In post-election rhetorical limbo, it's how low can you go

Powerline notes that one or two Democracts have secession fever in the wake of Bush's win. Naturally, they and the rest of the GOP noise machine are making hay over the suggestion. Frankly, it bothers me that Democrats are wasting their breath buying into the Republican version of a divided America - that Bush's victory was achieved via the inexorable march of the red-state values voter and that the mandate is clear. It also bothers me that even a small Democratic reaction is to do something we all supposedly hate - lump everybody into a big red ball and set about kicking cliche after cliche around the echo chamber as an expression of our anger and frustration. It's so counterproductive and only makes the republicans stronger. The truth is there are plenty of good Democrats in those states. We ought not to alienate them. We will need them in the near future.

On the other hand, I hope lots and lots of Republicans continue being the most ungracious winners in history. It will help our cause in 2006 and beyond. Right wing voices like Powerline conveniently ignore the even lower standard set by one or two Republicans who want to kick Kerry voters out of the country. Mike Thompson writing in Human Events Online contends that It's Time to Reconfigure the United States by kicking out the undesirables. Here's who he wants to keep:

BUSH USA is predominantly white; devoutly Christian (mostly Protestant); openly, vigorously heterosexual; an open land of single-family homes and ranches; economically sound (except for a few farms), but not drunk with cyberworld business development, and mainly English-speaking, with a predilection for respectfully uttering "yes, ma'am" and "yes, sir."

And here's who he wants to kick out:

GORE/KERRY USA is ethnically diverse; multi-religious, irreligious or nastily antireligious; more sexually liberated (if not in actual practice, certainly in attitude); awash with condo canyons and other high-end real estate bordered by sprawling, squalid public housing or neglected private homes, decidedly short of middle-class neighborhoods; both high tech and oddly primitive in its commerce; very artsy, and Babelesque, with abnormally loud speakers.

Wonderful. Every time I think public discourse in this country could not possibly sink lower, some brave soul steps forward to take us to new depths. It's as if you're walking down the street and some random stranger barfs on your shoes. Thank you, Mr. Thompson. Here's your vomit back.