The big 2010 mid-term election is tomorrow.
Two years ago, people were unhappy with Washington. They rallied and organized in grassroots efforts. They were heralded as change agents by the media. They promised a new tone of cooperation and civility in Washington, and a bipartisan administration of Washington outsiders. They won big time - in both federal, state, and local elections - and the media claimed what a wonderful thing it was for the country - no, the entire world! The voters were wanting change and they pooled their collective brilliance and voted for the "savior" who would unite the country and bring hope and change.
You know, I have to admit that I admired what Barack Obama had done. He really convinced a LOT of people that he was the answer to everything they disliked about George Bush, which was mainly the Iraq War and Bush's occasional stumbling over words. It's really hard to come from the Chicago political system and attend a white-America-hating church for 20+ years and still convince 69.5 million voters that you are the closest thing on earth to Jesus and worthy to be trusted with 40% of the nation's GDP. But when you're on the cover of Rolling Stone 64 times over a period of 2 years, how can you lose!?
He proceeded to hire liberal Washington insiders to run his administration, and then use his majorities in House and Senate to pass legislation that the majority of the country was not in favor of, while denying Republicans opportunities to help craft the bill or offer amendments. In fact, the country was advised that Congress should pass the bill, and THEN understand what is in it. Then, within the first few months of taking office, we heard bipartisan cooperative statements like this, to Republicans: "
On some of these issues we're just going to have ideological differences. I won. So I think on that one, I trump you." Barack Obama, January 2009
He made ideological decisions that were not popular. He apologized to the world for America's sins the last century. He extended an olive branch, and apple pie, and a box of chocolates to all Middle Eastern countries who hate America. He gave the Black Panthers a pass for their voter intimidation antics in the 2008 election. He broke the record on the statute of limitations on blaming the prior administration for the problems of the day. Yet, with control of both houses, it's somehow still the Republicans' fault that the last 2 years have been a disaster. I give the guy credit. He stuck by what he personally believes in and didn't waiver from his principles or compromise with Republicans on anything. Unlike the prior Clintons, Obama didn't take a public opinion poll before every decision he made.
So as a result, then people became unhappy with Washington - again. More and more people seemed to be concerned the country was heading in the direction of adopting
an economic and political theory advocating public or common ownership and cooperative management of the means of production and allocation of resources. So, they rallied and organized in grassroots efforts. I bet some were even from the grassroots efforts of 2008. However, this time, they and all who supported them were vilified broadly by the media as bigots with a racist agenda, though no one ever was able to produce any evidence to that effect. Their supporters were called clueless, greedy, haters, and Fox News Kool Aid drinkers.
And now, even before the election, the media is gearing up for the post-analysis. In 1994, when the last conservative "overthrow" of congress occurred, voters were called out for their irrational decision. Even the somewhat respected but now late ABC News man Peter Jennings said of the 94 election: "Imagine a nation full of uncontrolled two-year-old rage. The voters had a temper tantrum last week.”
This time around, we are hearing that the voters are about to be a part of one of the most disastrous political catastrophes in the history of the world. "This is going to be terrible. In fact, future historians will probably look back at the 2010 election as a catastrophe for America, one that condemned the nation to years of political chaos and economic weakness." (Paul Krugman, NY Times)
Now, I have to concede, after the 2008 election, you could probably hear a conservative pundit give the same exact quote said about the Obama revolution in 2008... I know that was what I was thinking! Hopefully, as a result of today's election, we will postpone the fiscal demise of the United States.
Nonetheless, I have been humored at the recent, hail-Mary efforts of the liberals to attempt to make peace for the last 22 months of ramrodding their agenda against the will of the majority of America. Obama and many Democrats around the nation are talking about working with the Republicans now. The comedy wing of the mainstream media even hosted a "neutral" event in D.C. with the intent to rally people "back to sanity." A
straw poll indicated 86% of the attendees would be voting Democrat tomorrow, 8% were undecided, 5% not voting, and 1% Republican. Guess the Republicans have no sense of humor!
Having control of the presidency and both houses, I wondered what sort of "sanity" the Democrats and liberals were hoping to return to? After all, they have been calling the shots and steering the ship for the last 22 months. After reading up on the event, and watching some of it on TV, I concluded the rally was about a reversal of the "insanity" of "some" cable news outlets (like Fox) being so unfair (by exposing things not shown in mainstream media) and some groups of people (Tea Party) being unreasonable (racists) by demonstrating their stupidity (freedom) to have the nerve to (dare to) disagree with reasonableness (Pelosi), American priorities (Obama), family values (Barney Frank), professional decorum (Al Franken), and professional ethics (Maxine Waters, Rob Blagoyavich, Charles Rangel, etc) of the current administration and congress.
Thanks for the effort, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. You guys are funny on TV, but your comedic timing and impact were pretty lame in an outside stage venue in front of thousands. Basically, I still get the message from the left: "You Fox News Republicans - you racist greedy bigots! - You need to stop disagreeing with us and let the president spend the country into prosperity and/or government dependence, thereby allowing his party to solidify their political base long enough to repeal the 2nd Amendment!"
Somehow, when the nation revolts and votes in hope and change from a Chicago politician who has never run a business or served more than 2 years in government, that is historical sanity... but when the nation revolts and wants to cut up the credit cards and stop going in debt, that is hysterical insanity? No - THAT IS COMEDY! Now, I get it.
So as I sign off on this election eve, I was able to write this whole blog post without using the words socialism, birth certificate, Muslim, Beer Summit, Arizona, illegal immigration, Gitmo, civilian trials, terrorism, "man-caused disasters", taxes, economy, health care, jobs, national debt, abortion, NPR, contraception for kids, 9/11, Rev. Wright, or U.S. Constitution.
Now, go vote, regardless of what side you're on! It's your right (if you are a legal American citizen with appropriate ID - oh, scratch that. No ID required!)
(Usted no necesita una identificación para votar en Estados Unidos! Votar por los demócratas y que se hará cargo de usted y hacer el pago del gobierno para la educación de su hijo en un colegio americano!)
Signed,
An irrational right-wing extremist Christian, Kool Aid drinking, Fox News watching, Rush Limbaugh listening, Drudge Report reading conservative voting AMERICAN
