Ominous portents! Duck and cover!

We here at AIP have recently noticed certain flarings of cautious optimism regarding the results of the upcoming midterm elections. Pooh! we say. Committed as we are to firm opposition to any premature hope, we advise battening down the hatches for further thundersqualls of outrage. Consider that this election is probably more important than the 2008 presidential round, to the GOP, anyway. We remain convinced that the Republicans do not intend to lose, and that, well -- what can we say?

We certainly do not endorse irresponsible conspiracy theories -- no, no, no, no, no, not in the least. All we will say is that there's a week left of potential October Surprises, and that there still exist numerous methods of rallying support.

And the Tarot is looking ominous: the Magician holds sway, the Hanged Man, the Tower...

We see:

Someone long lost being found
Sages and wise men baffled and inactive
An unforeseen retreat
A disaster, narrowly averted
A tall stranger

The Tarot is of course unreliable, but we here at the Pessimism Info Center are frankly alarmed. If two Tuesdays pass without great cause for gloom we'll be frankly surprised. Which means of course that everything's on schedule.