The post below about Bunning's belligerence confirms everyone's suspicion that the overall GOP plan is to wreck the American economy under Obama's watch. The idea is create a Democratic version of Herbert Hoover, who will then usher in a couple of decades of unassailable Republican dominance. (Oddly enough, Obama himself seems to be down with this.)

But in order to make that trick work, the Republicans are going to have to repair the economy -- at least to some degree -- once they get back into office. The only ideologically permissible jobs program will involve military Keynesianism, funded by yet more massive debt. That's how Reagan did it.

Of course, the right will need to prepare the way for that course of action with a propaganda barrage designed to portray America as militarily weak. A similar barrage flooded the media starting in 1977-1978.

If my suspicions are correct, then you should expect the new barrage to hit at some point during 2010 and 2011. The propaganda blitz will start with a flurry of alarming reports from the Army War College and similar institutions. These reports will pretend that the American infantry is still using muskets, the Air Force is still flying King Kong-style bi-planes, and the Navy is still sailing three-masted frigates. "And that's why we need to double our investment in weapons development now now now."

Or so we will be told. Watch it happen.