Peggy Noonan: The Twister of 2010

This brilliant new piece by Ms. Noonan provides the best analysis I've yet read on the current state of the American political scene.  Here's a snippet:

The Democratic Party right now is showing signs of coming apart under the pressure of the election and two years of an unpopular presidency. But it's not a split in two, with the left versus the establishment. It's more like a splintering, with left-leaning activists distancing themselves from the party's politicians, and moderate politicians distancing themselves from Mr. Obama.

And part of what's driving it is what is driving the evolution of the Republican Party. The Internet changed everything. Everyone has facts now, knows who voted how and why. New thought leaders spring up and lead in new directions. Total transparency leads to party fracturing. Information dings unity. We are in new territory.

I've also long felt that the Internet has been a highly disruptive force (a good thing in this case) to "Politics as Usual".  Not only is it providing transparency but it has also provided a means for like minded individuals to find each other, communicate, and work together as a much stronger force than multiple individuals.  I strongly believe that without the Internet, the Tea Party could never have come together like it has.  The next 10 years are going to be mighty interesting!