You damn Jacobites!

In an interesting look at the devolution of Republican party politics, Josh Marshall over at TPM asks:

"But does 'socialism', as a cudgel in the context of a national political campaign, not simply sound archaic?"

Until I'd read this, I couldn't put my finger on why McCain calling Obama a Socialist sounded so odd. It's like calling your opponent a Wobblie.

And spread the wealth? Isn't that what all taxes do? When they take 3+ bucks out of every ten from my pocket, and send part of it to China for interest on the debt, part of it to Halliburton to pay for Cheney's virgin blood transfusions, and another part of it to the NSA so they can listen in on GIs doing a little heavy breathing with their sweeties back home, isn't that spreading the wealth?

I heard a GOP pundit this morning, a little down, but seeing some reason for hope. Why? Because this taxing Joe the Plumber attack seems to be moving McCain in a positive direction. Really? Is this how the election will swing, once again? On taxes?

We're ten trillion dollars in debt. We have a deficit that McCain can't wave away with a few budget cuts. Even by eliminating earmarks, he'll influence a tiny sliver of the Federal budget, and we're not even talking about the financial cost of starting a war with Iran.

And yet voters are being swayed to McCain's vision by the threat that Obama will raise taxes on incomes of over a quarter million dollars from 36% to 39%? Really? Three percentage points on incomes over $250 grand? Really? This is what's resonating with the undecided voter?

Who the fuck are these people?

Some days it frightens me that this is the same regular Joe who is operating a ton-and-a-half SUV at 70 miles per hour not more than ten feet away from my little sedan. No telling when a passing thought, as rare as that must be, will distract him long enough to drift into my lane.

Eleven more days. Eleven more days. It can't end soon enough.