Today's guest blogger is...Edward Hegstrom! (Yep, husband #2, and he is a good writer...be nice!)

My name is Edward Hegstrom.

Yes, Hegstrom as in the Sue Ellen Hegstrom. (editor's note...that's Sudiegirl, folks...)

Your favorite bi-polar redhead has generously allowed her ex-husband to use her site as an opportunity to explore the world of blogging. I'm a writer who no longer writes, and this seemed like a good way to get back on the bike.

But what to write about? Much of my work in the past has been fueled by anger, but there really wasn't much going on in my life that made my blood boil. Fortunately, in the larger world, there's plenty to be steamed about, and most of that fury should be directed at the Democratic Party.

First, let me make it clear that I hate Republicans. Republicans in general, but the current administration in particular. I think Bush is just Cheney's useful idiot lapdog, and I truly believe Cheney is the Dark Lord of the Sith. (Yes, I just made a geeky Star Wars reference. I'll try not to do that again.)

As for Alberto, Condi and especially Rummy--well, there's no torture too cruel, no circle of Hell vile enough to punish them for what they've made this once-great nation.

But hey, at least they know what they're doing.

The Democrats, on the other hand...oh, God, the Democrats.

A poll released Friday showed that, for the first time in God knows how long, a majority of Americans trusted Democrats over Republicans. Not just in general, but on specific, hot-button issues like national security.

Wow!

This is a major breakthrough!

And how to Democrats plan on taking advantage of this lead?

By sitting back and hoping that Bush's poll numbers continue to slide.

In other words, they have a plan for leadership that's kind of like Charlie Brown's plan for dating the Little Red-Haired Girl: They'll sit there and vaguely hope that, maybe, somehow, what they want to happen will just sort of happen without them actually having to DO anything.

But at least Good Ol' Charlie Brown's misery was his own. The pitiful inaction on the part of the Democrats merely allows the Republicans to continue to do whatever they want, like Kurtz in the jungle.

Sure, they're down now, but if there's one thing Republicans know how to do, it's re-invent themselves. Even now, Tom DeLay, who in any moral universe would spend the rest of his life in Nixonian shame, is regathering strength, like Sauron in Mordor.

(Yeah, I know. An uber-geeky Lord of the Rings reference. Still, that allusion to Joseph Conrad was pretty high-flown, don't you think?)

A recent letter in the New York Times called the Democrats the most worthless opposition party in history. The trouble with that analysis is, I think, that it's entirely too kind.

(Editor's 2nd note: Edward has written opinion columns for The Des Moines Register and The Perry Chief, as well as an independent newspaper in Des Moines. Edward is indeed single, has two beautiful cats, and enjoys film, theater, literature, good conversation, and chocolate chip cookies. If you enjoyed his writing, please let me know and I'll beat him over the head with your comments until he decides to write again. Thanks for reading today!)