Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, everyone! Time to put down the blog for some partying.

But first, a look back at a year in politics: It was a year of depressing political news (war in Iraq gets worse, Supreme Court shifts rightward, numerous scandals like warrantless wiretapping ignored by a complicit congress, global warming warnings grow louder, Mideast conflicts more pronounced, dangerous countries-- North Korea, Russia, Iran-- got more dangerous, etc.) ultimately ending in a major shift in the political tide... with Democrats regaining a majority in the U.S. Congress and Senate, as well as numerous state legislatures and governorships. And, of course, reminders that this will not heal all wounds.

Walter Shapiro, in Salon, looks at how it was a decisive year for "The Decider". Key quote-

Now, mired in an unpopular war and deprived of the protection of a Republican Congress, George W. Bush -- the only true "decider" per self-proclamation -- must decide how to handle his final two years in office. For even amid the splendid isolation of the White House, Bush cannot escape the big message of 2006: The American people have offered a stinging vote of "no confidence" in his presidency.

It is on that note that Josh Marshall opened up a very interesting discussion at TPMCafe with this question... what was the key event(s) that caused the President's downward spiral from 2004 reelection to 2006 midterm election "thumpin'". The ensuing discussion is must-read; if you have time, I recommend grabbing a cup of coffee and diving in. Besides the obvious (Iraq), a number of incremental political disasters-- the Katrina aftermath, the failed Social Security gambit, the Schiavo fiasco-- are mentioned as events that helped reveal the Emperor was not wearing any clothes.

Elsewhere, Eleanor Clift of Newsweek looks at the President's biggest lies of 2006. Media Matters counts down the most outrageous comments of the year, with hits by Michael Savage, Ann Coulter, Rush Limbaugh, and the Fox News all-stars. And Dahlia Lithwick in Slate lists the 10 most outrageous civil liberties violations of 2006, a recommended read.

Finally, the Associated Press reveals the top 10 news stories of 2006, as voted on by readers. The Iraq war, the U.S. midterm elections, and nuclear standoffs round out the top three slots. An AP/AOL poll finds "Seventy-two percent of Americans feel good about what 2007 will bring for the country". Another take on apparently the same poll reveals Americans also predict doom and gloom for 2007. See you next year, everyone!