Back After a Long Hiatus (Dennis)

Although it might seem inexplicable to you all that we missed the opportunity by not commenting on the closing days of the presidential election and subsequent inauguration of one Barack H. Obama, I think I can (and should!) explain our absence. Here's my take:

As thrilling as the election was, after the nomination was wrapped up I ceased being an independent rational being and became part of the Democratic group-think. That is, I had this crushing fear that McCain and Ms. Palin would win, which totally colored any opinion I might have had about the various controversies affecting the campaign. And I, like other liberals at the time, kind of subconsciously closed ranks so that my opinions became not much different than just about every other pro Obama person writing about the '08 campaign. Similarly, I think the good feelings that surrounded the win and inauguration made me feel the same wonderful way as everyone else. I sensed this, gradually got less excited to write about things and drifted away.

The other problem was that this blog became 99% about horse racy politics, which really discouraged me. I didn't want that at the beginning, because, as much as I love politics, it can get tedious when you're rehashing the back and forth going on between the parties. I didn't feel like I could meaningfully talk about policies because everything being put out by the two sides was being put out to influence the election, and had to be analyzed in that context. There wasn't a ton to comment on outside of politics because the '08 election just sucked up all of the proverbial oxygen in the room.

But, anyway, let's get this blog moving again! What do you say, Jon?