Understanding Next Year

If you want to get your head around what we are facing with respect to the 2008 election and what has happened to our society as a result of the conservative movement and its hold on power then I can highly recommend Lambert's piece at Corrente. This is a comprehensive and definitive dissertation on where we are, where we have been and where we are going with respect to American politics.
If you want to understand what is at stake in the coming year you need to read this post a couple of times and then bookmark it for reference.

I have read it twice this morning and all I can say is that my initial support of Edwards has now distilled into a somewhat desperate support. I had begun to soften a bit and allowed how I could find it in my heart to support Clinton or Obama if it came to it. That, I see now, was just a weakening of my resolve and wishful thinking. We are in a do or die in the next year when it comes to the future of America and it is way past time to get serious. Business as usual is bad business and it is time to recognize that we are in a fight for our lives.

As Atrios says:

Shorter Candidates

Obama: The system sucks, but I’m so awesome that it’ll melt away before me.

Edwards: The system sucks, and we’re gonna have to fight like hell to destroy it.

Clinton: The system sucks, and I know how to work within it more than anyone.