The Era Of Bad Feelings

     See also, "Sore Winner," which is one of the things we'll see after the upcoming election is over, no matter which side wins.  Winning and then carping as badly as the losing side has become a feature of American politics and in my opinion, not one that reflects well on our parties and institutions.  What happened to the gracious winner?  --Dead on the scorched earth of the battlefield, trod into the dust and derided as a wimp, it would seem.  We'll miss the principle, by and by; the wheel turns and without mercy, it turns quite cruelly.

     There is still some reason to be uncertain of the outcome of this election, as there are indications the polling may be slanted -- though I would caution readers that polls can easily become self-fulfilling prophecy.

     What I don't doubt is that the party system is getting shaken up and I suspect over the next eight years, we'll see some changes.  A review of the "Era Of Good Feelings" would be in order, but for those too busy -- or too averse to reading, in which case, why are you here and not spray-painting a wall with the other mouth-breathers? -- one of the features of that "Era" was James Monroe's quiet, pleasantly-spoken strangling of the Federalist Party as it lay slumbering (or in a coma). When it ended, the Federalists were gone and, outside the U.S. Supreme Court, forgotten, and good riddance; but the lingering spirit of Hamilitonianism was infecting a new generation and in time, would lead to further problems.

     American politics can be viewed as about half a battle between authoritarians and ant-authoritarians, nearly always fought at the grassroots level -- and half a battle between competing bosses, especially at the highest levels.

     Come November, we'll get a new boss and he or she will be pretty much the same as the old boss.  Drone strikes will continue, the NSA's files on each and every one of us will get fatter (but hey, don't worry, only the machines will read it, at least until our individual Treasonability Index exceeds a pre-set threshold, after which who knows), there will be Some War Somewhere Overseas and Another Few Wars here at home on Drugs, or Mexicans, or Tax Cheats or whoever looks suitably scapegoaty to the Administration; commentators will wag their heads solemnly and the blood and money will keep right on flowing.

     And after four years, your money will be worth less and if you've got a raise, it won't have kept up with the rate of inflation.  Spin the wheel again but remember: when the books are totalled up, the house always wins.

     ...That's the best case.  Worst case?  We're about due for a civil war and a lot of idiots think it would be a fine idea.  If it comes, the survivors will know better.