Well, yesterday was election day and here is what we've
learned about the direction of our country - absolutely
nothing. Without a doubt Republicans will spin the
results as a rejection of Obama's policies and a revival of
conservatism in the United States. Democrats will
repeatedly say that yesterday's results were no big deal and
not a sign of things to come in next year's election.
The
truth is, both are right. Conservatism was never dead
to begin with. Last year so many pundits were
pronouncing the Republican party as dead but had very short
memories. The same pundits, and I mean literally the
same ones because I can recall several of the same men and
women on CNN, declared the Democratic party dead four years
earlier when George Bush was re-elected and Democrats lost
seats in Congress for about the sixth straight time.
Which
is the other point worth remembering. Typically the
party in the White House loses seats in Congress. This
prediction could have been made last year about 2010 even
after President Obama's astounding victory because that is
simply the cycle of things. The winner's party is a
little less enthusiastic about getting out to vote at mid
term elections while the loser's party is bitter and
motivated.
The White House should be less concerned about the
results of yesterday's election and far more concerned about
fulfilling promises. Obama campaigned on a promise of
change and so far the American people have seen little of
it. Guantanamo Bay is still open. We're still
involved in wars in Iraq Afghanistan - actually escalating
there. While the economy is showing signs of recovery,
this is little comfort to to 9.8% of unemployed workers who
will likely top 10% when the latest numbers are released.
Add to this the cost of a $787 billion stimulus package that
has not created jobs as quickly as we were led to believe.
And of course there is the promise of medical reform that
has languished in Congress. I don't know if I'm
representative of the rest of America, but my thoughts are
that I hardly care what gets passed now because regardless
there will be things that both sides don't like about the
bill. Just get something passed and prove to me that
you are capable of enacting some reform.
It can easily be
argued that the President inherited most of the problems
that he is facing right now. In a year that is
unlikely to matter because a) perception is greater than
reality and voters have short memories. In another
year some won't remember the fear of the economy last year
but will remember a failed health care bill or a $787
billion stimulus that didn't accomplish what they
anticipated. And b) the President ran a campaign of
change. He may have inherited these problems and he
was elected to fix them. If progress isn't made by
then, there will definitely be some disillusioned voters out
there next year.
