If I were an unscrupulous person, I could claim that I wrote this.

I wanted to update as soon as possible, to try and put some distance between myself and the gloom I felt last night. I'm still depressed as hell, and anyone who knows me realizes that I've always been a pessimist and will remain one. There's no doubt about it, the next four years are going to suck. But I've been reading a few arguments, mostly here and here, that make compelling points about why this is not the End Of The World, and why we should Keep Hope Alive. Here's my crude attempt to integrate them into a 10-pronged silver lining search device.

1. They've dug their own graves. They control three branches of government. Anything bad that happens can easily, and correctly, be blamed on them. And we'll be watching every move they make.

2. I honestly don't think they're going to become stronger. I think they'll become weaker. During the end of this last term they started to collapse under the weight of their own hubris; I think that collapse will continue. Hey, maybe we can impeach him this time.

3. Losing the election would have, in some ways, been a clean escape for the GOP. Now they've got to stick around and deal with the mess they've made.

4. In four years, we opened a lot of peoples' eyes to the truth. We can do a lot more with eight years.

5. 51% is not a "clear mandate."

6. The Daily Show will only get funnier.

7. Kerry doesn't have to inherit the mess in Iraq, the worst federal budget deficit in history, or the rest of the world's acrimony towards the US.

8. A lot of people are predicting a civil war in the GOP, as more and more reasonable, moderate members get fed up with their extremist party leaders. There are people in power who are nominally on the "other side," like Arlen Specter and John McCain, who have already pledged to keep a close eye on their boss. Unlike him, they might be telling the truth when they say they'd rather be uniters than dividers.

9. We can field a better candidate next time.

10. Moving to Canada, or any other country, is exactly what they want us to do. It's the modern equivalent of draft-dodging. Let's stay in the trenches and give them hell.

I want to remain realistic, and will remain pessimistic, but I do have to believe it will get better. Otherwise, what's the fucking point?

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