An attempt to disenfranchise millions and steal the election - 200,000 in Ohio alone in direct ways, hundreds of thousands more in indirect ways such as providing too few voting machines in heavily Democratic precincts in Ohio - has been in the works and in process, in the most proximate sense, for months, and in the larger sense, since the 2000 election. That theft was successful in 2000 and in 2004. The same people who pulled it off and wanted it in the last two presidential elections are still around and doing their dirty deeds once again.  It's not a question of if. It's not a question of will they try or not. It's a question of whether or not they will succeed.  A mixture of dread and enthusiasm is evident in the country, with the dread being especially felt by blacks and by those who are aware that the last two presidential races were stolen. The enthusiasm is being expressed by those who are feeling and hoping that they may be successful finally in destroying the beast that has been stalking the land, raping and pillaging the people. Except that the beast is going to still be around and in our midst - whether Obama takes office or not - in the form of Palin and her minions, the right-wing media and think tanks, their proponents in military leadership posts and in most other sectors of the society. Palin, as someone has described her, is who Bush thinks he is.  It's clear that the GOP ticket has been and is in a great deal of trouble. As just one example of this, McCain is in danger of losing his home state of Arizona with the polls showing Obama in striking distance. This would be extraordinary. As another example of this, McCain and Palin have become the laughing stock of TV show hosts and various pundits.  On the other hand, a stolen election is a very, very, very real prospect. This is becoming clearer and clearer by the day.