if history cycles, we're about due for neo-McCarthyism
We may be about to dismantle the One party with Two Right Wings, wherein what used to be called 'moderate' has been relabelled 'liberal'. Dubya VS Gore (out of 280 million) may be the last such charade for a time (??)
If liberal still means - "open to new ideas" (one never knows what any particular person 'means' by blab words) - we have seen that conservative means too often - pandering to home-grown Fundamentalists; whatever it takes to keep their votes.
Even Cheney today, faced the question re "trading liberties for safety" and gave the only correct answer. It remains to find out what he 'means' re that, next.
We may see an actual Liberal (not 'moderate') facing an actual Conservative (not reactionary / Fundamentalist) in next elections, if we have them. "Tolerant of views differing from one's own", has a nice ring to it - to me at least - after so many years of calling that view Commyunist yada yada.
But then, it's Murica. If it ain't soon back to being the former America? Then.. never mind.
Ashton
