Driving While Inaugurated

After the raise-your-hand-and-swear routine the bulletproof limousines will set sail down Pennsylvania Avenue, past the cheering throngs and protest marchers with their arrhythmic 'hey-ho' chanting, into four more years of West Texas democracy. I have some questions.

Lefties/Democrats:

Are you so thoroughly disgusted with George W. Bush that you hope the country goes to hell in a handbasket, just to debunk his ideology as dangerously wrong, and prove to Red America that voting Republican is not what's done by reasonable people? Or do you hope that America prospers anyway? (Or is it too dangerous to hope for prosperity, because then we may get another Republican president?)

Righties/Republicans:

How long should we stay in Iraq, and when will we know if we won? Since we recently just gave up on WMDs, won't that hurt our credibility in the future? Are we any safer? Do Republicans simply plan to ignore Democrats for the next four years, and debate among themselves? Is the future of the Republican party Rudy and Arnold, or is it Rick and Newt redux?

One final note, it sure is cheaper to be a protest marcher. A puppet or an armband are all it takes to join the funeral procession. Republicans however need a pile of jack, and/or business before the government before they can step into the inuagural dance.