Today is the day

This is the day. We're going to get to see something rare, the political Blue Moon, a chance for us all to see the incarnate apparition of a Party for All Seasons. It may seem that we've been given Claudius' poisoned mushroom, a we know before we even bite, poisoned piece of Kabuki dinner theater, in this next Supreme Court Justice. It may seem that the Republican bully has sat upon our chest, snowballing spittle onto our face, "say it, say it's the new order of things, the permanent majority/minority stasis, I'm on Top and, well, you're my permanent Bottom".

But its not really true, we know its not true. Make no mistake - he is the NEXT SCJ - it's a foreordained calamity that can't be changed. But it is the first real sign of an end of the fight, of an end of the fight in the fighter, a staggering of the overzealous opponent who depends on wild flagellation and shrill obfuscation. Yes, he has had a surfeit of energy, of will, of determination and has beaten us - his opponent - as far as he can take us and he must now realize that there won't be a collapse. At this moment, he must know the war is lost. His victory will cost too much. The frisson that held the wingnut to the confused conservative to the misguided Libertarian to the avaricious Wealthy crumbles once the appointment cashiers. The Disparadised GOP loses its engine and falls into its components - natural enemies unnaturally bound.

This battle isn't about winning - and a pox on those who say we Democrats, we happy few, must pick our battles. A pox on those who say wait, "Can we win this one? Shouldn't we husband our energies for the Good Battle we can win?" This is the Good Battle. This is the chance to answer the "No Quarter" standard with a fusillade that falls short in distance and long on hope. Nuclear Option be damned. Parliamentary deceit? So be it. It is time to stand for something, to fall and to fail as one, not as pusillanimous individuals - Joe Lieberman be damned.