The morning after

It is not quite 9 am in this part of the world on this day after the election. Part of me says to refrain from writing too much about yesterday’s outcome while it’s smarting so much, while another part says to get to it while the reality is fresh and just starting to sink in.

I suspect some regular readers of this blog are pleased with yesterday’s results. The Democrats are now punished for daring to pass health care reform and reestablishing limits on the financial markets. The economic problems local communities feel with lack of work and falling home values were officially pinned on the party of the president, and boy did they pay. Especially here in Ohio. Republicans tossed out the governor, kept the Senate seat, and retook the state House. (I must admit, I thought the GOP already controlled most of Ohio. They surely do now.)

Mid-term elections always favor the non-presidential party, it seems, so Democrats were fighting an up-hill battle from the get-go. I remember last winter when the health care bill came up for final vote there was talk that if the Dems were going to go down in the mid-term election, at least go down for a good cause. Pass the bill and let the cards fall where they may. I think it’s safe to assume this morning that the cards did, indeed, fall, and the GOP took the pot. Well, maybe not in California.

I just wonder how the Democrats would have done if they had conservative radio yakking their talking points all day, every day? The GOP has Limbaugh and Hannity and Beck spewing all afternoon on radio stations all across America. The Democrats have nobody. AirAmerica, as limited as their broadcasts were, went bust long ago. And every time I stop in the local McDonalds for a quick bite, there’s Fox News on their television. Last Saturday Fox’s Neil Cavuto’s top story was how Obama is torpedoing small business. I know Rush wanted to take credit for delivering the House to the GOP back in Clinton’s first mid-term election. My guess is he and the cadre of conservative commentators can take some credit for this election, too.

And, of course, with a Republican Supreme Court that awarded George W. Bush the presidency in ’02, we now have the Citizens United decision that allows corporations to spend as much money as they want to elect their own candidates. After all, according to the Roberts’ court, corporations are the same as individuals. They can take money made on products we buy to influence legislation that benefits them and their stockholders. Disclosure of donors? Not necessary. Fairness and justice aren’t for everyday Main Street Americans. Corporate and lobbying money talks. Why am I surprised?

I must admit, I was not an activist for this election. I wrote a couple of checks, but I refused to go door to door or make phone calls. I was pretty bruised and hurt before it all began. I was offended by Palin and the Tea Party set calling me unpatriotic. I was offended by references to my president as being a communist and a Nazi at the same time. I was repelled by the ugliness. Oh, and by the way, Obama isn’t really even an American. He is one of the evil Other we’re all so scared of.

I’m not much a fighter. I’d really rather get along. I assume people will do what’s best for each other, especially those in need. Here in Montgomery county, Ohio, a big social services levy passed yesterday with little trouble. That’s good. But I have little else to feel good about today.

I’ve heard a few folks say that this too, will pass. America is big enough to withstand political shifts. After all, we survived Reagan and Clinton and W. Still, it was Reagan’s penchant to deregulate that brought on the financial crisis and W’s war in Iraq that still cripple us financially. Were the Republicans held responsible for any of that? No. The Democrats were left holding the bag. I am really discouraged by Americans' short memories.

On bad days like this I just tell myself that America gets what it deserves. So I guess when John Boehner moves to repeal health care reform -- and if the Grand Old/Tea Bag Party succeeds -- that’s just what we deserve. After all, giant health care companies have our best interests in mind. Just ask the bankers who encouraged Reagan to push for deregulation.

Today’s elder idea: Some Americans want to criticize a dark-skinned man for offering too much help to the poor. They seem to have confused our president with Jesus.

Poor paraphrase of something I heard.