The face of America is not being changed by the Tea-kluxers -- it's being exposed. The sane among us look on in alarm as a formerly decent political party chases short-term gains at the cost of its soul. The Tea gaggers are rubbing salt into our wounds, and the 'formal' part of the Republican Party does nothing, hoping that the divisive, caustic, and paranoid tack will gain them power again.

However, they have no plan, other than to do what they always do when in power, and the country can't afford that. Extend the Bush tax cuts? AND cut the deficit? To quote a character in a TV series of long ago, "Does Not Compute! Does Not Compute!" Perhaps another war? That worked so well before. Iran, here we come!

And kick out all them Mexicans, too. Never mind what they do for the country (even with piss-poor jobs, they spend their wages, and, if they have withholding taken out, the illegal ones can't get it back) AND disregard what that does to their support among Hispanic voters. The short-term trumps the future.

So the economy was driven into the ditch by the Republicans, but they still want to drive, and refuse to take their foot off the brake unless we hand them the keys again.

We can't afford them. Not fiscally, not emotionally, not intellectually. And their desire to grab the sleazy easy temporary gain by supporting the Tea Party makes it worse, in my view.

So the face of America hasn't been changed as much as the underside has been exposed. Alas.

Bob Clayton