Whatâs
Wrong Today:
Conventional
political wisdom says that the GOP is doomed because of its nihilism, short-sightedness
and obstructionism. They say the party is caught in a death spiral with an ever-shrinking
base of aging white guys.
But,
political pundits say that the GOP
could well win the Senate in 2014, giving them both houses of Congress.
Add in the Supreme Court and they would control two-out-of-three branches of
our government, and all of a sudden, that looks like a mighty healthy death spiral.
Can it be
true?
On NPR
this morning, the call by Mara Liasson was that the GOP needs a net pick up of
6 seats to control the Senate and that it looks quite possible: The Democrats have 3
Senators retiring in red states, leaving open competitions for seats in West
Virginia, South Dakota and Montana that they are likely to lose.
Adding to
that, there are 4 Democratically-controlled seats that are up in 2014 in states
won by Mr. Romney last year. They are Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and North
Carolina. Could 3 go to Republicans? Possibly, although knocking off incumbents
is not an easy task.
So, what
vulnerable seats are up on the other side of the aisle? Just one, Mitch
McConnell in Kentucky, but Yertle doesnât look all that vulnerable, despite
being the least
popular Senator in DC. However, Romney won Kentucky by 23% just last
November, so a Democratic takeover is probably wishful thinking.
So, starting
next fall, Republicans could control the Senate in addition to the House and the
Supremes.
What to do
now? Work like a madman to prevent losing 6-7 Senate seats. If it happens, we will
get to wait for the long arc of history to bend toward justice.
Pull up a chair;
it looks like it will be a while.
Meanwhile,
Mr. Bernanke, Federal Reserve Chairman, just told Congress that it is holding
up the economic recovery that the average American could really, really use,
because of short-sighted GOP austerity policies, their general lack of
governing ability and their fawning over the 1%.
But hey,
the 2016 electoral map looks favorable. Today we seem likely to elect another
Democrat. To another presidency of gridlock with an implacable congress.
So, letâs
look forward to that…Guess that in the short-term we are doomed, and in the
long run, we are dead.
Now, go
out there and sell democracy to the world!
Oops,
sorry, don’t see any on the shelves. Can we give you a rain check?
