Notes from the Basement

There have been reports of an old man driving around near schools trying to entice students into his car with promises of free tuition.

I believe in America. That’s why I voted today for Barack Obama.

Yesterday Ana Marie Cox wrote that it wouldn’t be the end of the world if Romney wins. Nor if Obama wins, if your nightmares run in that direction. She also makes the “belief in America” argument, and I agree with her—up to a point. She notes the damage likely to occur in the former case, and frankly, I’d really, really like to avoid that.

I never thought Obama could walk on water, but it was shocking how much toxic sludge an ideologically crazed, monolithic Republican Party could pump into the political sphere. If this election breaks the implacable bloc that has refused to address the issues we face as negotiators in good faith—as problem solvers—that would be a great achievement. New Jersey governor Chris Christie has set the tone. Will any of his fellow Republicans follow suit during the second Obama term?