Karl Rove leaves White House

So political savant and evilmeister Karl Rove is leaving the cushy job of White House deputy chief in staff (aka, chief tormentor of the people.) But, just so you know, this has nothing to do with investigations, wiretapping, treason, or anything of the sort, mmmm-kay? Rove is just a patriot who has served the will of the Republican regime for longer than time has existed. The wunder-brain also leaves the executive privilege clause behind and goes on to see his empire crash and burn, and this leaving signals the definite end of the WH's ability to pass major policy changes. Rove was the once behind trying to bring Latinos into the party, behind No Child Left Behind, and all sorts of horrific policy blunders. His vision, according to the Atlantic Monthly (via Kos):

Instead, Rove’s idea was to use the levers of government to create an effect that ordinarily occurs only in the most tumultuous periods in American history. He believed he could force a realignment himself through a series of far-reaching policies. Rove’s plan had five major components: establish education standards, pass a "faith-based initiative" directing government funds to religious organizations, partially privatize Social Security, offer private health-savings accounts as an alternative to Medicare, and reform immigration laws to appeal to the growing Hispanic population. Each of these, if enacted, would weaken the Democratic Party by drawing some of its core supporters into the Republican column. His plan would lead, he believed, to a period of Republican dominance like the one that followed McKinley’s election.

Rove failed on many counts, and succeeded on too many others. Thank god he's going, and hopefully he's not returning to Texas to redistrict more minorities out.

I also played a really fun online redistricting game. Educational and entertaining all at once - you can play a Democratic or Republican mastermind who does the bidding of the party elders. (Not unlike Rovoldermort.)