Some randomness:
Seems like it ought to be a stock cliche/catch phrase to juxtapose timeframes as in this post’s title… but I don’t recall having seen it til Vigilant Meerkat posted “It’s going to be a long week tomorrow” the day Benazir Bhutto was assassinated.
Given the potentially era-defining presidential election (not to mention Congressional and even state/local elections) coming up in 2008, the year itself could easily define the next decade or more. Plus, by about April I’d imagine we’re all going to be about tapped on our thresholds of political tolerance (many already are) and 08 will quickly grow to feel like it’s a decade-long in and of itself.
On the day after election day next November, we’ll know how strong the Democratic hold is in both DC and Springfield (plus the other 49 state capitols). Redistricting is a few short years away and with Illinois trending evermore Dem the freshmen and sophomore legislators elected in November (the ones giving the state Senate its supermajority, and potentially doing the same in the House) may well have solidified their positions by then.
On a larger scale, Daily Kos frontpager DHinMI has been arguing for some time now that the 2008 Federal election has the potential for mirroring 1932’s realignment election in which FDR and his coattails issued in a progressive majority for several decades. He has a series of posts on that theme with the main parts being here: 1, 2, and 3. Interesting theories and some circumstantial evidence (streak of Republican retirements, polling trends among various regions and demographic slices) is certainly lending credence to it.
A bit more local, I’ll have some thoughts and rundowns on northwest suburban state lege races coming up in the next few weeks, ahead of the Feb. 5th primary.
On a closing note for the year… Odd that there’s an uptick in viewership today, New Year’s Eve. Maybe some folks are at the office and bo(red). 
It’s New Year’s Y’all — Go Party.
Or, at least go relax and get ready for the upcoming rOLLeR C08sTEr.
Be safe this NYE and have fun.
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January 1, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Carl
I dont know if that is going to be the case. If the credit markets get worse, or “something” happens by the neo-cons, like more war, or some type of “attack” here in the USA, you might be surpised what we get. They are already trying to ban Ron from the NH debates, and there are enough Exc orders to put Bush in as Dictator too.
Plus folks aint happy in IL with democrats. With pension deficts, them ruining the tax base with banning smoking, and a 11-12% sales tax in IL trying to be done cook, plus a mess of other things going on like casinos, and blago looking like he is going to be indicted, it could be a Red state again.
January 1, 2008 at 1:34 pm
Carl
Plus this is what people want Rob. Freedom!