I heard Arnold Schwarzenegger tell the Republicans he is proud to be in ‘the Party of

Lincoln’ (they were quiet, then even hostile when he invoked ‘the Party of Teddy Roosevelt’ — Roosevelt, don’t we hate him? — but

finally cheered at ‘the Party of Ronald Raygun’).

The Party of Lincoln — yeah, I want to hear Georgian Zell Miller embrace the

Party of Lincoln (and Sherman, as y’all know). Best not to remind former Dixiecrats that this is the Party of Lincoln — that dog won’t

hunt. Only way folks have been able to stomach the Party of Lincoln is cuz it’s also not the Party of Civil Rights (delivering the rest

of what Lincoln promised). Sure would be nice to get Raygun on the $5 bill and get rid of ole Lincoln.

How did the Party of

Lincoln get a lock on the South? Where did all those voters who supported George Wallace go? If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em.

Just don’t ask Arnold, he was still groping iron when the Federal Government became the enemy of Jim Crow.

If you believe the

government is accountable to the people and not the other way around, you’re a Republican — according to Arnold’s script. BUllSHit.

From day one, this administration has embraced secrecy beyond even the paranoid Nixon. Secrecy is the key to avoiding accountability.

This administration supports countless measures that restrict individual freedom, making us all accountable to the government. This is

the Party of the Patriot Act, the Party of Free Speech Zones, the Party of Ashkraft.

Oh, but everybody loves Arnie. After the

Republicans, the Party of Thurmond, of Helms, of Lott, amends the Constitution to curtail freedom (but only of women and gays — at

first) and codify bigotry (er, I mean, to defend the sanctity of marriage, divorce, infidelity and spousal abuse between a man and his

woman), then they can amend it to allow foreigners to become President (well, white ones). mjh