A Reply to The Anchoress:

How is blind loyalty to a party any better than blind loyalty to an ideology? Can't a person make the party an idol just as easily as one can a philosophical leaning?

I'd really like to know.

The only possible advantages I see to McCain over Hillary have to do with (1) national defense; (2) the vague potential of him maybe appointing constructionist judges, and (3) theoretically less damage to the economy.

But once you've taken away free speech, anything can happen. I'm just not excited about the idea of voting for "Mr. Ball Gag." Why should I be? Is this the election that turns on S&M?

The fact is, Ann Coulter—bless her media-whoring little heart—has a freaking point. And the fact that she's expressing it in as exaggerated a manner as usual (yeah—she'll "campaign" for Hillary, all right) does not mean she isn't essentially correct: how do we know McCain is less-bad than Hillary? We're supposed to, um, trust him? Are you fucking kidding me?

I'm considering writing in my mother's dog for President this year, because Mandy would tear the Islamists limb from limb in a methodical, spirited fashion. With her strong, strong teeth. No emotion involved whatsoever: just doing her job.

The fact is, women are more brutal than men in the final analysis. I caught a glimpse of this once when some incompetent pharmacist delayed filling a prescription for my husband, who was recovering from oral surgery. I lowered my voice, explained what she needed to do, and watched her do it. My husband was in the car, and he needed this medicaton. I would have filleted her cheerfully on the spot if the process had taken 20 minutes longer. Nothing personal about it. Not at all.

While McCain's writing his hands about interrogation techniques, and agonizing about how wicked money is, people could very well die.

Talk to me, Johnny Mac. Convince me. 'Cause you sure haven't, so far.