In Obama we trust?

The election is over and we're entering into that limboesque time zone where the holidays are approaching and the newly elected won't take power for another couple of months. Nothing much is going to happen and it's a bit too early for year end reviews so as always happens in times of a slow news cycle, Leftopia has begun to bicker.

I don't want to get too deep into the weeds about this myself, but I will say that I think it's rather silly and counterproductive to be clutching our pearls over every rumor about what President-elect Obama intends to do. It's all speculation right now. Filler for the ravenous 24/7 newsbeast and I'm in the camp that thinks we should give him some space and wait until he announces something himself before we start pushing back against imagined affronts to the progressive agenda.

And no, that doesn't mean I think we should hold back once he does, contrary to those who deride a Cult of Obama that barely exists. I'm not saying there isn't one, but it's comprised of the sort of people who are already organizing to give Obama a national holiday. I believe most who counsel patience are going to step up as soon as something real happens, and make no mistake, I fully expect our new President is going to piss us off sooner than later by going all gooey centrist.

Meanwhile, as Glenn points out, we do have Democrats in office that fully deserve some attention right now.

It is worth remembering that the Democrats who are going to exert dominant political control are the same ones who have provoked so much scorn -- rightfully so -- over the last several years, and particularly since 2006. This is the same Democratic Party leadership which funded the Iraq War without conditions (and voted to authorize it in the first place); massively expanded the President's warrantless eavesdropping powers; immunized lawbreaking telecoms; enacted the Patriot Act and then renewed it with virtually no changes; didn't even bother to mount a filibuster to stop the Military Commissions Act; refrained from pursuing any meaningful investigations of Bush lawbreaking; confirmed every last extremist Bush nominee, from Michael McConnell to Michael Mukasey; acquiesced to even the worst and most lawless Bush policies when they were briefed on them; and on and on and on. None of that has changed. That is still who they are.

And they are ones that are still in power for the next two months. I might respectfully suggest we put our energy into pushing back against their next boneheaded bows to imaginary bi-partisanship rather than waste it on projecting into the future. I believe the wingnuts have that ground well covered already.

[More posts daily at The Newshoggers and The Detroit News.]