Two Down, One to Go ~ Harry Reid

It sure didn't take long for the Democrats to stake their position for the next congressional session. The President has stated that the loss of so many seats was a failure to communicate on his part. I wonder if that's a polite way of telling us how dense we are!

Today Nancy Pelosi has said she's been persuaded to run for House minority leader. That their accomplishments were too important for America to be repealed or amended. Here is one of the most pugnacious Speakers the House has ever had. Not to mention disliked.

The next question is whether or not Harry Reid will remain as Senate Majority Leader. I should imagine so though Chuck Schumer is nipping at his heels.

This does not indicate to me there will be much across the aisle compromise. The only mystery that remains is how the Republicans are going to comport themselves. In the last few days we've seen that both the House and Senate leaders are of a more clement nature than their Democratic counterparts. We've also seen that both can show a great deal of resolve in stating their goals. It's sure a contrast in styles! Beware an iron fist in the velvet glove!

Only two full days have passed since the election. What do I see? Pretty much business as usual. It won't be pretty.

Post Election Morning ~ After Glow Or Hang Over?

For me it's a little of both along with a smidge of wariness. I'm sorry our Blue Dog lost. He is a rarity in Washington. A man who will buck the powers that be if he thinks they're wrong. I'm sorry Carly Fiorina and Meg Whitman lost. We lived in California when Jerry Brown was Governor, Governor Moonbeam. It's difficult to understand why Californians would do it again considering his record since. I doubt, anyway, he will be able to govern California any better than his predecessors. I'm sorry Linda McMahon lost. Maybe just because I knew her ages ago when we lived in Hartford and she was a tennis partner.

On a different note, I hope the Tea Party people and those who voted for their more personally extreme candidates have learned a lesson. Look at the whole person, not just what comes out of their mouth. Rand Paul probably would not have won had his father not been Ron. O'Donnell ~ what can I say. A winnable seat lost because the establishment candidate was a moderate. Probably the worst reason to not vote for someone. Sharon Angle? More of the same. It's time to realize the the reigning princess of the air waves, Sarah Palin, shoots from the lip with her endorsements. Be more careful next time around! If Murkowski pulls out Alaska it's not bad. She's a moderate. Forget about the Palin vendetta!

As to where I'm wary. I listened to both Boehner and Obama this morning. They both have "My Way" as their theme song. Obama seems to think our frustration is all about the economy. He's wrong. It's about his entire agenda. I expect no non-partisanship from him. Nor from the Republicans. Hopefully, however, they're at least wise enough not to follow the pundits advice to give no quarter. They, the pundits, definitely haven't learned.

I fear we'll see too many extremists on both sides of the aisle and a lot of deadlocks. That may be good if it means no more forcing legislation down our throats. It's bad if it means nothing gets done. Then we'll suffer through the blame game again.

The next few days will be interesting. Obama is off to the G-8/20 summit in Seoul by way of India and Indonesia. He has no business to attend to in India nor Indonesia, just Seoul. If the rumors are true about his booking 500 hotel rooms and having an entourage of 3000 you hope the numbers are an exaggeration by some malcontents. If it's true, be sure he didn't hear the message from the voters. Perhaps he needs a hearing aide! Or czar.

It's not just the economy.

Republicans Teeter As Democrats Totter

Scott Rasmussen has a very valid point when he says a vote against the Democrats isn't necessarily a vote for the Republicans. I have yet to see a "plan", if you will, from John Boehner, Nancy Pelosi's likely replacement. What I see is a vacuum.

Then there are the vocal Tea Party types who are touting no compromise. Just listen to Rush Limbaugh and such. Gads. They get so rabid I can almost see them flailing pitchforks and dancing around fires. I anticipate the Republicans are going to have much the same problems that the Democrats have. Rebellion within their own ranks. The "true conservatives" against the elitists. With the Dems it was the far left urging them to go even farther. If that was possible.

The Tea Party already has some 40 members in the House alone. There are sure to be more. We've been privy to the campaigns of three of them, all definitely anti-establishment as in establishment Republicans. And a little off kilter to say the least. Who knows what those we've yet to hear about are like. What havoc the Tea Party will wrought remains to be seen. You can be sure they will be heard, but how many of us will agree with the direction they will want to go. Extremes, no matter the side, don't sit well with the voters.

I'm far too jaded to believe anything much is going to change. Washington is what it is and no campaign promise is going to change it. The challenge for the voters is to figure out a place to go rather than back to the Democrats. Will there finally be a viable push for a third party? Can the voters move from their red or blue tendencies? Many say no. I'm not so sure.

I'm still waiting for the Modern Whigs to get their act together. They need a good public relations team to get vocal and visible!

Who else? Will the Tea Party actually organize? Right now it's rag tag assembly of organizations of which one can't be sure any two are the same.

The state of politics in American is in free fall. The media is little help because of it's favoritism. FOX's slogan, Fair and Balanced, is what journalism should be but is no more ~ including FOX.

As social media and blogs become more prevalent, how will they influence future elections? It's an opportunity to lay out issues, the whys and the wherefores, something sorely missing in campaigns. Character assassination such as we've see this go round serves no purpose other than to make me wonder, if what's said bears any semblance of truth, why vote at all! The language is unbelievable. People calling others a bitch or whore. Even in private, this is hardly the language of professionals. Yet it is.

I am lost, I'll admit. Perhaps it's generational. For better or for worse, however, it gives me fodder on which to feed. One among millions. Why bother? It vents my frustration.

Gravitas And Sarah Palin

Two days to go. Nearly everyone seems to agree that the House will go Republican, the Senate will hold. Whether or not Harry Reid will be there is still open speculation.

The changes will be significant. Whether good or bad remains to be see. If Sarah Palin has her way, and she is not alone, there will still be gridlock. I listened to her interview with Mike Wallace this morning and must agree with Karl Rove that as of yet she has not the gravitas to be President. She is a die hard conservative and nothing more, or less, will do. This is a beeline for gridlock. The one saving grace at this point is that the Tea Partiers will not hold the majority of Republican seats. Holding to principles in lieu of debate and compromise does not work. Haven't we seen this cycle after cycle? It's what partisanship is all about.

I remember one of my readers telling me why having power divided one way or the other between the House, Senate and Executive is essential to prevent debacles like Obamacare, it's also necessary to force compromise. And compromise makes for better legislation. Not necessarily good ~ but better.

So here we go. I'm looking forward to seeing how things shake out. I'm looking forward to seeing if I'm in sync with local voters where I have the same knowledge of our candidates' credentials as they do. I'm especially looking forward to see who the Republicans start floating as serious Presidential candidates.

Chris Wallace ventured a guess about Ms. Palin. He thinks she's having too much fun and making too much money to declare. She answered she'd make the necessary sacrifices if the country really wanted her. To generate such yearning in me she'd have to show she is not only deeply versed in all the issues that we face, from war to terror to health care to the economy. And that she understands not everyone agrees with the ultra conservative stance. If she doesn't, she'll find herself facing an electorate likely to reject her. Dealing with the ideologue we have now should be example enough. Realizing that is gravitas.

Assasination By Campaign Sign

The closer we get to election day, the nastier things get. I'd advise those perpetrating the dirty tricks to be careful of what they wish for. On the other hand they probably don't care.

I've seen these signs around brilliant red northern Idaho and wonder if the Republicans are so worried about their candidate losing they have to stoop to this. Or do the Democrats have a death wish? Curious, I asked a friend who is a mover and shaker with the Dems and was advised to note the sponsoring name on the poster. Hmmm. Seems the name is that of a VP of the Reagan Republicans! Whether or not his organization gave it's blessing is something I don't know. He certainly has the right as an individual to do as he pleases. If it's a personal issue or a party issue, the party is tarred with it.

The bothersome thing is that Mr. Minnick has been anything but a rubber stamp for Obama and his agenda. Yes, he is a Democrat and yes, he does vote with his party. However, on the headline issues he's voted against them. You see, he's one of those rascally Blue Dogs. The ones who've listened to their constituents and voted their conscience all along. The ones who don't have to be marathon men now racing away from ill advised votes.

We need the Blue Dogs. Though the power may shift as a result of this election cycle, if there is to be any hope for cross aisle negotiating, we need politicians like the Blue Dogs. If Mr. Minnick pulls out this election perhaps he could become the lead dog. That would be something!

On the other hand, a deliberately obfuscated campaign sign will cost him votes. After all, that's the name of the game. Win. No matter the cost. For all the wrong reasons.

It has nothing to do with the candidate, his character or how he voted on the issues before him. It's just politics as usual. Desperate or dirty. Take your pick.