I had meant to be more active this election cycle--helping campaigns where possible, writing when I could. I should have been more active. I keep telling myself this as I look at Democalypse 2014: The Hunt For Red November. I had family and medical reasons that kept me from doing much. We all have busy lives, and I know it. I did at least vote.
To those of you who phone-banked, went door-to-door, manned the phones and worked at the polls, I thank you, very humbly.
I clearly need to write more often. I don't know how many minds I'll change, but I may change a few.
Nationally, we got thumped. Shorter election results: "We're mad at government because it's gridlocked, it screws up badly, and we're not gonna take it any more. Since the GOP has been telling us government is gridlocked and screws up badly, we're voting for them."
Our reply should be, "Yeah, and who do you think makes the government screwed up and gridlocked? Cuz it sure as hell ain't the Democrats." You can add expletives if you like. I probably will, at least with friends.
Sometime in the past couple of years, I posted a comment on a The New York Times column about the 2014 midterm elections (under my real name, so no link--sorry). The gist of it was this: The GOP focuses on each election cycle like there's no tomorrow. If they win in 2014, they'll be very happy and talk about it vindicating their worldview. However, it will set the stage for a massive sea change come 2016.
That last bit is highly dependent on Democratic politicians not acting Repub-lite. It also means that the ground game for Democrats needs to start very early. We're allowed time to rest, reflect, and lick our wounds from this election. Months even. But for us to truly effect a sea change come 2016, we cannot wait for the last snows of 2015 to melt before getting up and doing things.
Given my health and my family obligations, it looks like all I can do is write and offer to be voice talent. But that much I will do.
In my state, Massachusetts, I'm somewhat more hopeful. Our entire Congressional delegation has the blues about the national results, and is blue going to Congress. Total Dem sweep. One of the few strong GOP contenders, Richard Tisei--who I do respect--did not come close to winning a seat. Most statewide offices got Democratic wins, and congratulations to State Auditor Suzanne Bump and Secretary of State William Galvin on winning re-election. Amazingly, we seemed to have higher turnout in my polling station this year than we did in 2012. It's rare for me to wait in line, however briefly. You can find full state election results at WBUR.org
The result many of us are disappointed about is Martha Coakley's loss to Charlie Baker. Two disappointments here: Charlie Baker won by about 40k votes, but the leading independent candidate got over 70k votes; and, about 250k people who voted to reelect Senator Ed Markey--he got about 1.25m votes--voted against Martha Coakley. That's a strong rebuke.
I have a feeling she would have won reelection if she'd gone on the ballot for Attorney General again, but she has higher ambitions and possibly felt that staying there would mean she couldn't run for a higher office again after her loss to Scott Brown. If that is in fact how she felt, well, I think she would have been mistaken. Lieutenant Governor Jane Swift came into office after losing her challenge to Representative John Olver in a previous election cycle. One district loss does not lose you credibility as a political candidate. Charlie Baker lost his run against Governor Patrick just four years ago, so clearly one statewide loss doesn't lose you credibility either, at least not if you're in the minority party. Two statewide losses in a row? as a member of the majority party?... that might be another story.
I think she forgot about the concept of licking your wounds. Another stint as an effective AG--which she will be for a couple more months--would have helped another run for a different statewide office later. I know her successor, Maura Healey, will do a fine job as AG, but Martha Coakley needs a couple of years away from campaigning. Maybe then she can try again.
As for Governor-elect Charlie Baker? I will, with some wistfulness, congratulate him. Well... at least we still have a Democratic supermajority in our state legislature. This has been the secret of Massachusetts still managing to do well under increasingly right-wing Republican governors over the past couple of decades.
Massachusetts voters voted to keep the gas tax the same, ie not indexed to inflation; keep the Bottle Bill the same, ie not allowing more categories and not indexing the deposit to inflation; and to keep the upcoming gambling establishments ready to build. Hey, my state senator once told me that bankruptcy rates double in a 35 mile radius around a casino. Bankruptcies are disruptive, and I'm just conservative enough to not like that kind of disruption in my community. Our one bright spot in the ballot questions was the vote to require employers to give employees paid sick time, which passed.
Back to the nation.
Here are some items to look out for in the upcoming cycle: Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. He may try to fully nuke the filibuster now that his party controls both chambers of Congress, and if he does he'll cite the Democrats ending it for politcal appointees as why he should fully nuke it. We may see more administrative holds in the Senate, and more reconciliation bills (not requiring a committee) started in the House.
The GOP will keep hammering how bad government is in the press, and they'll prove it by making it worse.
Various GOP governors will jockey for the party nomination for President. Hillary Clinton will probably ask a retired general to be her vice presidential candidate. War hawks will still sneer and vote Republican.
Republican distortions and lies will become so grotesque that news outlets might resort to something they've mostly left to comedians for the past couple of decades, by which I mean fact-checking. They won't put Messrs Stewart, Colbert, Maher, Oliver or Wilmore out of a job, but might make all of them less upset about their current or prospective future Peabody Awards.
And, Tom Tomorrow will let Sparky be ever more snarky.
My next post will be about food, because we need more good food. Take the rest of the week off from politics. Your ulcers will thank you. I know mine will.