Yes, I like you too, Scott, and that, on top of my standard Liberal compassion makes it hard to flame you back. It's all too obvious that you and the rest of the Wingers are scared shitless, and in a lot of pain. Tom's recent "Will" post is another excellent example, in which he's less belligerent than usual and more honest about his insecurities.

Y'all are the victims of the relentless fearmongering of Republican politicians, who know that scared people become not just more conservative, but more of a particular kind of conservative: Authoritarian conservatives. John Dean, in "Conservatives Without Conscience", did an excellent job of describing the shift of conservatism from the traditional and respectable conservatism of Barry Goldwater (Dean began the book in collaboration with Goldwater, before the Senator died, and Goldwater's scathing condemnation of modern conservatives is worth the cover price all by itself), toward today's antidemocratic authoritarianism. The ashes of the World Trade Center and Pentagon were still smoldering when Republican strategists like Rove began working up a plan to capitalize on the attacks to scare more people into voting Republican, and more importantly, into tolerating and even welcoming authoritarian rule in America. Bush's assertion that the Constitution is void during his open-ended "war on terror" resonates with people who are terrified and are looking for a Strong Man to save them.

It's all so wrong, Scott. You've let Republican politicians brainwash you into believing that the United States is a weak and fragile country, always on the edge of destruction but for the strong leadership of Republicans like George Bush. Y'all are fond of claiming that we on the leftish side can't face reality and can't make tough decisions, well, let me set you straight with a brutal hard truth:

The United States suffered barely a scratch on September 11, 2001.

The vast majority of the damage has been self-inflicted, through the panic of Republican "leaders" combined with their cynical attempts to capitalize politically on the attacks. Much of the damage has been psychological, and looking back, the United States has been seriously depressed and dispirited for the last five years. The national mood is as low as it's been since the Great Depression; but unlike then, we have no FDR to lift us up by reminding us "we have nothing to fear but fear itself". Today we have George Bush and The Moron Tabernacle Republican Choir, constantly exhorting us to "be afraid, be very afraid".

Let me repeat: The vast majority of the damage has been self-inflicted. I've had more than enough of watching Republican politicians multiply the damage through fearmongering for political gain, of watching Republican politicians, to put it bluntly, essentially collaborate with Osama bin Laden to turn the Sept. 11th attacks into much more of a success than they deserved. It's called "terrorism" for a reason, Scott, and while Osama bin Laden inflicted terror on America for one day, I give Bush and his Republican collaborators full credit for inflicting terror on America every day since then.

Despite what Republican politicians tell you, America is not only strong, it's tough and resilient. We could, if it comes down to it, survive many more pinpricks like 9/11, and still prevail in the long run. It was a shock to be attacked on our home soil for the first time, but Christ, look at what other countries all over the world survived in World War II. But we can only survive if we hang on to our nerve, don't forget our own strength and power, and don't let ourselves be stampeded into more foolish moves like Iraq. I'm saying that America needs to stay the course, the real course, of American strength and confidence.

The Republican path leads to the death of America. Our borders may survive and describe something labelled "United States of America", but it won't be the real America any more. Republican America will be a land of cowed peasants giving daily obeisance to the Strong Men in Washington who claim they're protecting their sorry asses.

I'm not having it, and there are sure signs that a lot of the country is awakening from the Republican nightmare. We're tired of the fear, tired of the insecurity, tired of the attacks on our freedom and our rights, tired of the lies.

We're tired of Republicans.