11-14-02, Danny McBride
Mid Course Correction
By Danny McBride
IPS Features
The results are in and the experts are telling us what they mean. According to almost every talking head, the Republicans have won a big victory in the House and Senate, and now George W. Bush can do as he sees fit without any interference from those pesky Democrats. Like the old Brylcreem ad used to say, “A little Daschle do ya!!” And Gephardt? Well, that gives you Tom, Dick and Hurry-up-and-get-out-of-the-way.
Over here on the California Coast, however, we have two Democrats as Senators, both women- -neither of whom had to run this time- -a Democrat reëlected in a walk as Governor, albeit a brisk walk, and our local House of Representatives member in this neighborhood is also a Democrat who won with 71 percent of the vote (although down from 83 percent two years ago). So all the hoopla of the Media Elite doesn’t quite resonate.
Tim Russert sits holding up his kid’s Etch-A-Sketch board, or whatever, telling us that there are now 47 Democrats in the Senate, or is it 48, and 51 Republicans, or is it 52, and one Independent, as if we were choosing up sides for a Saturday afternoon flag-football game on the lawn. Guess what? It takes 60 votes to get anything done, so it doesn’t matter which team has one or two more members. They are still going to have to compromise on the big ticket items, or nothing happens.
Here in California, as everywhere across America, disgusted voters stayed away from the polls in droves. According to final figures reported in The Sacramento Bee, only 44.8 percent of registered voters bothered to cast ballots. According to The Los Angeles Times, it was the absolute lowest voter turnout since accurate record keeping began in California in 1910. And that figure is misleading because it doesn’t tell you how many people haven’t even bothered to register to vote, realizing there is no choice anywhere about anything. In actual numbers, approximately 6.9 million voters turned out in a state with 30 million citizens, 15 million of them registered voters. Pitiful.
Using our governor’s race as an example, although similar results abound throughout the country, the winner came home with 47 percent of the vote over his opponent who had 42 percent of the vote. But what is that really? Less than half of the registered voters voted, and fewer than half of them voted for the governor. So he was voted in with something like 22 or 23 percent of the electorate rushing to acclaim him, although that figure is way smaller when you factor in the eligible not-even-gonna-bother-to-register-to-vote voters. A friend who is thoroughly disgusted with it all, quotes the old saw- -“Don’t vote- -It only encourages them”.
So this great Republican mandate, as some partisans have called it, isn’t quite as unanimous as it may seem on the surface. And you only have to think back to 1994’s Contract-On-America and the Newt Gingrich Hit-Man Mob-Squad to realize how transient these little blips in the radar are.
If the much ballyhooed War With Iraq (that’s www.wwi.com) gets underway just as the new swearing in ceremonies conclude in January, it will seem as well orchestrated as the Florida 2000 presidential elections, and with all of the acrid aftertaste.
Having chased the useless Dick (“Picture ME as President”) Gephardt and the whiny Tom (South Dakota is too important) Daschle back to their respective corners for a time out, it could create an opening for a strong voice to take up the role of the Loyal Opposition- -someone who can speak up to Rummy and the gang. Someone who can challenge Cheney and call G W on his hand. Someone, someone, hmmm…
You know, it’s probably going to be a Republican and not a Democrat. Someone who still has a bone to pick over past misdeeds. Someone in the “John McCain” category, although perhaps not McCain himself.
But if you want a Democrat who knows something about international terrorism, and who, in fact, co-wrote the report on Al Qaeda and other terrorists that was much ignored at the onset of Bush II, maybe Gary Hart will speak up. The former Colorado Senator would have made a formidable opponent to Bush I if it hadn’t been for his Monkey Business. But in light of Bill Clinton, that all seems like a Boy Scout prank now.
There is no one in “official” opposition to the president now so forget about the sagging economy, or health care, or prescription drugs or any other issue other than WAR. WAR WAR WAR!!!
At least you can say you didn’t vote for it, even if you didn’t oppose it.
Maybe we could think about trading in Condi Rice for Donna Rice. There’s a recipe for success. Gris gris gumbo ya ya!!
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