As members of the bemoan the inauguration of , far-sighted right-wingers are looking to the future with their own brand of hope. For the latter, the overwhelming victory of s most liberal senator of 2007 is a definitive repudiation of the pseudo-conservative principles championed by Messieurs and . Indeed, the results of this past election and approval rating give testament to their ability to reach across party lines: by receiving bipartisan disdain.

Now while liberals would bash anyone who doesn't call all their plays from the writings of the , the fact that a good portion of card-carrying decries their president raises an eyebrow. But this isn't surprising considering Bush and Sen. John McCain have promoted some of the worst policies in Republican history. Under the conservative banner, these two promoted an imperialist foreign policy that provided terrorists with their greatest recruiting tool, robbed us of our civil liberties via the Patriot Act and were complicit in the greatest financial disaster of all time. "At least we haven't had another terrorist attack!" some devout Republican might call out. Well that's a miracle considering the duo's refusal to enforce our immigration laws has allowed millions of aliens to invade and rove unchecked throughout the country. Not all of these aliens may be here to take our jobs; some may also be here to take our lives. On top of all this, Bush and McCain and Co.'s support of hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth redistribution has given us a foretaste of the socialism to come.

Let us be honest on this point: Nearly every aspect of Bush-McCain politics is left wing. In truth, liberals had a win-win situation this election. And with neoconservatives like Bill Kristol now advocating the abandonment of the basic tenet of small government and promoting "national greatness," we might as well call our political process what it is: a one-party system.

And as the Bush administration takes its final turn around the toilet bowl, to whom can we look for hope of true reform? To make an appropriate reference, we wouldn't look to the to revive the failed company — we would punch him in the face. Thus should right-wingers proverbially punch the likes of , l and ?

Well, then who is out there fighting the good fight? A good indicator is whether a person has been labeled an "extremist" or "out of the mainstream," which basically means he or she doesn't deliberate between which left-wing policies are preferable. Examples include Pat Buchanan and Ron Paul — both of whom were against the war in from the start, predicted the economic crisis well in advance, support secure borders and identify and speak out against cultural Marxism. For many, Ron Paul was the only interesting thing to come out of the alleged right this past election season. His grassroots-style campaign rallied two important demographics: students — the future of the political process — and the elderly, who have seen how backwards the GOP has become. As Richard Spencer of Takimag.com says, "The Ron Paul movement has a lot of potential and amazing dynamic. It represents something viable rather than a boring movement that accomplishes nothing.”

Whether the Paulites or the Buchanan Brigade are the keys to the future of the right, or are simply things of the past, is conjecture. What is certain, however, is that real change needs to take place. And to that end, Obama's inauguration certainly provides hope. The centrist Republican establishment consistently tries to blur the differences between left and right. But the Obama inauguration promises to be a gruesome spectacle, one that will again clarify the vast differences between them and us. The desire for a new right wing resistance was born on Inauguration Day. But before you look to the establishment for leadership, remember that it was the Bushes and the McCains — and the and the — who made the Obama administration possible. Let's recognize the GOP for what it really is: all-too-grand and all-too-old. Let's hope the toilet doesn't clog and spoil its exit.

Devin Saucier is a sophomore in the College of Arts and Science.  He can be reached at