Growing up with a father who is an irritable traveler notoriously obsessed with avoiding traffic, I developed a habit of always preparing myself for the worst whenever embarking on a journey. ~snip~ Despite all of the problems faced by the current incarnation of the Republican Party, America is still a right of center nation, which explains Obama's need to abandon many of his liberal positions. Although it's something I would rather not find out, what this means is that Obama's ability to govern as a liberal if elected president would largely be a function of how well conservatives can mobilize...