The only question now is by how many seats. I'm hoping it'll be by at least 15 (meaning a 30 seat gain). To show you how much of a pathetic wonk I am, I'm pulling for four Dems in particular who are running for the House. Scott Kleeb in Nebraska, Gary Trauner in Wyoming (Dick Cheney's old seat), Victoria Wulsin in Ohio and Tammy Duckworth in Illinois. All are running very competitive races in traditionally conservative districts. The odds are against them but if they win, it could be a real bell weather for change.
Things look shakier with the Senate, however. Missouri, Virginia and Montana are too close to call and the party needs all three to retake control. I have high hopes for all three... but Virginia could be tough. Tennessee has been mentioned as an alternate but I think it's a hail Mary pass at best.
Ned Lamont's loss to Joe Leiberman was particularly disappointing. Not because I hated Joe but because he turned this election into an self-aggrandizing ego-fest. I can't stand any candidate --Democrat or Republican-- who acts as if they are entitled to their office. They are representatives of the people and should behave as such. Leiberman has consistantly shown a disdain for the people he serves and the party he supposedly belonged to. That's part of the reason why he lost the primary. He didn't deserve a second bite at the apple.
Now, before you paint me as a knee-jerk, commie-loving, gay marriage supporting liberal (which I mostly am), I want to tell you about a little election day tradition I have. Every major election I look for at least one republican to vote for. I've been doing this since the late 80s when I lived in Chicago and voted for Jack O'Malley as the Cook County State Attorney. I have almost always been able to find at least one member of the other party to support. The gesture is more symbolic than anything else but it's important to my personal sense of ethics. Today it was for a republican running for U of M's Board of Regents.
Anyway, one thing we can all be thankful for regardless of party affiliation... NO MORE POLITICAL ADS... until the next electionrolls around.
If you voted today, thank you. Democracy cannot work without the particpation of its citizens. If you didn't... well, shame on you.
Here are some more links to pass/waste the time...
- My favorite political ad this season.
- Despite what the Christian Wrong would have you believe, many of our founding fathers had serious issues with religion. My main man Benjammin' Franklin, in particular, was a critical deist... a theology I subscribe to enthusiatically. When founding dude Alexander Hamilton (who should have been and would have been president if not for snapperhead Aaron Buhr) was asked why our Constitution makes no mention of God, he answered the our republican wasn't in need of "foreign aid." Anyway, you can read all about it here.
- Proud moments in Secret Service history. [link]
- 109 reasons to dump the 109th Congress.
- Politics distilled. (another oldy but a goody)
No comments:
Post a Comment