Interesting goings on and wondrous displays of verbal gymnastics could be seen last night. If you did not hear, the most important races last night were decided in favor of the Republican Party—VA governor, NJ governor (!!) and the Maine Gay Marriage law all fell out in favor of the more conservative candidate or position. Of course, I have an on-again-off-again romance with the Republican Party. Sometimes it is hard to tell the parties apart. I am generally conservative, so I was happy about the elections. My greatest chuckles, however, came watching the spin doctors—especially on the left—downplay the results. Stats were wheeled out concerning VA Governors election in off years and how the Democrats are going to be in trouble if they do not press forward and pass comprehensive government-run healthcare because they will alienate their base. They also assured us that it is not a referendum on Obama. They kept saying this over and over. To paraphrase Shakespeare “Me thinks the spinners protesteth too much!” It is obvious that these elections signaled exactly what the spin doctors denied. Here are my conclusions . . .
- People are fed up with President Obama’s constant blaming of the Bush administration for all problems under the sun. The honeymoon is over and the President would do well to start to own up to the fact that he has spent a trillion dollars and accomplished little or nothing. What looked legitimate in February looks like blame shifting now. (My bet is that he will keep on with this because many on the fringe left are content to blame H1N1 and asteroid strikes and the Fall on Bush.)
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If the Democrats push forward toward a large healthcare overhaul they will quickly and decisively be out on their ear. Spending a trillion more would be political suicide, but it is more complicated than a simple suicide. Obama now finds himself in a Catch 22. If he does not pass it, he will deflate the energy of his base. If he does pass it, he will lose the independents and maybe even the Democratic Primary (How long will Hilary stay on a sinking ship?). (My bet is that he cannot accomplish this. I think that Obama might be willing to go down with the ship on this one, but too many Democrats will have too much of a stake in self-preservation. They will abandon ship.) This is a big loss for Obama.
I am sure that things will get interesting, but, again, I was chuckling last night to see the verbal gymnastics on the left.
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I love politics and thought the same things you mentioned.
Let’s hope common sense comes back into goverment a.s.a.p
2010 should be interesting.