the Republicans lost the election. Their leadership feels not humble joy of celebration at Jesus’ birth. No, they’re mainly glad they can make money off him. This is out of touch with the feelings of the American people, largely. Republicans are interested in the top one percent of the population who are wealthy enough to be worthy of their legislative attention. I guess the rest of us aren’t worth much to the G.O.P. I guess they really don’t want crack mothers and crack babies to have food and medicine.

Right?