Yesterday I was taking a break and having a smoke when a former coworker came by. We used to have engaged and meaningful debates about politics and economics. He was a steadfast conservative of the economic sort, but really believed in the theories so he was willing to actually debate them and listen rather that just towing the party line.
After salutations he asked me "What are we going to do about this guy? Bush sure isn't a fiscal conservative, is he?"
He told me his gal was laid off, he was concerned about the cost of the Iraq war, concerned with the lack of investment to protect NOLA, and concerned that real wages keeps dropping. He conceeded that the idea of raising the minumum wage would increase the spending power of all Americans by bumping up the tiers of income.
He felt his party had been hijacked.
A telling moment regarding the national political climate.