What's The World Got In Store

Molly Ivins, from the Introduction to her latest and final book:

As a Texas Liberal, I have developed a positively British case of phlegm. According to medieval medicine, 'phlegm' is one of the four 'humours', and it accounts for those of us who are hard to startle. If ever there was a group that knew how to survive political reverses, your Texas liberals are the past masters. I do not discombobulate easily. Experience has taught me that things are likely to get worse, so these will eventually turn out to be the Good Old Days, and think what a fool you'll feel like later if you don't enjoy them now.

She has often talked about her friends, such as Ann Richards and John henry Faulk, having the time of their lives rousing the rabble and fighting for civil rights, even in the face of appalling obstacles.

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I like to think that this attitude made her enjoy her life right to the end. Although Molly died early in 2007 (thus starting the year off to a lousy start) I didn't feel the impact until I was gift shopping. Molly always wrote a column before the holidays, pointing out good books of all kinds to give your loved ones. I always wound up buying half or more of her suggestions, and they were always dead on. This year, I was throne on my own resources, with somewhat lesser results.

I got up late this morning; although I woke up fairly early. It didn't seem like the world had improved measurably yet in 2008, so I figured everyone would just have to cope for a couple of hours without me. Besides, I had made no resolutions to get started on, and 2007 could use a bit more sleep to properly kick it to the curb.

Molly's words notwithstanding, 2007 was a hairball of a year. I expect 2008 to be similar, since Cheney and Bush still have 12+ months to fuck around; of course, Ivins and her writing partner Lou Dubose, accurately predicted nearly the entire sorry mess, absent the WTC attack, so even in the face of abysmal disaster on nearly every front, they would be able to take a grim, satisfaction in 'I told you so'.

But as always, there are bright spots, and just as Molly's last book dwells on them, we can look back at 2007 and see some remaining bright spots of hope. Most recently Chris Dodd, virtually alone, faced down Emperor Bush, Harry Reid and the entire telecom industry to deny them blanket immunity (surely a pairing of words more anathema to American ideals has never been written)

The neocon rush to war in Iran has stalled a bit, facing far more skepticism than the dive into Iraq. This has exacerbated the divisions within the Republican Party, resulting in the bloodthirstiness of the current slate of rightwing Presidential candidates, serving to appall most of the rest of America.

Plus, it turns out that contrary to Beltway Conventional wisdom, the vicious partisan divide authored by the Republicans has actually served to strengthen democracy, in that more people are becoming more active, and voting rates are trending upwards. Americans have re-discovered the value of participating in democracy; of course, the Republicans have responded by immediately casting about for ways to discourage voting numbers.

And, of course, Jonah Goldberg released his Humor Masterwork, "Liberal Fascism", providing the snarkmeisters at Sadly, No! weeks worth of material for ridicule and satire. Without intending, Goldberg has not only provided liberals with an awe-inspiring look into the illogic rampant in the wingnut mind, but he has also made use of the term 'fascist' acceptable again as well as single-handedly invalidating Godwin's law.

I want to thank all my friends, virtual and analog, for stopping by to read, argue, abuse and ban.

I hope you all have a 'positively British case of phlegm' in the coming year, as I suspect Molly is right. regardless of what the future holds, these ARE the Good Old Days, and may you all enjoy them.