I have to swear off Transition Watching. The election is over. The good guy won. As perilous as our situation is, we had to wait for eight years to get a really smart president and a few more weeks won’t kill us. Probably. I guess. In any case, obsessing over every rumor that leaks out about the upcoming Obama administration is not a productive use of time. Unless you’re cable news. Then it definitely works for you. It only works because there are millions of us who are so starved for good governance that we’ll tune in and absorb every unsubstantiated tidbit they’ll throw at us – as in Hillary either will or will not be Secretary of State.
Of course there’s also the other sideshow that’s going on – the Republican rending of garments and gnashing of teeth – well that’s just mandatory fun. There have been approximately 432 articles written in the past week by Republicans describing the various ways in which the GOP is screwed. I think my favorite article today was The Center-Right Nation Exits Stage Left, by Tod Lindberg, a fully credentialed conservative.
We are now two elections into something big. This month’s drubbing is just the latest sign that the country’s political center of gravity is shifting from center-right to center-left. Republicans who fail to grasp this could be lost in the wilderness for years.
From your keyboard to God’s ears, Mr. Lindberg. I’m taking nothing for granted, but you have to get your gloat on when you can and there might never be a better time.
Still, there has to be a little time for life. For blogging, for housework, for friends, for getting work done during office hours. Not necessarily in that order. I know for sure that I’m not the only one in this fix, though. I bet that a significant portion of the population needs to kick this habit. I can do it. I know I can. It’s a matter of keeping things in perspective. There’s more to life than politics.
By the way, it’s less than two months ’til the Obama trading cards hit the stores!
Senior Moments 
Posted by Kvatch on November 17, 2008 at 10:37 pm
There have been approximately 432 articles written in the past week by Republicans describing the various ways in which the GOP is screwed.
With that many articles, you’d think that they’d form a ‘conservative singularity’, which would then collapse creating a gravitational pull so great that the GOP would be sucked into it…and would disappear.
I can dream…
Posted by zenyenta on November 17, 2008 at 11:27 pm
Hey, it could happen….
Posted by raford on November 18, 2008 at 12:14 am
Hey, Zen, great post.
This is a hard transition period for me as well, as there is no longer an election with which to be obsessed, but I haven’t found my new obsession yet.
Yes, we have a thoughtful president with good policies coming into office in a couple of months and that’s reason for excitement. But I’m just not obsessed yet.
Maybe I should become obsessed with having a normal life now.
Ok, now you just gave me a good idea for a blog post.
Thank you.
And sorry for the stream-of-consciousness post.
Posted by Darlene on November 18, 2008 at 11:06 am
I have finally stopped reading every political article that comes in my e-mail and bravely hit delete without guilt. Hey, it’s a start to stop obsessing.
Posted by writechicpress on November 19, 2008 at 11:54 am
It’s a great time in America. I’ve actually written stories this week on stem cell surgery and turtles having sex. That’s a luxury.;-)
Posted by writechicpress on November 22, 2008 at 2:23 pm
It’s done! Barack Obama Elementary School!
Posted by thatsrightnate on December 2, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Barack Obama Elementary School? They shouldn’t be able to name school after him until her proves that a) He wasn’t born in Kenya b) He isn’t the anti-christ. Until he does those things I don’t think it is appropriate to name a school after him. If this is the end of days won’t those students feel foolish.
Posted by thatsrightnate on December 2, 2008 at 8:59 pm
“It’s a great time in America. I’ve actually written stories this week on stem cell surgery and turtles having sex. That’s a luxury.;-)”
Turtle porn. I think liberalism has sunk to a new low.