It's not coming in a bottle, nor is it coming in a telegram. It's coming from people. It's coming from people who feel they are not being heard right now, people who are being overrun by an out of control government. The message is loud and it is clear.
But will they hear?
Robert Gibbs said that the President would not be watching returns last night. Maybe it was true, maybe Obama wasn't watching. But I guarantee you, someone in his Administration was paying close attention. And not only that, I can assure all of you that Congress was watching, especially the blue dog Democrats and corrupt incumbents in both parties.
Will they take heed? Or will they continue on the same destructive path?
CNN's analysts are saying the result of lat night's two state GOP victory isn't a referendum on Obama. It's tempting to say this is in part an attempt to spin away from the discontent that has been developing agaisnt the President. But I think in a larger light, we must view this as discontent against an ideology of big government. People have said through the tea parties, they are tired of high taxes, the indiscriminate spending of their hard earned money, and huge deficits that are mounting up and will be placed on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren. Yesterday, many of them got to demonstrate their unhappiness in the ballot box.
So these dimwitted pundits can spin this anyway they wish, but they must know that the same ideology being promoted by the President is the one that was beaten back yesterday. It is the same ideology shared with an out of control Congress led by the progressive wing of the Democratic party.
Let's look at some things for a moment, shall we?
Just one year ago, Obama won the state of Virginia 53%-47%, which is a 6% spread. Yesterday, the GOP's McDonnell beat the Democrats' candidate Deeds 59%-41%, an 18% spread. That is a 24% swing in 12 months. I'd say this is significant.
New Jersey, a state that is saturated with community organizers and union thugs, couldn't even steal this one. Christie won over the incumbent Corzine, by a 4% margin. It may have been even more had the Independent candidate not been on the ballot. You must keep in mind that NJ went for Obama 57%-42%, and it will be easy to see that this is a strong message.
So, as a progressive Democrat, you may want to point to the NY-23 race where the Democrat Owens beat back a withdrawn RINO and a Conservative Party newcomer, in a traditional GOP district. And that's fine, but let's consider this further than the superficial surface.
What the dimwitted pundits may not point out is the fact that Hoffman was drafted around a month ago, because the GOP candidate shared as much of a progressive ideology as any Democrat. In one month's time, he was able to significantly out-poll the RINO which caused her to tuck her tail between her legs and support the Democrat, after some concern from high profile Dems in the state like Charles Schumer. They did share a conversation just prior to her announcing her withdrawal and her announced public support for the Democrat.
Think about it. In just one month, this political tea party newbie has garnered around 46% of the vote in what is primarily a GOP district. So, to think that the tea partiers are not making a difference in the political climate in this country, would be a strong delusion of the largest magnitude. Keep telling yourself this, Dems. This is precisely what we want you to believe.
With all of this in mind, we can see and hear the message that has been sent. The naysayers will do what they do best, but it's still there for all to see.
Message 2009 is over. Now it is time to look toward next year, where we can (and will) create a wholesale turnover of the filth and slime that is known as the U.S. Congress.
So if you are a blue dog Democrat, it would be wise to study each and every proposal that comes down the pike from here on out. Maybe you would do well to stop talking and lecturing to your constituents, and listen to them for a change. Because if you don't, you will be hearing from them next year and you had better have an updated resume in hand.
Maybe this is why Harry Reid and company are now saying there will be no healthcare bill by the end of the year. We have stalled it, but it has not been defeated. So, more work will need to be done until it is no longer being discussed and other more pressing items can be dealt with, appropriately.
8 comments:
I see this as a referedum on the political extremes. People are clearly rejecting big government liberal politics. But I think people are also rejecting the right wing social conservatives. While Democrats would be wise to learn lessons from the results, it's even more important for the Republicans. When was the last time a Republican lost the NY23? My great grandfather wasn't even alive. Scozzafava was, as Newt Gingrich pointed out, a perfectly good Republican for that part of the country. But the so-cons from far away came in and stuck their nose in it. And look what happened. Whoever wins the middle wins the White House. I hope Republicans don't forget...
Greg is correct; most Americans reside within the political center. Like Greg and others, I have as much concern with the radical right as I do the radical left. On the other hand, there is a viable argument about voting who rather than what we are.
It is important to note that ‘republicans’ have become more and more progressive over time. Individuals who behave according to the dictates of the party more than they behave in character should at least be aware of this. If they are progressive by nature, fine. If they are not, then they should refuse to proceed down the path of progressive (nee socialist) politics.
It happens that I am a conservative. I will not vote for a republican or a democrat unless they have demonstrated conservative values. This doesn’t mean that I hate poor people or starving children. It means, simply, that I believe the federal government is restricted by the Constitution, and may not assume authority except as provided by the Constitution. It means that I think the American people are benevolent enough to give to charity to reach out to help people, without the government usurping this important role. It means that I think the states gave us the federal government, and it is up to the states to reassert their sovereignty to diminish the greatly expanded role of the federal government.
Obama and his henchmen are not dummies; they are right now crowded around a conference table and wondering how to diminish the implications of what happened yesterday. The question then becomes, can we believe anything Obama tells us or promises us about the future? For me, the answer is a resounding ‘no’. It will be interesting to see whether it is possible to fool the American people twice —and we should know that twelve months from now.
Mustang
Greg,
While I am like you in respect to social conservatism, the things I would have been concerned about with her candidacy would have been her involvement with ACORN, her husband's union ties, and her support of the massive spending bills that were rammed through without any regard to the long-term consequences. Despite my respect for Newt and my agreements with his stances on a good many issues, i must diagree with him on this.
Like Mustang, I am concerned about the states rights, the Constitution, and the size and amount of power held by the federal government. To me, abortion and gay rights must always take a back seat to those issues because if they do not, we will not have much of a nation left by the time you are my age.
//It happens that I am a conservative. I will not vote for a republican or a democrat unless they have demonstrated conservative values.//
In medicine, we usually prefer the least drastic measure first, before we get risky. That's but one example of a conservative philosophy.
In the political disciplines, the measure that preserves the most amount of freedom is always the one I prefer, as a first choice. If that doesn't work, then we can discuss other options as we deem necessary. But freedom should always be deferred to, first and foremost.
I think you and I are on the same page on this one, even if you do think my music is an offshoot of the Communist Party from the days of the USSR.
LAS, you are rearely going to agree with a politician on everything. Republicans in the northeast can't go around railing against gay marriage, abortion and so-called 'intelligent design' and hope to win. Republicans here are concerned with balancing budgets, keeping government small, empowering free enterprise. I've grown tired of people like Sarah Palin trying to force their brand of "conservatism" on people that don't want it. I think she and people like her and hurting the Republican party. Maybe NY23 goes Republican if she and other officious intermeddlers mind their own business. Scozzafava would have been better than the Democrat....
correction - they wouldn't rail "against" intelligent design (so-called) - they'd be for it....
//LAS, you are rearely going to agree with a politician on everything. Republicans in the northeast can't go around railing against gay marriage, abortion and so-called 'intelligent design' and hope to win.//
Greg, I really understand what you are saying and believe that is probably true. But...what difference does it make to have a GOP in office that will probably be voting with Obama more times than not, like the two senators from Maine. At least if there is a Democrat in the office, we know what to expect.
I didn't expect Collins and Snowe to vote for the TARP and the stimulus, and wouldn't expect them to vote for the current healthcare bill. But at this point in time, the citizens of Maine cannot be sure they won't. They might as well be Dems.
As I said earlier, I am not a fan of the brand of social conservatism that many in the GOP are promoting. But I will vote for them if they will stop this out of control money machine.
From another perspective, consider something else. Every Republican that has been elected to the WH since Gerald Ford has been against abortion. How many of them have done anything about it? They cannot, they will not, but they cannot afford to lose their base or they will not get elected.
That's why I am not worried about the social conservatives right now. It's more important to save the country from certain bankruptcy and we can deal with the other stuff later.
I am with you, I am not convinced Palin is the best person for the job. But given a choice between her and Obama, it's a no-brainer.
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