In case you haven't heard, one of the most heated midterm elections took place yesterday and...made everything a bit murkier. The Republicans will hold a slight majority in the House while the Democrats will continue to control the Presidency and the Senate. No one can tell you what it means and only the next two years can tell you what will happen, but why let that stop you from traversing political analysis's lands of dis-imagination, repetitive rhetoric, and confidently clueless speculation to discover the interesting and the entertaining? Read on, intrepid one, read on.
-In an environment where so many people want to tell you what the election results mean for the nation, the President, and both parties, let us not forget that, rather than a sinle national referendum on any issue, these elections were many different votes for specific offices in specific states and localities. While there is no doubt that national discontent played into many races, it also shouldn't be forgotten that state and local issues were undoubtedly at play in all elections and that many Americans' votes were not decided by their opinions of national trends and politicians who don't represent them.
- I don't remember where I found this poll but, before the election, it was expected that, for a majority of likely voters, Barack Obama's performance would not be not the deciding factor.
- On the other hand, is it not even clearer now that the Congress is more a national institution, the actions of which have sweeping national consequences, and less a collection of localities and states, the representatives of which should vote only in the best interests of those states and localities?
- Perhaps the Democrats' poor showing was good for them and bad for Republicans. Now, Tea Partiers and the rest of the Republicans will have a harder time claiming that they have nothing to do with the countries woes. I guess we'll see in 2012.
- Ezra Klein argues that, even though the Democrats' lost in more ways than one, the loss was worth the quality of the work done in the 111th Congress. These past two years have showed that Obama and the Democrats do have some courage. They passed health care reform and financial reform with the full knowledge that effects would not be felt by these elections and that they could suffer losses because of that. Let's hope the Democrats learn the right lesson from the last two years - Courage and one year's losses should trump treading water and maintaining a majority for the purpose of being the majority (read: vain prestige).
However, shouldn't our politicians be rewarded for taking a long-term view rather than being voted out because of it? After all, short-sightedness by our lawmakers and leaders is the primary fuel for debt and deficit. Can we, as a nation and as localities and states, take a long-term view when electing our representatives? Or should we extend terms for our leaders to provide more incentive to take a long-term view?
- This year's elections were pretty standard. The President's party tends to lose seats in both houses in the midterm elections. One way to look at this is as a natural balancing of power in a nation committed to centrist politics. Another way to look at it is as a dismaying trend in a political system reliant on lasting majorities to achieve significant accomplishments and, as John Judis briefly opines, a trend that undercuts any chance at political leadership.
- On election day, I posted this, which was partially about why you should vote for someone even if you're told that person will lose. It turns out there is statistical evidence to back some of that up, as Jonah Lehrer explains a study that show pundits don't know jack.
Notable ballot measures
- In Oklahoma, voters passed a referendum to ban judges from using Sharia law. Newt Gingrich called for such a law to be passed on the federal level. I know some of the concern is over the establishment of such courts in western Europe but don't we have the 1st amendment and our own traditions for that? Plus, do you think we sound a little too jittery?
But then: some Muslim leaders in Oklahoma plan on appealing. Not that I'm afraid they're terrorists, but why appeal if you want America to retain American principles? It seems like a silly measure to pass but one that could easily be ignored for how unneccesary it is.
- In Arizona and Oklahoma, initiatives passed declaring that individuals and businesses cannot be required to purchase healthcare. A similar measure passed in Missouri in August. These are being dismissed by the national media as entirely symbolic and toothless but we'll see in the coming years if any lawsuits arise to challenge these provisions, which are central to the law. I wouldn't be surprised. Colorado voters rejected such a proposal.
- Since I posted about the measure, I should tell you that the California initiative that would have made marijuana almost as legal as alchohol failed.
- Floridians passed a referendum calling for an amendment to the US Constitution that would required a balanced federal budget. With the rise of the Tea Party, we should see more such talk in the near future. Personally, I think the federal government should be allowed to run budget deficits, as it is the government of last resort in emergencies such as financial crises and natural disastors, as well as being our only resource for fighting wars. Also, the debate over whether smaller deficits are sustainable is ongoing and (I think) the dollar's status as the world's reserve currency makes deficits more likely.
- Denver voters rejected an initiative to create an Extra Terrestrial Affairs Committee but a leader of the effort asked for patience, noting that national health care for all took 18 years. Sidenote: If space is infinite in size, isn't it next to impossible that we are the only living organisms here? Plus: A while ago, I asked a scientist why it seems to be taken for granted that aliens couldn't inhabit a planet without conditions similar to earth's - my logic being that since we know precisely zip about any extraterrestiral life that might exist, we know precisely zip about what conditions they can live in. The guy said that it's basically a guess because we have to work off of something.
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