So now what? The GOP has to put up or shut up. They spent the last two years operating as the opposition party. Now that they control half of Congress, they are going to have to offer real solutions to the problems in our country. Yelling about Obama ruining the fabric of this country, socialism, death panels... that isn’t going to cut it anymore.
I just got done working an 11 hour shift so I hope this makes sense.
Tonight’s elections were a pretty mixed bag. This goes against the grain of what the media is saying, but trust me. You’ll hear all about how this was a major victory for Republicans, a return to Reagan principles and a stunning mandate on Barack Obama’s presidency.
To that, I say, “shut up, Sarah Palin.”
Republicans cleaned up nicely in the House with a 60+ sweep, the largest swing since 1948. It is a big deal and I’m not going to try and discredit their win by talking about Blue Dog Democrats or the Citizens United case. They organized and played the game well, and there is no taking that away from them (at least until 2012).
Democrats were able to hold out in the Senate, stunting what would otherwise be passed off as a ‘stunning repudiation’ of Democrats. They are holding on to the slimmest of majorities, but it counts for something.
The progressive movement suffered worse than the Democrats did. The defeat of Russ Feingold, the only senator to vote against the Patriot Act and the last major stalwart for campaign finance reform, is a crushing blow. Alan Grayson, even though he was loud and oftentimes decisive, did not waver in his principles. The loss of these two men in congress is a major setback for what passes as the far-left in this country.
So now what?
The GOP has to put up or shut up. They spent the last two years operating as the opposition party. Now that they control half of Congress, they are going to have to offer real solutions to the problems in our country. Yelling about Obama ruining the fabric of this country, socialism, death panels... that isn’t going to cut it anymore.
Some of what the GOP offers will be popular and have a good chance of getting through (think deficit reduction). It is a very real possibility that we could see some investigations into the first two years of the Obama administration, maybe some warranted but most probably not.
How will it change things over the next two years?
The House was the more liberal of the two bodies of Congress. Any attempt at pushing major legislative bills through is going to be even more of an uphill battle if the Republicans continue to refuse to play ball. Instead of working on solving unemployment and re-energizing the economy, we could be faced with years of gridlock and even further division.
I would think that the Senate will try and change the nature of the filibuster. We’ve seen what happens when a 59 seat majority is beholden to the minority, so it only makes sense for the Democrats to try and strengthen themselves as much as possible. The House eliminated the filibuster in 1842.
What’s the bottom line?
We’re all screwed. If you were turned off from politics before, the next few years are going to be hell. If you lean Democrat, expect to get even more pissed off. If you lean Republican, congratulations.
America is in the shitter. We’ve slowly been climbing out the last year or so, but nowhere near fast enough. I hope both parties can put aside their politicking. This isn’t about how red or how blue the map was tonight. This is about growing this country so I can make more than $10 an hour. It is about rebuilding the manufacturing sector. About reigning in the excess and greed that lead our country to where we are now.
So please. Republicans, Democrats. No more tea parties. No more excuses. Put your bullshit aside and remember who you work for.
You have two years.