Inevitabilities are Inevitable
November 8th, 2006Today’s Chicago Tribune led off with the headline, Democrats’ Day! but I feel that the New York Times did the public one better when they wrote, a Loud Message for Bush. The truth is that yesterday’s election was a message to Bush rather than a reaffirmation of Liberalism, and it is also a Finally Election, meaning that it’s The One that Shouldn’t Have Gotten Away Like the Others Did. That is, 2002 should’ve been a good year to be a Democrat and 2004 was not an election that Bush should’ve won. This year was similar in circumstance and for once, the Democratic Party was able to capitalize without ruining its own prospects, and the credit should go, as far as organizing the rout, to Chuck Schumer in the Senate and Rahm Emmanuel in the House for not Shrumming up a sure thing.
All through the year I was sure of three things: the Republicans would lose seats, Rick Santorum would be handily defeated and Rod Blagojevich would be re-elected Governor of Illinois. Whether or not the Democrats would take the House was something I was leaning Yes on but wasn’t confident enough to declare because of the Mathematics of Redistricting. I’m glad, enough, that the Democrats have taken the House and might still take the Senate, but I must say I feel bad for the President.
King George can’t govern with a Republican Congress. Imagine how he’ll fail with a Divided Government!
Beyond the fact that what should’ve-happened long-ago finally happened, I must comment on Nancy Pelosi, who will be the Worst Speaker of the House since Dennis Hastert. That is something I say partly in jest but partly for Serious, too. First and most serious is that she is an awful choice to head the party as far as public relations go. She’s a woman from San Francisco, and she reminds me an awful lot of Geraldine Ferraro. Besides, I think there are countless other Democrats better suited to be the Speaker than she is.
Let me tell you something else, though, about yesterday’s elections. They sucked, and I swear, I’ve never been as unexcited about candidates as I was yesterday. I wasn’t the only one. Several of my teachers, from both sides of the aisle, told me that they’ve never seen a year with so few good candidates. It might be that Rod Blagojevich is a weasel who is bound to be indicted (and don’t think you’ll get off easy, Judy Barr: you sucked, too, and don’t get me started on the fact that the Green Party candidate was a Green Party candidate)! But, I think that, overall, this wasn’t a particularly good year for fans of public service, and I can only hope that the candidates prove me wrong.
Oh, and I’m happy that Joe Lieberman is returning to the Senate. Bless his heart for not giving in. Sorry Ned. (I’m back, by the way, Dear Readers. Rain or shine!)