My point has been all along that the up and comming generation of voters is more understanding of the *real* world around them, aware of the catestropic fvck-ups of this administration and will make a difference. The day of the right-wing "rights-removing" administration are about to be a thing of the past.

We're about to see a swing in the leanings of this country; the "we're going to protect you by spying on you" and "we're going to let our religion dictate your rights" has worn it's welcome.

we'll see.

I doubt it- of course I disagree with your premise- but I don't think you are going to see any landslide towards the left by any means.

I'm just keeping my fingers crosss for a landslide towards the middle.

Oh, I think that has already happened. I just think that to a great extent the middle has abandoned the political process because regardless of whether it is from the left or the right they hate listening to the screeching righteous indignation.

And I wouldn't read much into the success/failure of the Dixie Chicks. Perhaps all that has happened is that by repeatedly playing her fawning interview, Terry Gross has successfully marketed the Dixie Chicks to the NPR set. They, for the most part, are already on one side of the issue and wouldn't represent any kind of demographic shift.

Kind of like when Christopher Hitchens stopped being a liberal and became a conservative. He went from X number of readers to Y number of readers but that isn't reflective of anybody other than Christopher Hitchens changing his mind (Arianna Huffington did the same thing in the opposite direction).

A non-politcal comment on the Dixie Chicks.

I think one of the reasons they may not be getting much airplay of their latest album (if the one single I heard is any indication) is that it ain't country: it is pop music pure and simple. There isn't the slightest bit of country to it. It is less country than Shania Twain.

I'm not saying it is good or bad ('though it ain't my cup of tea); I'm just saying that it ISN'T country.