What you see is not always what you get.

As I've been watching the news, my eyes seemingly try to deceive my mind. On FOX, in the New York Times, or through an ABC news show, America would seemingly be drifting on in it's leftward stagger. Everyone is happily talking about how things are the same, or worse (ABC and NYT are happy about status quo in the leftward seeming tilt). The deficit is going up because of government spending, a leftward thing to be sure. Entitlements are growing and expanding, definitely a leftward social/commun -ist thing. Gas prices are up, cheered by greens until they have to pay for gas to get to their local pot dealer. And of course, the continued invasion across the boarders by illegal aliens, supported by drugged out anti-Americans for the tired "Can't we all just get along, man?" reasons and supported by otherwise conservative business owners who turn cheap sweat into gold.

Still, around the edges, behind the scenes, and out of view the picture is changing. Conservative and religious groundswell has changed the direction of the country. If President Bush is out of touch it's not that he doesn't see the past or the present, but it's that he doesn't realize his hippier days are a dread to most and won't be repeated soon. That, as a babyboomer, his whole generation's dreams are being shredded, shoved back in closets, and put into proper social perspective by a realigning society. He, less so than Clinton but still true, is one of the last mustached Petes (a reference to the mafia godfathers who didn't want to get into alcohol after prohibition and where thus sidelined or killed by young turks). Both those hippy types are going down, and then away. Instead of getting into hooch, the new America is getting into God, morality, and honest politics.

Everyone knows president Bush is in trouble. The democrats like to dream that this is because his conservative notions aren't in favor. The truth is president Bush is in trouble for not being a conservative. The conservative base is growing almost as fast as church crowds are but the leadership is lagging, and he is the lagger in chief. In spite of his politically neutred situation, change is going on around, under, over, and sometimes right through him. We saw it with the last Supreme Court nominee(s) and I believe we will see it again in the alien debate. His pleas and protestations will be set aside and he will take his marching orders and do what has to be done. His hippy side will quiver and his wife will moan, but he will do it. I am sure he will do it after reading about his easing of gasoline regulations (it won't help in the short run but it might later on, still, it was a nice touch).

I see leaders in the house and senate, the president, the Supreme Court, and other people and groups stepping up to try and block the new advance of conservatism. The blockers are from both sides of the aisle. They are afraid, perhaps they are becoming aware of just how out of touch they are. They are really afraid we the people are going to force them to make changes that will affect real things that will effect them. Perhaps the rules they force on the rest of American business will be forced on them (yes, the congress and senate are exempt from many of their own hiring, discrimination, and other laws we have to obey). Democrats have to be feeling lonely. They know their old ways are gone. They can't openly root for Bin Laden anymore. They can't send their staffers (or go themselves) to communist countries like North Korea and show support like they have been. They can't leak security information to the newspapers or allow nuke plans to be sent to their favorite despots (I'm sure it was for personal or political treasuries though. Just business, right?)

Things are changing, and for the better mostly. Security is being arranged so that it actually works, rather than being a political and politically correct mess. Laws are slowly changing, abortion is being banned in some states, and other laws are on the way. Though the government seems to be growing, if you look through the growth, you will notice the growth is in discressionary (short term) spending while cuts are going on in more normally static (long term) expenses.

Be careful in the rooms of smoke and mirrors. Enemies smile and friends may frown. The walls may be real, glass, mirror, or not there at all. The truth is not what it seems and the ground is shifting. In all truth, I can't be sure if President Bush and his group are a.) fighting these changes, just losing the fight, b.) just doing what they do and sometimes fighting, sometimes helping the changes, or c.) are grand masters in the arts of politics, illusion, action, and outcomes. Whatever the real truth, now is a time to watch. History is being made. This will become known as a time of great change.