Wednesday, November 03, 2010
So what does it mean?
It means Americans won't know who to blame in '12.
It doesn't mean populism is over, or the Democrats are finished, or Republicans are the new permanent majority (which they thought they were only a few years ago, or Obama will lose reelection (he'll have to change his leadership style to win), or the federal guvmint will be torn down. It doesn't mean any of that. Two years ago Obama carried Indiana & Virginia. Americans are frustrated & angry, & in America, if we vote, we have a choice of two major parties. If not one, we have the other. Americans expected more & better results for the past two years. Republicans were the beneficiaries this year. If you think it's a smashing conservative ideological victory, I'll bet you're an ideologue & you're wrong. I thought the Obamaniacs were wrong in '08 & that it was a unique election win. I think Americans want bipartisan cooperation, & we're still not gonna get it. It's a pleasant, hopeful delusion I was forced to give up when Repugs kicked out most of the centrists & the remaining few became sniveling, prevaricating cowards.
America voted the anger this year that Jersey & Massachusetts expressed a year ago.
MA reelected the Democratic governor & all the reps. Blue again.
In Jersey, Democrats as expected handed back a House seat they barely won two years ago, but was still close. That's all. In the only two state senate special elections, Democrats won those, too, which included a pick-up.
The issues that really matter to me are great issues that affect small lives. It's always a step ahead, half-step back.
It could be to the good if we have an opportunity for addition by subtraction. As Repugs attempt to roll back the "big government" of the past few years, Americans will learn (again) that we want much of the big government, & know how much of it originated with Repugs. As Repugs try to dismantle health care reform, Americans will probably say, "Stop. Not that part, or that other part." It was never explained to us clearly when it was passed. We'll see it was smart to save the American auto industry. Maybe, as with the old Repug congress, we'll see K Street calling the plays & buying what lobbyists want (Tom DeLay is on trial right now). America did not vote in a solution on Tuesday. It won't be long until we discover we elected an alternative we've already experienced, & rejected. But where will we turn then?
"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be." Thomas Jefferson
It doesn't mean populism is over, or the Democrats are finished, or Republicans are the new permanent majority (which they thought they were only a few years ago, or Obama will lose reelection (he'll have to change his leadership style to win), or the federal guvmint will be torn down. It doesn't mean any of that. Two years ago Obama carried Indiana & Virginia. Americans are frustrated & angry, & in America, if we vote, we have a choice of two major parties. If not one, we have the other. Americans expected more & better results for the past two years. Republicans were the beneficiaries this year. If you think it's a smashing conservative ideological victory, I'll bet you're an ideologue & you're wrong. I thought the Obamaniacs were wrong in '08 & that it was a unique election win. I think Americans want bipartisan cooperation, & we're still not gonna get it. It's a pleasant, hopeful delusion I was forced to give up when Repugs kicked out most of the centrists & the remaining few became sniveling, prevaricating cowards. America voted the anger this year that Jersey & Massachusetts expressed a year ago.
MA reelected the Democratic governor & all the reps. Blue again.
In Jersey, Democrats as expected handed back a House seat they barely won two years ago, but was still close. That's all. In the only two state senate special elections, Democrats won those, too, which included a pick-up.
The issues that really matter to me are great issues that affect small lives. It's always a step ahead, half-step back.
It could be to the good if we have an opportunity for addition by subtraction. As Repugs attempt to roll back the "big government" of the past few years, Americans will learn (again) that we want much of the big government, & know how much of it originated with Repugs. As Repugs try to dismantle health care reform, Americans will probably say, "Stop. Not that part, or that other part." It was never explained to us clearly when it was passed. We'll see it was smart to save the American auto industry. Maybe, as with the old Repug congress, we'll see K Street calling the plays & buying what lobbyists want (Tom DeLay is on trial right now). America did not vote in a solution on Tuesday. It won't be long until we discover we elected an alternative we've already experienced, & rejected. But where will we turn then?
Labels: New Jersey politics, THE election
