NP: The Strokes, First Impressions of Earth

The important thing to remember here, unlike the Delay and Scooter Libby cases, is that there can be no question that Jack Abramoff did illegal things. He pled guilty. End of that story, beginning of the one where he brings other down with him. The right is trying to spin the "corruption on both sides of the aisle" meme -- as pointed out most recently, but still last year, by Josh Marshall -- but I'm not convinced that dog will hunt.

2006 is going to be a fascinating year, politically. I'm hoping and praying for the rise of the sane center, but despite the similarities to past eras when that opening presented itself, I remain skeptical. I feel like we're too far gone for cooler heads to ever prevail unless something cataclysmic, from a political perspective, happens.

Of course, indictments against multiple sitting lawmakers from both parties could be that cataclysm.