Well, Barry, maybe living out here in what some folks used to call "the Soviet of Washington" gives me a somewhat skewed vision of the country as a whole, but I don't spend all my time here on Mudcat. I do have correspondence, e-mail and otherwise, with people all over the country, and I get newsletters from a variety of organizations. I think there are a fair number of people who are not that apathetic, and although it would take a swift kick in the butt to get the rest of them moving, I can't really see this country being taken over by the likes of Bush and Company. Even some of our more conservative brethren might actually regain consciousness, especially if Bush or someone like him were to do something to awaken their true conservative sensibilities.

I hear lots of grumbling (including some from Republicans who are gradually becoming aware that Bush can't really walk on water), and I know a lot of people, particularly of the more liberal persuasion, are watching the nuts and bolts of this mid-term election very closely.

Don Firth