One Car Length Ahead

Now, I agree that the Bush Leaguers stole votes the last time out. I don't know if they stole enough to steal the election, but they stole as many as they felt they could get away with stealing, and given the corruption of the American media and the ineffectiveness of the Democrats, that means they stole a lot of votes.

I know they did this because, for one thing, they made obvious moves to set out to do it and, for another, they complained all through the campaign about how the Democrats were trying to steal votes.

This is the salient psychological truth about the American Right. Whatever outrageous behavior they accuse Democrats of doing, they are doing themselves.

My main reason, though, for believing they stole votes is that stealing votes is an old and enthusiastically practiced American tradition. Anyone in the media, and especially any blogger left of Glenn Reynolds, who expresses doubts that the election could have been stolen is an ignoramous and should be sent back to high school for remedial study in American history.

They should also be forced to read from the collected works of Mike Royko and Jimmy Breslin every night until they meet their final deadline or blog their last post.

So they stole votes. They'll steal votes in the next election too.

But do they plan to do this on a scale large enough and for a length of time long enough to keep themselves in power forever.? Can they do it secretly enough, competently enough, and consistently enough to manage that?

Well, they would probably try if they thought of it. But I don't think they're thinking that way.

Why not?

Because they are people and people stink and they are stupid.

I believe that the Republicans are driving one car-length ahead.