I know that passions run high on election night. It is easy to over-estimate

[Atticus]

how crucial any particular election result might be. We have candidates we love and we have candidates we love to hate. We have all known "the joy of victory and the agony of defeat." But, I truly believe that none of us has ever witnessed a more disgusting flock of newly elected Republicans than the arrogant, strutting and proudly ignorant incompetents that won this evening.

These people are not just distasteful or wrong: they are dangerous. I believe they are not only capable of doing extreme damage to our country, I believe they relish the thought of doing so if it would embarrass this Democratic administration or solidify their grip on power.

Like impetuous and ignorant children, they will act on impulse to undertake actions which "feel right" to them and their supporters without ever asking the question: "and then what?"

They will act to repay the wealthy few who paid their way into Congress.

They will act, not to improve the lives of all their constituents, but to settle scores and destroy past, present and future opposition.

Being largely without a sense of shame, they will have no compunctions about lying to the press and laughing when they are caught at it. Similarly, they will not really care that the world knows that they are sleeping with Corporate America. They will, in fact, demand credit for their betrayal of their oath to serve "the people".

I fear that these proud citizens of "Tea Bag Nation" are so irrationally certain of the "rightness" of their cause that they will not feel restrained by any rule or law or convention that threatens to slow or block their retreat to that Sacred America of Yesteryear where women and non-whites and non-Christians "know their place".

These frauds may talk about small government and fiscal retraint, but they are more interested in disciplining "uppity" minorities and women who don't know their place. And, gays? Well, they'd just better choose to be straight if these true believers have their way because there will be no "special rights" for those who "choose that lifestyle".

And, I regret to say that our fate is largely in the hands of the Republican Party.

If they continue to close ranks behind these extremists and claim them as their own, the extremists will be given shelter to attack the foundations of our democracy with sledge hammers and pick-axes.

If at least a few of the "traditional" Republicans realize that it is also THEIR democracy that is being attacked, they could decide that it was in everyone's interest that these barbarians be isolated and contained by patriots of both parties.

I am sorry this is such a downer, but on an evening when Russ Feingold loses and Rand Paul not only wins, but delivers a gloating list of demands instead of a traditional victory speech, this is about as "up" as I can be.

[still_one]

1. The extremists have been given a free pass by the media, actually, they helped propel them to where

they are, just as the media helped us into a war based on a lie

When the teabaggers start to bite wallstreet in the ass, lets see how happy they were to get rid of the "evil" Democrats

[ramapo]

2. Time to take a step back

Our lives go on more or less unfettered by which party controls which house of congress or even the presidency for that matter. It is always nice to see things headed the way you would like on a national scale but I am quite use to having the other guys in power.

I have learned not to take this stuff too much to heart. Life goes on much like it did yesterday.

Take a step back. Turn off the TV. Don't hang around the politocal boards too much and for gods sake, do not listen to talk radio.

You will feel much better and nobody in Washington DC will notice that you are not paying as much attention.