Reply #1: Nothing new, but a nice summary. Particularly liked the last part of the OP.

[pampango]

"Democrats think this gives them an opening. I’m unclear about that, at least for 2010. But yes, in the long run you have think that if the GOP becomes the party of angry white men, unleashed — as opposed to angry white men harnessed to the business elite — it will have a poor future."

The financial reform bill is a great place to make the corporate republicans filibuster to help the banks and investment houses. This will put more strain on republicans and make it more likely to make it "the party of angry white men, unleashed — as opposed to angry white men harnessed to the business elite". Give Senate repubs every chance to unharness themselves from the tea party "angry white men".