Some time ago, someone (Jim Hines? Scalzi? Maybe Keith Snyder) postulated a hypothetical timeline for the self-publishing industry that looked something like this:

1. We don't need no stinking publishers!
2. Publishing companies collapse.
3. Gee, there's an awful lot of junk to wade through out here.
4. Hey! If I cull through the junk, pick out the good stuff, edit and market it, I could probably make some money!
5. Return of publishers.

The thing is, looking at the rise of the Tea Party, I'm starting to wonder if this is what is going to happen to our government....