We are a bunch of impudent bastards.

People are bastards, that's a given, but Americans have lately shown themselves to be a sort of mutant super-bastard. What did we do? We questioned our Glorious Leader, we dared suggest that Glorious Leader wasn't so glorious after all and we demanded*gasp* that Glorious Leader and the Glorious Leader's elected cronies actually do the *gasp* will of the people. The nerve of us... demanding accountability in a Constitutional Democracy. What's next? Kicking out politicians that are beholden to those who bribe them? That already happened in Dover, Pennsylvania and now the residents of that town will have to rely on life without divine intervention. So if a fire breaks out, they'll have to call the fire department to put it out instead praying to the Big Old Guy in the Clouds for a chance of rain.

The defeat of the Dubai deal was a success for Democracy where politicians, fearing the worst - loss of their jobs and access to bribes, actually did what people wanted them to do. Granted, some people wanted the deal defeated because they're racist douches and others because they've been conditioned by Glorious Leader that Muslim = terrorist for four years, but still.... Congress listened to all the bastards and did the will of the bastards - something that hasn't happened in years. Congress, maybe for a millisecond, remembered that it too is composed of 435 bastards, whose jobs depend on the approval of their constituent bastards. Will it last? Probably not... but it gives hope in an time where the future of democracy is at question and where corporate and theocratic powers have been the voices of choice for Congress. Perhaps it signals an end to the hurricane unleashed by our Glorious Leader to replace democracy with unbridled executive power and now, like in New Orleans, we can start to rebuild. Or perhaps, it's merely the eye of the storm and the worst is yet to come but there is at least a bit of optimism for the ordinary bastard who dares to believe that democracy isn't just a nice bit of propaganda.