A New Poll Shows The Republican Party Has Completely Collapsed in Virginia

[IrishAyes]

76. (ahem) You seem to have misconstrued something here.

Nowhere did I say the RWA were unworthy of rescue or remedy. To me, that's what the Great Republican Die-Off will accomplish. Nobody except a baby likes to be changed. But it still has to be done for the sake of the baby no matter how junior kicks and screams while you're about it. If they can be cajoled and sweet talked, led gently by the hand into the light of understanding, all the better. But regardless of how the job must be done, it must be done.

Now would I be willing to go to all that trouble for anyone out of anything but love? Not when you consider how often they take a swing at my head.

Case in point: Should you be unfamiliar with my current situation, know that I retired to the rural blood red MidWest. I've been screamed at in public for things I've said and/or written in the paper, had beer bottles thrown at me, been threatened regularly by the local militia, and so on. Momma said there'd be days like this, but it's been almost 8 years come Thanksgiving. Gradually, however, the hostility seems to be lessening as I try to openly appreciate whatever I can find to admire, precious little as it is sometimes. I like to think and hope that these fine tribesmen are gradually becoming a little less hysterically xenophobic as they get a glimmer of realization that I'm not their personal enemy at all, only the enemy of their unbelievably twisted world view.

I suffer no illusion of eventual acceptance here. But I do count every smile I can weasel out of them a great victory. Although currently I must admit that I don't know whether the slight softening is due to their illusion of victory (ala Cruz) or graceful acceptance of defeat.

Yes, in many ways they are not only good people but some are downright sterling within their own narrow circles. It's this damned shortsighted tribalism that keeps tripping them up. Good grief, when I first moved here they acted as if I had horns and cloven hooves. Now at least a few seem to have modified that to "the silly northeast damnYankee woman who thought she could move here all by herself and make a go of it - but she ain't quite so bad as we first thought, once you see beyond her stupid politics."