Independent voters who powered President Obama to victory in 2008 have deserted his party this year, all but guaranteeing that Republicans will win control of the House in Tuesday’s elections, though analysts said self-inflicted wounds likely will keep the GOP from winning the Senate.
The final pre-election Gallup poll found likely voters preferring Republicans to Democrats 55 percent to 40 percent — a staggering record margin for the GOP that feeds predictions that Republicans could win upward of 60 seats in the House and more than a half-dozen seats in the Senate.
If those numbers materialize, it would mark the third straight election to create massive turnover in Washington, reflecting a spectacularly unsettled electorate desperately in search of politicians who can get things done, said former Rep. Thomas M. Davis III, who ran House Republicans’ campaign committee in the 2000 and 2002 elections.
“You had a dozen years where there’s been no good news for Americans. Most political parties, political institutions, failed them. The dot-com bust, two wars, Katrina, the economic meltdown on Wall Street and foreclosures and high unemployment; real wages have not increased in 20 years,” Mr. Davis said.
— Not only that, but the glaring omission in those dozen years? No real conservatism / classical liberalism to speak of up for national office.
Classical liberal principles, clearly explained to an engaged electorate, sells. And that’s precisely because those principles are the principles America was founded on, and its those principles that allowed her to flourish.
Triangulating for votes, crafting speech to sound more “moderate,” worrying about supposed “electability” of candidates outside the GOP party machinery — these are all fools errands, and are the kinds of behaviors adopted by political insiders and pragmatic “intellectuals” who enjoy nothing more than the power of manipulating and managing the electorate in order to corral them into their own party pen.
Too often, though, these machinations come at the expense of principles. Which is why even a wave election like today’s threatens to be is far from a vote of confidence for Republicans — some of whom, inside the Beltway, have already begun making overtures about compromise with Democrats, and are openly disdainful of the new Tea Party contingent that threatens to intrude on a culture of Washington insider-ness.
These politicians — and their enablers in the media (both old and new) — need to understand that the Tea Party movement is not a one-off, election-year groundswell. It is instead a grass-roots manifestation of classical liberal and conservative ideology that has been unable to find outlets in the two major parties for far too long.
Back a year and half ago, I wrote of the OUTLAW movement being one that could conceivably cross party lines, drawing in Reagan Democrats and independents who — while they don’t always agree on policy — at least agree on the proper role of government in the US.
If the GOP establishment — and we’re looking at you, Rove and Gillespie, et al., — isn’t careful, the party could find itself a true regional party, representing no one but Rockefeller Republicans, most of whom would have no real problem jumping to the Democrat party anyway.
Big tent. outlaw.
self-inflicted wounds likely will keep the GOP from winning the Senate.
oh do please elaborate
In a sense, the clearest indicator we might see that Republican politicians understand what is afoot in the nation would be firing their political campaign consultants and marketers, the Steve Schmidts, the Roves, and taking up serious study of political philosophers like James Madison or Harvey Mansfield instead, in order to better think for themselves. Ain’t gonna happen though, is it?
How can anyone be OUTLAW when Led Zep sells cars on TV and doobies are no longer badass? After voting, I’m definitely going to start jaywalking more.
Go ask analysts.
Tattoos and genital piercings.
Or tattoos of genital piercings.
Incidentally, none of this will matter if people don’t go out and vote today. It’s put up or shut up time for the Tea Partiers, independents, et al.
I voted. I voted for one American Constitution Party candidate, one libertarian, and the rest R’s. I voted to retain not a single judge. And — even though I was told our schools and police would suffer, with woman, children, and minorities hardest hit — I voted for ballot initiatives that cut spending and taxes as matters of principle.
You can’t go around preaching that everyone else cut spending and then vote to protect your own districts. At least, I can’t.
Big tent. outlaw.
I’m with you. I do think that blackjacking the GOP establishment types and leaving them by the side of the road would be easier than trying to start a new, third party. If that does not work, however, I will be lined up and ready to support whomever does step up and represent classical liberal values. Heck, I’d even run for something local.
The country is still roughly divided. Other than abortion, the US is moving more libertarian on social issues and more conservative on fiscal issues. The indies and moderates who shifted to Obama and the Dems last time out of disgust with the GOP are now shifting out of disgust from the Dems and Obama.
And if the GOP does not start acting like conservatives and making reak fiscal changes, the tide will flow the other way (or possibly to a third party) next time.
“I voted to retain not a single judge. And — even though I was told our schools and police would suffer, with woman, children, and minorities hardest hit — I voted for ballot initiatives that cut spending and taxes as matters of principle.”
Good man. I usually vote to punt the judges – they are all way too comfortable. We have one suburb asking for a tax increase to build an aquatic center… I can only imagine how that plays with all the laid off folks that used to work in the area’s light industry and warehouses…
How about henna tattoos of genital piercings? Outlaw, or comfortably mainstream?
I voted last Friday. Our voting is all-electronic, so it’s no more trouble to diddle the system on voting day than it is for early voting, and as a Texan of a certain age I’m more than a bit cynical about voting shenanigans anyway. I never met Lyndon, but Wright Patman was once a guest in our home…
The only judge on the ballot this time is a personal acquaintance, generally a good guy even if he does bask in the comfort of the perks of his office, and a Republican, so I went ahead and voted for him. All Rs except for one Libertarian. Unusually for this part of Texas, there were Republicans in all the down-ballot races. It’s only now that the breakup of the Solid South has gotten down to County Clerk level.
Regards,
Ric
Where does a tat and a Prince Albert put someone?
Voting in Texas is only all-electric on election day in less populous counties. Dallas County can’t afford that many machines so on election day, most of the ballots are analog with each precinct having oneor two electronic machines for those who would rather use them or so election officials can easily take them to the curb for disabled voters who can’t make it inside.
Since the electronic systems in Texas aren’t networked, and tabulations aren’t uploaded to a networked system until after collection is complete, it’d take an inside job, messing with the programming or the collection to interfere with it.
RELEASE THE KRAKEN!
I voted R with the exception of Governor because the only guy with a shot who isn’t Linc Chaffee is a Dem, and State Treasurer, because the R guy is a hack and the D chick is a venture capitalist. I wish I could vote judges out.
RTO: Like I said, I’ve met Wright Patman (which Google). The spiritual descendants of Lyndon Johnson will find a way, I’m confident.
The machines we used had daisy-chained power cords, but no coax or CAT5 in sight.
OT: Are you guys getting rainfall? The radar looks medium-grim out your way.
Regards,
Ric
The line at my polling precict was wrapped around the building. Senoia GA is not a dem stronghold.
The hippy poll watcher isn’t even here.
I hope the TeaParty folks do stay engaged in the process instead of going back to their couches and talking about their votes not mattering. Because I think the “wave” that everyone keeps talking about is mostky made up of TeaPartiers and what I call the “fickle, low information, independants”. The latter category were part of the 52% last time, mostly because all their friends talked endlessly about “those darn war lovin’ Republicans”, and they desperately wanted to be part of Obama’
s “historic” voter coalition.
This time, though, a lot of their friends are singing different tunes, so they’re instead voting for the Republicans…
It’s anecdotal, to be sure, but following mass this morning some of the very same people I saw lecturing people on why they should vote for Obama, were lecturing people about how “tone deaf” the administration was and how they were going to go to the polls today and “throw the bums out”.
Social pressure and opinion-intertia is amazing, eh? Especially when you consider that I am a demographic outlier at daily mass, and that most of the other attendees are 20 to 30 years my senior.
So that makes the fickleness especially disturbing when it’s occurs among 70 to 80+ year olds!; these folks should know better, or at least have a more wisened and well thought out opinion…
It rained here last night and into the early morning but hasn’t since ’bout 4am. It’s cloudy though, and will be at the Cape tomorrow for the afternoon launch of STS-133, which bummer, cause I’m going.
Oh, and I voted straight-ticket team R, but, I mean, what else would y’all expect from me :) But seriously, I rarely have voted straight ticket in years past.
Especially here in the suburbs of NYC! And yes, I voted for Palladino, DioGuardi, Townsend, King, etc…The result is voting against most incumbents, save for Peter King and Cuomo.
But I couldn’t vote for Cuomo, ever, not with his fingerprints all over the Fannie/Freddie sub-prime meltdown.
It’s a cold rain a-fallin’. The dogs are asleep in front of the entertainment center, Rush is on the radio, I’m working from home, Maggie’s gone to work, the cats are either sleeping or perpetrating some mischief in the front bedrooms, the coffee is strong and hot. Having to use electric light at noon– I like it.
Voted on the first day of early voting. Voted against my R state senator (not a lick of difference between him and the D, except that her behavior will be honest). Didn’t vote for anyone running unopposed (mostly judges). Voted L for all the “money” jobs. Voted R everywhere else. I wish Texas did a retention ballot for judges istead of partisan races.
My wife and I just beat the lunch rush in Thomas Crossroads (Donald will know where that is) so there was no line out the door but we did have to wait in line for a machine.
As noted in another thread I voted for a Libertarian for something or other — I think PSC — and either voted against judicial incumbents or skipped them altogether. I’ve made it a matter of principle to vote no on targeted tax breaks because they only make things more complicated and hey, I’d like for my taxes to go down one of these days for a change but only as part of a general tax-rate rollback.
Classical liberal principles, clearly explained to an engaged electorate, sells. And that’s precisely because those principles are the principles America was founded on, and its those principles that allowed her to flourish.
This. For the next ten years, if that’s what it takes.
RTO: Voting D for State Senator may have been a mistake. Yeah, your guy is… well, I’m trying to moderate my language. But redistricting is coming up. Were you at home the last time? Party, that was.
Regards,
Ric
I’ve got the reverse Prince Albert. An eagle fighting a snake.
Voted early.
And often.
Sorry, no tattoo, Jeff, though my BF wants me to get one real bad. As for the other, I think you know
If elektion korruption doesn’t overwhelm the anti-Dem vote, Repubs had better realize they didn’t win. They will have only not lost. We’ll be watching every move they make from now on.
Acutally Michael Kinsley shows he is not particularly exceptional, except at being an asshole. Added bonus douchpoints for throwing in tea bagging, but that is what Michael likes to do when he is not being a jerk off.
And Michael, believe it or not, many of the
tea baggertea party get that cuts need to be made.I’ve decided to get a Don’t Tread on Me tat.
Just today I decided this. After hitting the bong for about a half hour.
Ink me, bitches. For FREEDOM!
What’s a bong?
Maybe it can be heard above the din
Not if it’s funga din.
Well, you tried to warn people.
Texas: the Outlaw State
Got a double-page ad for the “Real Conservative” candidate for congress in the mail the other day, my wife heard him on the radio yesterday morning, said he hit all the right notes. I had never heard of him, so I pulled the ad out of the trash and on the back, in fine print “Paid for by the Indiana Democrat Party”. I have scans if anyone wants them. That Baron Hill is a fucking class act. He’ll win by 25 confused old people votes.
There are man-made rules like, “You can’t start a war without the permission of the United Nations Security Council.”
Oh yeah? Hold mah beer an’ watch THIS, pal…
Redistricing; it won’t matter. It’ll all be done by the judges anyway.
I think AZ holds that distinction for now, Mike.
I went to high school with the republican PSC candidate.
Good guy, and he didn’t take any pac money.
I RAN RIGHT THE FUCK OVER HIM IN 9th grade football. In practice.
So he got my vote.
I didn’t know anything at all about most of the down-ballot races, and it seems unlikely the L would win anyway. It’s just by the time I got down that far I’d been doing nothing but voting for R’s and wanted to mix it up a little.
Georgia needs an elected Does-Nothing-but-Meet-Once-a-Year-for-Sandwiches-and-Coffee-and-Doesn’t-Cost-Taxpayers-a-Dime Board, so those of us who don’t want to vote a straight-party ticket can mix it up without fear of unintended consequences.
LMC – the conduct of Baron Fucking Hill and the DCCC has been brazen in its asshattery, no?
No problem man.
If we get the senate, we should do maguire’s. I know people.
True enough, RTO, considering how they told the entire Republicrat establishment to shove it.
Don, I’m beginning to think it could happen.
[…] “Independents desert Democrats” […]
Hey sure, why not? It’s kinda like a nose ring after all and what could go wrong with a nose ring? You get an infection and your nose falls off, people are going to point and laugh, no biggie. But with a Prince Albert you won’t even have to worry about people pointing and laughing….
Fools’ errands.
Again and again and again. And then somebody like Reagan comes along and says Yes, we can and by we means we, not the government, and he was an idiot.
Reagan clobbered the Russkies in Central America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and, finally, in Russia, itself. And he was a snoozy, old-timer idiot.
Perhaps when John Kerry and Barack Obama call us idiots we should thank them.
The key word is sells. It needs to be sold well and it needs to be sold often.
In my lifetime I can’t think of a TV show (other than The Prisoner) where the government wasn’t the good guy fighting against ignorance, avarice, and sloth.
The kid needs an operation and the only way he can get it is if we build this new pavilion. But Mr. Brown is in the way. He doesn’t want to sell!”