...thought I'd share some observations from the Oracle at Google.

Googling the phrase "permanent Democratic majority" produces 12,900 hits. The character of the hits is interesting: A good half are Republicans fretting about it and declaring their resolve that the Democrats will get hold of the government when they can pry it from their cold, dead fingers.

There are some Democrats actually talking about achieving that goal. I've noticed before that for some reason the Colorado state Democratic Party is unusually militant that way, and they're at the top of this search result list, declaring it their mission "to help turn the vision of a permanent Democratic majority into a reality". In round numbers, maybe 20% of the hits take the subject seriously as a goal. The remainder is the usual Net noise, a lot of it pundits chattering from the sidelines about the possibility.

The phrase "permanent Repubican majority" returns 39,200 hits. There's a lot more buzz on the Web on that topic, and the difference goes beyond the quantitative: I'd characterize it as about half Republicans a' dreamin' an' a schemin' to achieve it...the results answer the eternal question of whether RightWingers experience emotions other than anger and hatred, and indeed, the thought of committing electoral genocide and permanently stripping Democrats of their votes induces a transcendant ecstacy in so many on the extreme Right.

I'm impressed, too, by how many of the hits connect to Hewitt's book. It seems to be immensely popular on the Right, and clearly Hewitt's fiery antidemocratic message resonates out in the ideological hinterlands.

Speaking of Hewitt, I was hoping that his book would give me as much substance as the wonkish equivalents from the Democratic side, but I was seriously disappointed. The entire book is nothing but an extended diatribe denouncing Democrats as the root of all evil. I wasn't really exaggerating when I compared it with Mein Kampf--both books try to build a case for political legitimacy through demonization of a group of people.

And, of course, fear, and the promise of strength as the savior of the Volk. Hewitt, near the end of his screed, summarizes the four points that legitimize a permanent Republican majority:

• Win the war
• Confirm the judges
• Cut the taxes
• Control the spending

I found #1 more than a little disturbing. Think it through, as Hewit and his colleagues evidently can't, or won't talk about. If the legitimacy of Republican power derives from a state of war, then a satisfactory conclusion of hostilities spells the end of Republican power.

As a lot of us have realized for a long time, Republicans have an overwhelming stake in seeing America remain at war, remain afraid, and remain willing to follow the Republican banner out of fear.

Scapegoating, fear, militarism, and subversion of a representative democracy. The classics never go out of style.