This could actually be some good news, although anecdotal:

A close friend of mine from the school daze in the Pleistocene Era called me today and we talked at length. He had relocated to the warm climate of the South (guess the state) due to personal illness issues. He is a self-proclaimed cynic and has always leaned Rethug although he would always mitigate his opinions with the old adage "both sides are at fault here, but I think the Democrats will have to solve their problems with etc. before I could support them". He is one of my two rethug-leaning friends from the old old days, before there was this abject hatred of "Liberals" - meaning anything to the Left of Bachmann.

Anyway, he told me today that he's had it with the Rethuglicans because they have descended into a level of stupidity that even he cannot justify: the ruining of Medicare and SS because, and these are his reasonings, "It's just so damned politically stupid" and "They don't give a crap about the working stiff."

This is a good sign that NY-26 wasn't a temporary anomaly - the Rethugs have overstepped again and their conscienceless agenda even has the RWers scared for themselves. Good.

He actually agreed with me that Obama's done a reasonable job given what he inherited. For him, that's a lot, since he was pretty excited about the nomination of Palin which coincided with his kid's wedding and thought she was "outspoken and great". I almost gagged on my Rehearsal Dinner, but we have a shared history and you know how it is - he's like family that you have to give some latitude to, but rein them in when they get really stupid. Glad to see he's seen some light, but we'll have to see what happens: November 2012 is a long way away.

And run with it.

I'm pretty sure there are other folks just like him out there...

May their numbers increase, and get louder!

has been more and more an illusion, much like the notion that Republicans are 'fiscally responsible' or 'for the working class'. It will continue to dawn on more and more people that they are destroying the nation.

it's like the 'privatizing' of SS...these idjits couldn't manage their school lunch money much less their retirement funds...

One guy from a fairly prominent Repub fam in my area, calls the GOP "The Kleptocrat Party," & has voted for Dems over Repubs. He also argues politics with a Teaparty lovin work colleague (who's a black immigrant btw...I can't figure how he identifies with the Teaparty of all things). Strange times. I know a few others who also grew up in the old GOP who tell me they are disgusted by the circus parade of crackpots it's become.