GUARDED PESSIMISM by Andy Senior

As an incorrigible skeptic sailing under the nominal registration of Democrat, I'd have to say that my mood right now may be characterized as "guarded pessimism." I did permit myself a few beers last night in observance of the Changing of the Guard; such libations being analogous to those consumed on any given New Year's Eve. ("Happy New Year!" is more of a cry of desperation than an assertion.) The fact is, they are still the Guard, and we are still the ones being Guarded.

The outlandish hubris of those now packing their bags to go at last offended the most brain-constipated voters in our nation, and faced with a choice between the sybaritic cast of perverted and corrupt Republicans and a gaggle of shiny new Democrats not much further to the left than their opponents, those voters opted for the Same Great Service Under New Management. Even the programmers of the rigged voting machines concurred.

It may feel like a purifying ritual, fumigating the stench of graft and hypocritical sodomy from our government, but the sanctimony of the other side (there being, by law, two sides) will rot and reek in its turn. When the virtuous Democrats invade our privacy "for our own good" will we hear the same yelps of outrage? When President Hillary moves to contain dissidents "for our nation's security," will her champions say, "Hey, wait a minute?"

I have no great hopes of the official story of September 11, 2001 being exploded in a new surge of truth and retribution. When it comes to telling the 9/11 Truthers to "shaddap!" no one does it more vehemently than their ostensible allies, the Democrats. They have just as much to gain by playing the Terror card, and will not relinquish it lightly. They will try to fight the War on Terror more "sensibly," but they will never allow examination of the basic assumptions of whether such a conflict really exists. When the Democrats take office, the 9/11 Truthers will become further marginalized in the controlled public debate, and may find themselves branded Traitors for their hard-headed insistence that 9/11 was an inside job.

Both parties funnel directly to despotism, through kicks and caresses alternately. Bush is the very model of a modern Mussolini, albeit with a weaker chin. Mario Cuomo, scholar and embodiment of compassion, hugged his state so tightly as governor that it began to feel like suffocation. Now his son is New York Attorney General, and is poised to reopen the flow of Governmental Love. The movement of this balance wheel between jack-booted brutality and the smothering of the Mommy State keeps the cycle of oppression in perfect time. You can set your watch by it.

And somewhere, Hegel is smiling.