Post election blahs

By Aussiegirl

I don't know about anybody else, but I'm suffering post-election blahs. Now that George Bush has won the election there is something of a letdown after the inevitable euphoria. Sometimes politics just seems like one damn thing after another, with no end in sight. I'm sure I'll pick up interest again, but after the long build-up to the election and the endless outrages, media put-up jobs, and the daily barrage of lies that we had to bat down at every turn and on a daily basis, this post-election time seems rather dull and flat.

I think it's like post-partum depression. We finally gave birth to that baby, and it was a difficult pregnancy and the birth was touch and go for while there, but can't we take a few days to rest before we have to stay up all night with the midnight feedings? They used to let women rest in the hospital for a week after giving birth, now they kick them out within hours, it seems.

Come to think of it, I think I'm missing Theresa Heinz Kerry. And my daily fix of a goofy Kerry photo, tossing a ball in yet another limp-wristed display of middle-aged boasting. I miss the pink bunny suit. I miss the "shove it" controversy and all the delightful outrages of the ketchup heiress. I miss the shots of Theresa being dragged around and sulking at endless campaign stops. Let's face it, I miss having Kerry to kick around.

Who shall replace them, the Kerrys of Ketchup? For a while we had the spectacle of the liberal implosion as they hysterically declared the end of the world as they knew it. The dawning of a dark age -- or was that evening? But that is beginning to pall as well. The usual suspects are simmering down, the therapists have been consulted, Prozac has been duly administered, a few martinis have been downed in commiseration in all the best watering holes, and everyone has reassured everyone else that it is not liberals who are at fault, but the great unwashed and knuckle draggers who are to blame. Dry your tears, darling, they comforted each other, we can take comfort that we are still superior here in Blue Country.

So, what's exciting? The Specter spectacle was good for a few days, and is important of course, and perhaps once again, the people had some impact here. Even if Specter remains as chairman we can hope that he has been read the riot act as to how he is expected to conduct himself.

And Porter Goss seems to be ruffling not a few feathers at the CIA, which seems to have forgotten its motto of silence, and instead seems to have suffered from an extreme case of Oprah-itis in the last few years, with agent after agent spilling their guts to the media. Whatever happened to a really secret spook? I remember the days when you weren't even supposed to acknowledge that the CIA building in Langley, Va. WAS the CIA.

I am greatly cheered that Condi Rice seems to be the choice to clean house at the State Department, a place that makes the English sitcom, "Yes, Minister" look like child's play. The brilliant British satire that reputedly Margaret Thatcher never failed to watch, which depicted the scheming bureaucrat, Humphrey, whose job it was to ensure that no elected Minister or Prime Minister ever got his way, because it was always the bureaucracy, first, last and always that was vital.

So, perhaps I can rub my hands together in a bit of post-election glee. If George Bush is indeed going to exercise some really muscular leadership and finally clean house, without having to pussy-foot around worrying about the political impact, then we may be in for a very interesting time, indeed.

And I will admit, I'm kind of looking forward to the Inauguration. I'm still a sucker for the pomp and circumstance, the feeling of the future stretching out before us with all its glorious, unvarnished and unblemished promise, and all the possibilities -- real possibilities -- before the devil in the details starts to grind them down. I enjoy the gowns, I really want to see George and Laura dancing on their wonderful night. I want to see how Laura will be dressed. I want to see how the twins dress -- and Barbara -- and everyone else. I'm looking forward to the speeches and the parade too.

And, truth be known, I'm looking forward to this combat in Iraq to be over. I know, I know, I'm a coward. And I'm supposed to be gung-ho and sure of how wonderful everything is there. But I would be dishonest if I did not say that I have felt since the outset that we would have been better off not to go in with such a quick force and with ground troops at the beginning, with the big push to Baghdad. I would have been happier if we had ground Saddam's army into the dust with bombs. And that we had gone in with a huge force and quickly occupied the country, declaring martial law. I wished we had not had our hands tied with a politically sensitive war where we had to pick and choose and fight a surgical type of combat when an overwhelming show of force might have accomplished more. But, I am not a military strategist. And I am probably wrong. But I would venture to say that most Americans know that the job has to be finished, but that we want it finished as quickly and efficiently as possible. And with as few casualties as possible, using overwhelming air power whenever possible to avoid casualties. Let's do it right -- and get out.

One thing's for sure. It takes a person of a strong constitution and strong will to be a politician. And a person of exceptional fortitude and faith to survive as President.

God bless our troops. And God bless the President.