While down in DC our elected reps make the courageous move of co-mingling during the State of the Union, here in frigid NH, the GOP seems to be moving further away from its Democratic brethren … if not from sanity itself.

This NH winter is proving to be a brutal one, as the snow flies and the rhetoric gets icier and dice-ier.

“More than 400 members of the statewide committee voted while dozens of operatives watched from the sidelines to see how the tea party-style activists would influence the party. The outgoing chairman, John H. Sununu, a former chief of staff to President George H.W. Bush, urged Republicans to support Bergeron and hold off an insurgent movement in the party.”

But not even John Sununu (who, I remind you, USED to seem pretty darn right-wing) could stem the tide.  And Kimball, who says that he is going to oust Obama, adds, in a tone that certainly makes me feel good as I walk the streets of this State … “We are in a war and we are going to win it,” Kimball said. “We are going to pull ourselves from the brink. We are going after the Democrats the whole time.”

I certainly appreciate the emphasis on posturing and bellicosity, while the State of NH goes to hell in a handbasket.  Kinda like the first action of the Tea-infused State Legislature being that godawful gun thing they did just a couple of weeks ago … remember?

“For some New Hampshire lawmakers, happiness is a gun warmed by carrying it close to the body. With the state facing a whopping deficit, and despite promises of a laser-like focus on cutting spending, the House’s Republican majority chose as its first action to repeal the ban on packing heat in the State House.”  [From the story in the Concord Monitor.]

Ah, New Hampshire!  It actually almost makes Dubya’s depiction of himself as “kinder and gentler” seem on the mark.  How sad is that?

Meanwhile, here are some more tidbits and predictions this snowy Sunday:

• RPE heads off on her WWOOFing adventure tomorrow;
• The USWNT lost their first match of the 4 Nations Tournament – a 2-1 win by Sweden.  The US Team plays China at @ 5:25 AM ET on the 25th.  Alice, will you be up?;
• The Packers are going to beat the Bears;
• The Steelers are going to embarrass the Jets;
• Spring training is just around the corner, and you can catch the Phillies versus the Yankees in Florida at the end of February if you want!