Politics - Oh, Frabjous Day!

Calloo! Callay!

Yes, I am chortling. Wicked of me, I know, but you know what? I've been so worried that the GOP will simply find some underhanded way to steal next year's election, that I'm really glad to see more and more Republicans dropping out of the race.

• Chuck Hagel was a big one. He's a pretty decent guy, even if I don't agree with his politics. I still respect him. He served his country in uniform, and he is honest about who and what he is, and he doesn't engage in dirty tricks.
  
• Ditto for Lincoln Chafee, who lost his election race and has now left the Republican party.
  
• Then Republican "Chip" Pickering of Mississippi announced he was stepping down.
  
• Dennis Hastert announced he's stepping down.
  
• Arizona Republican Rick Renzi announced he's stepping down (something about an investigation and criminal charges).
  
• Deborah Pryce, R-OH, announced she's stepping down.
  
• John Warner, R-VA, announced that he's stepping down.
  
• Larry Craig, who has made a Minneapolis airport toilet famous, announced that he was stepping down.
  
• And today, Jim Ramstad, R-MN, announced that he was stepping down at the end of his term. Ramstad has a fairly liberal voting record, apparently, especially on social issues.
  
• In addition, Bob Ney of Ohio was jailed on charges of corruption, and
  
• Randy "Duke" Cunningham was jailed on charges of bribery and corruption. Republican Brian Bilbray now holds Cunningham's seat, but there has been at least one strong Dem challenger for the seat.

In addition, these Republican congresscritters are under investigation:

• John Doolittle, R-CA
  
• Ted Stevens, R-Alaska
  
• Don Young, R-Alaska
  
• Pete Domenici, R-NM
  
• Jerry Lewis, R-CA
  
• Tom Feeney, R-FL
  
• Gary Miller, R-CA

Dare I hope that we'll have real elections, that people will turn out in record numbers as is their duty as citizens of a great democracy, albeit one which has been grievously wounded these past years? Dare I hope that there will be no stealing of the votes, no cheating, no lying? That citizens will step forth to do their appointed duty of monitoring the polls to ensure that everyone votes fairly? Perhaps even someday, Voting Day will be an official holiday so that every man jack and every woman jenny will take themselves to the polls to name those who will represent them and speak for them? So mote it be!

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