From George Washington's Farewell Address (1796):

"All obstructions to the execution of the Laws, all combinations and associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive of this fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They [political parties] serve to organize faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force; to put, in the place of the delegated will of the nation, the will of a party, often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community; and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent and wholesome plans digested by common counsels, and modified by mutual interests.

"However combinations or associations of the above description may now and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and unprincipled men will be enabled to subvert the power of the people, and to usurp for themselves the reins of government; destroying afterwards the very engines, which have lifted them to unjust dominion."

Obviously, this George W. would not have been welcome in the GOP.

It was bad enough when the Republican Party was simply a tool (as are a number of Democratic politicians, let's be honest here) of the Corporations and the wealthy in this country. Now however it is obvious, from the actions of a number of Republican governors and their wholly-owned congressional houses that the idea of democracy (small "d") does not fit into their plans for the American future they envision. The idea of a permanent Republican majority, put forth by Carl Rove, is still their ideal despite the momentary bump in the road caused by the 2008 elections.

Following two years of 'birthers', Teabaggers, and ranting about the "Socialist/Muslim" President the 2010 elections put the Republicans in position to undermine the Constitution they claim to hold sacred. Momentarily blinded by what many of us thought was a change for the better, progressives now find themselves treading water with the riptide pulling us further into dangerous waters.

Sorry, to be so heavy but things are not looking good.