Their Kind of Government

It's time to gloat.

Nancy Pelosi, the new Speaker of the House of Representatives, said Democrats would not gloat over the downfall of the Republicans.

They wouldn't make verbal attacks, celebrate, be smug, puff themselves up, engage in you-got-what-you-deserve type behavior, or call the opposition "traitors."

In other words, act the way the Republicans have for the past four years.

Since she won't gloat, I will.

gloat away. It's not a pretty job. Somebody's got to do it.

This is your official "gloat" website.

What's ironic is…I'm not a Democrat. I'm a conservative. A true conservative. A Barry Goldwater/Thomas Jefferson conservative. The type who used to believe in small government and no reckless wars.

Last week's election was bitter sweet for me. First of all, I deserted the party because it deserted me.

I lost my family over this. I opposed the war from day one and a relative flew into a rage when I was stupid enough to express my opinion. I did a tacky story trying to make a joke out of it, realized this was unfair, and threw it out. But we haven't spoken since, even though I tried to make up. This has caused me three years of agony.

Because I was critical of the president another relative threw a tantrum, turned her back on me and stomped from the room. I'm really stupid and slow to learn. I had still not learned not to talk politics. But I had the presence of mind to call after her, "what kind of democracy is this?"

What kind of democracy can't you have an opinion critical of the government without being called a traitor? Without someone taking it personal?

Their kind. The Republicans. My glee over what happened to them last week is tinged with sadness, not just for the family I lost. We'll never be the same again. Other people have lost much more, sons killed in Iraq.

But also for the loss of fairness. If it ever existed in this country. Civility too.

Republicans have been asking for it. And they got it. All those zealots who improperly display flags from their cars, who never displayed a flag before Bush got them all worked up like a mob of villagers in a Frankenstein movie. The ones who shout down anyone who has a different opinion, and who chant "USA! USA!" over and over as though they're at a tailgate party in the parking lot at a football game.

How do you deal with people who are blind, but who even deny the possibility they might be blind? How do you deal with people who cross the line from imagined patriotism to xenophobia and paranoia?

The Republicans couldn't hide the fact that they have what most Americans (sixty five percent) don't have. A mean spirit.

But to see Bush humbled, the smirk wiped from his face. To see the perplexed look on him. To see Rumsfield go after years of bungling. Let go by Bush, the man who always stands by his cronies no matter what they do.

To see the American people rein them in.

I remember when my opinion was so in the minority, I felt guilty. I was a traitor. I mulled and mulled over this. I felt lousy. Maybe they're right. They know more than I do. I'm just an average nobody. Who am I to complain?

Maybe I'm a spoiled brat and a traitor. Maybe I'm a coward. I don't mean to be. I want what's best for my country. We all want that, right?

I stuck to my guns, to what I felt in my heart. I'm not trying to sound holier-than-thou about it.

I was right. But even if I was wrong. I have a right to be proved wrong in this country. That's what America is, or should be.