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Eating their own

It’s something of a truism that revolutions eat their own, which is further proof, if proof be needed, that the American Revolution was a horse of a different color-a rebellion, but not a revolution.

It appears that even billionaire funded faux revolutions may follow the same pattern, as Karl Rove is finding to his discomfiture. The prince of Liars finds that every time he slips and utters the truth, no matter if that truth is told in defense of the larger falsehood, he finds himself the target of erstwhile friends who declare him not extreme enough. He is now backtracking from a statement he made to the French press (French?-he talks to the French??) in which he characterized the tea baggers as unsophisticated. As he was referring to the rank and file he was most clearly correct, since dupes are, by definition, unsophisticated.

It was entirely predictable that this hodgepodge grouping of millionaires, billionaires and their useful idiots would eventually come to blows. There is a natural tension between the dupers and dupees that must break out eventually. If the Democrats hold on to both houses these disparate interests might stick it out, though they may fall to blaming each other for the failure. If they get the House, they may again paper over their differences, but it can’t last long, as sooner or later either success or failure will fracture them.

Imagine complete success: an alternative universe in which Sarah Palin or an analogue becomes president in 2012, backed by majorities in both houses. They will, of course, not allow any stinkin’ filibuster to get in their way, but will soon get to fighting as the various interest groups in the coalition fracture in the face of the disasters they would inevitably bring about. It would be worth watching if things had not already reached such a critical point. Nothing would destroy them as completely as complete success. Even the Democrats would have trouble screwing up badly enough to sustain them.


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