After the election I think I'll celebrate Christmas.

Whoa -- Let's not jump the gun, but WHEN Bush wins the election, there’s not going to any shortage of vital issues. (And even through a Kerry win guarantees four years of great material for bloggers, that is hardly an outcome to be desired. An earthquake is not an opportunity to brush up on your survival skills.)

Let’s not forget that “compassionate conservatism” has given us the largest entitlement program in history with the Medicare Prescription Drug Bill. How do we reconcile “compassionate conservatism” with limited government? Do we really want increased federal involvement in education as mandated in No Child Left Behind? Is a constitutional amendment the way to go to “protect” marriage? What powers are we willing to cede to the federal government under “our guy,” that might also be used by (gasp) a President Hillary in 2009.

“Loyalty” in the democratic sense is both supporting your guy when he’s challenged, and challenging your guy when his loyalty to principle strays.

Although I dread a Kerry presidency with every fiber of my being, if he is elected I am willing to take a pledge not to immediately turn into an asshole about him. I've seen that happen to too many otherwise peace-loving and reasonable liberals over the last 4 years.

I say "immediately." I reserve the right to turn into an asshole down the road if Kerry forces me to.

Personally, I'm looking forward to less political blogging. Both in terms of blog writing and reading. There is more to life than politics, thank God.

I'll consider Nov. 3 to be the first day in the Hillary vs. Condoleeza battle for the presidency.

Trickster: Hopefully not Valentine's day...

Craig: Duly noted. I was a Forbes guy, and I was nervous about Bush's spending long before he was nominated in '00. If he wins, I will be among those calling for him to get a handle on spending.

Brian: I won't turn into an asshole - in fact, I don't think I've been one in any case. I try to act on facts. Kerry's facts are atrocious so far. I don't need to be a jerk to be wary of him, or to prejudge a Kerry administration based on the indicators we have.

Doug: Yes and no. I love political blogging - but if you're primarily a political blogger (and I am), it's easy to get lazy. I think we'll lall be exercising mental muscles we'd forgotten existed by this time in December.

Chris: Not to mention Kennedy/Hatch '06 and Coleman/Franken '08!

Mitch--I assume you mean "Kennedy/Dayton" and "Pawlenty/Hatch" '06. I can't see Mark Dayton giving up his Senate post (not that I'd be heartbroken), and I can't see Mike Hatch running for Senate even if Dayton did. Unless you're suggesting Pawlenty is moving on up to the big time should Bush get a second term. Secretary of Transportation? I don't like Gov. Timmy, but there's no getting around the fact that his star is rising.

Coleman/Franken '08--now that's a race that would be fun.

As for one quote: "I reserve the right to turn into an asshole down the road if Kerry forces me to."--good. I hope that the right gives Kerry a chance, and I hope if he blows it that you're as hard on him as the left has been on Bush.

Believe it or not, I was at least somewhat supportive of Bush from 9:00 AM on 9/11/01 through somewhere around April of 2003. But Bush lied to me on Iraq. I'm sorry, guys, but that's not something I'm willing to forgive. If Kerry betrays our country similarly, you'd damn well better come down on him like a ton of bricks. It's your patriotic duty.

Kerry would be a disaster, yes, but speaking of the worst in one's lifetime it is still about impossible to go lower that ol' Jimmuh. I'm not sure Kerry has enough guts to be that bad (bad enough, though)- winds are bound to prevail and turn him a bit at some point.

Craig, there certainly is room to criticize Bush from a conservative/libertarian angle. He either believes in limited government or he does not. If he does not, well, that's enough ammunition to offer critiques, as government-directed solutions and perspectives seldom are the best choices to make.

On the other hand, he's the politician and I'm not. Perhaps the greater cause of self-government is actually best advanced through compromises with the statists. The awful prescription drug benefit legislation, for example, also brought us greatly enhanced health savings accounts, which could be a critical factor in bringing the end of third-party (and increasingly government-sponsored) health care. No Child Left Behind could be described as "No Dollar Left Behind," but it may also become the key factor that, through a chain of events, brings school choice.

Using big government against itself may be described by some as an example of jujitsu. And it just may work. Then again, it could end up being a terrible disaster as well. Regardless, there will be plenty to talk about in a second Bush term. Hey, we're the punditry.

There will never be an end to the material out there for any political blog.
No matter who wins we will have the war on terror for ages to come.
I do hope for a "lull" at some point though so we can focus on some other issues. Case in point the family court blow out etc. I think Hindrocket briefly mentioned in one of his debate posts that people were bored or not tuned into the stem cell issue and he agreed. I am crazy about that topic but I see no need to go frantic on it with the election and war on terror being so at our forefront right now.

Policy Guy: You're right about the compromises in those bad bills, but I'm from the Hayek essay "Why I'm Not A Conservative" school. Every time one compromises with big government, one moves a little to the left. Each successive compromise is a little further to the left. My definition of a good politician is one who's always ready to compromise on degree, but never willing to compromise on direction.