Here is what I think will happen in the next 48 hours… let’s see if I’m right.

McCain has told the Democrats how to keep him from the debate at the University of Mississippi tomorrow - it has been reported to the public that if there is no agreement on the $700,000,000,000 bailout then he will not attend the debate.

Because I think that our parties have reached the level that George Washington warned us about in his Farewell Address on September 17, 1796 - I believe that even though last night Democrat leaders were on CNBC and MSNBC saying that they were mobilized and knew what they needed to do to get the bill passed, I think that they will delay the bill until Saturday or Sunday for the sole purpose of furthering their domination of McCain.

McCain has been in a no win situation since Tuesday of this last week

If he shows up at the debate and there is no agreement - he will be called a liar.
If he doesn’t show up, then Obama gets the stage all to himself to vilify McCain for delaying any sort of agreement that the two parties were close to achieving before he inserted himself into the process…

The fact is that the media was complaining that if McCain and Obama did not go back to Washington to work on this bill that they were not doing their jobs - so, McCain decided to go - which I don’t mind… after all that is his current job as a legislator, as it is Obama’s. So, fine…

But then he goes and says… I won’t go to the debate until there is agreement… well, we are living in a Party State where all things are petty… Irregardless of what is best for the country and irregardless that we should all want the same basic things - the security and well being of our fellow Countrymen - I predict that the bill will be passed, but not until it is either too late for McCain to make it to the debate or until Saturday just for the selfish purposes that I have outlined above from our beloved leaders.

I wish we could simply get past the selfish notion of Party and move on to a united front and work together to remain the country that we all know we have the capability to be… how did we get here? There may be some clues in the letter from our first President, George Washington, below:

Taken from George Washington’s Farewell Address September 17th, 1796

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the state, with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn you in the most solemn manner against the baneful effects of the spirit of party, generally.This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under different shapes in all governments, more or less stifled, controlled, or repressed; but, in those of the popular form, it is seen in its greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which in different ages and countries has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is itself a frightful despotism. But this leads at length to a more formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries, which result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of Public Liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the Public Councils, and enfeeble the Public Administration. It agitates the Community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion, that parties in free countries are useful checks upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive the spirit of Liberty. This within certain limits is probably true; and in Governments of a Monarchical cast, Patriotism may look with indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose. And, there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.