Change Is Coming, But Not For The Better

Well, with just one week to go before the mid-terms do you want the good news, or the bad news? Let's start with the good news shall we? Races are tightening nationwide and Democrats will hold the U.S. Senate, bank on it. The lunatic fringe Tea Party Candidates have done just enough damage to make this a sure thing. There will be losses, but not enough to take control of the Senate.

Ah, and now to the bad news. If you listen closely to the political winds, as November 2nd rapidly approaches, you will hear that familiar music as the fat lady sings. Despite my hopes to the contrary, it looks very likely now that the Republicans will take the House of Representatives next week. Even as Democrats have begun to surge in some areas, it is to little, to late. Given the current state of the economy, poor job growth, sustained unemployment at 9.6 %, the obstacles are to great, in spite of the fact Republicans have no specific plans to tackle these problems. Which leads me to reason #1 why the Democrats will loose the house.

The Fear Factor: People trust their government now, about as much as they did during the height of the Watergate scandal. Anti-incumbent fever is rampant in the electorate, because they see the accomplishments in health care and finance reform as boon doggles, and necessary deficit spending to stabilize the economy and wasteful and ineffective. (more on this later) People are out of work, and loosing their homes, some are in the street, some are barely holding on. The fact that wall street only owes the government $29 Billion dollars down from the $787Billion lent, doesn't mean shit to the guy who's unemployment runs out next week. The people need to see improvement in the economy, especially job creation, everything else is secondary. Which brings me to #2.

Short Term Memory Loss: Because the middle class is in a full stage panic right now, they forget who's policies and economic formulas put them in this situation. It is a well known fact by now that most rational economists agree cutting taxes for the rich, and deregulation of corporations at the expense of the public welfare, does not work to stimulate the economy. In fact, it creates deficit spending while spurring little if any economic growth. So what new economic policies do Republicans offer us? Zip, Zero, Nada, just the same old crap that put us here in the first place. It's because the "Fear Factor" is so pervasive, people just want change for the sake of change, and its party neutral. Unfortunately the Democrats are in power so they get the bulls eyes on their backs more than Republicans. This is the same electorate that swept the Republicans out of Congress in 2006, and finished the job in 2008. Have things changed that much in 2 years? Which brings me to #3.

Taking Credit For Your Accomplishments: In the first 2 years of the Obama administration. He passed a $700 Billion stimulus package that helped stabilize the economy and keep it from falling off a cliff. He passed sweeping Health Care Reform that put people before profit. He passed Financial Reform that takes a step toward preventing a future economic meltdown. Yet instead of touting these reforms and how much they will help people, they run from them like an illegitimate child. Once again allowing Republicans to hijack the conversation and flood the airways with fictions about what these reforms will REALLY do, which feeds the "Fear factor" which always plays into the hands of, you guessed it Republicans. Which takes me to my 4th and final point.

"Citizens United": Don't know what that is? I'm sure most of you do, but for those not familiar that was the name of the landmark Supreme Court Case that passed early this year. It allows millions of outside interest money, even foreign money, to pour into political campaigns without having to disclose where the money comes from, sounds like Democracy in its purest form does it not? This ruling was championed by Republicans because they knew that they would be the ones to benefit from it, and they have, to a tune of almost 3 to 1 versus their Democratic counterparts.

So there it is, Republicans have a nation gripped with fear, stung with short-term memory loss, bombarded with misinformation created by an ocean of money no one can track. Sounds like the perfect witches brew for a political victory on the right, only I'm not sure which is scarier, the formula, or the result?