Andrew Sullivan January 18, 2010
The Republicans have successfully channeled all the rage at the
massive debt and recession the president inherited on Obama after just
one year. If they can do that already, against the massive evidence
against them, they have the power to wield populism to destroy any
attempt by government to address any actual problems.
This is a nihilist moment, built from a nihilist strategy in order to
regain power ... to do nothing but wage war against enemies at home
and abroad.
Any meaningful legislative moves with this Democratic party and this
Republican party are close to hopeless. The Democrats are a clapped
out, gut-free lobbyist machine. The Republicans are insane. The system
is therefore paralyzed beyond repair.
Yes, I'm gloomy, because if America cannot grapple with its deep and
real problems after electing a new president with two majorities, then
America's problems are too great for Americans to tackle.
And so one suspects that this is a profound moment in the now
accelerating decline of this country. And one of the major parties is
ecstatic about it.