I thought I'd make a post about what this election "means" for those who were wondering, since I'm seeing a lot of insane stuff everywhere. (The people asking "should I be afraid for me and my family?" are the best. Honest. If you think politics matters maybe you should say, pay attention and get educated instead of popping in every other year when the nutjob (I chose MSNBC this year, as I did last year, and as I did FOX in 2006 and 2008 (which was really disappointing btw damn FOX LIBRULS, MSNBC though...), NBC was 2004, you need the depression, the anger, the justifications for why you aren't wrong but the winners are, etc.) on the TeeVee talks about it?)
Short version: Nothing.
Long version: Well, still nothing but there are some complexities to it.
First, let's note that anyone who can understand things was not shocked by this. Look at my OP prediction, that was basically the same one I had since April or May. Arguing with the numbers was irrational like always, it's why I declared Obama the President the instant he beat Hillary. (I think I did so in the thread here if anyone wants proof.) The questions were on which specific races went the way they did, and the Rethuglican surge in the House we saw late that I hedged against turned out to be accurate while almost everyone else ignored it. (There was a wave in the GOP-friendly media about 70 some seats this weekend, it turned out to more correct than the DEM-friendly media's 45-55 seats. I like TV's Andy Levy had figured it would be like 60-65.) Also, Snyder in Michigan, everyone else was being silly when I was telling them if he won the GOP primary he'd win in a landslide. He led in polls the entire time, the media saw a "tightening race" and he won by the biggest landslide in like forever. This stuff not rocket science bros.
Second, the Senate required a perfect storm, again the question was which went which way, but it was always a 6-8 GOP gain. There was literally zero chance they could win the Senate, unless there was some kind of insane wave which I was somewhat hoping for just so things would not be boring, plus all the bitter tears. (The best part of an election where there are no winners!)
Third, how does this matter? Well, it makes the point of why nothing will happen. Many GOPers campaigned on repealing the PPACA monstrosity but there was never any chance of this happening as well, Obama still has the veto. The fact I left on MSNBC coverage of the election most of the night, and whenever they talked about this I paid attention yet nobody ever said it was moot because well OBAMA IS STILL THE FUCKING PRESIDENT. Talk about "intentional lack of knowledge" that white Canadian idiots like. There's basically nothing that the GOP House will be doing, and even had they won the Senate nothing would have happened, Obama is going to veto all of it. If the GOP holds ground in the House and Obama holds ground, nothing is going to happen even if the Senate works anything out. This is actually what happened last term even with the Dem majorities. The House was more willing to enact a Progressive agenda, but the Senate, as is it's role, wanted slightly less stupid ideas. While the Senate passed stupid health insurance and financial bills, they wouldn't bite on the House's even stupider cap and trade, health insurance and financial bills. If anything gets out of the Senate, it's going to be the same except the House is not going to just pass the Senate bills to get SOMETHING. Some exceptions? Of course, but little of import will be changing.
Fourth, what about a shutdown? Depends. The House should be playing a long con here, they have 2012 to target but differently from what Gingrich did in 1995. It's not about targeting Obama this time if the GOP is smart, like Gingrich went after Clinton. There is a serious chance the GOP can let Obama be re-elected, and pick up another 6-8 Senate seats and even more House seats. This isn't even considering that if Obama's numbers keep falling, Hillary enters the picture as a primary challenge in which case then you can start thinking about major successes. Then you hold on 2014 (a bad GOP class) and you have a chance in 2016 to not just re-elect tonights gains plus but run someone like Marco Rubio as your "change" candidate. And the long con depends on...
Fifth, the Tea Party? Yes, of course it does. The Tea Party might be the best part of this entire election, and even if you hate them you should consider it so. Why? They've demonstrated the ability to legitimately challenge the GOP elites without party support. Paul, Miller, Lee, Rubio, O'Donnell, Snyder, Angle, Toomey, Haley, even Tancredo, all challenged the GOP establishment against heavy odds and lesser cash and WON, and half of them have gone on to win in the general. We won't even talk about gobs of House races, and lower State races where this happened. Democrats obsessed over Lamont taking the nomination from Lieberman but then bailed when he lost and they showed none of that impetus this year even in his Governor's race. No matter what you think of these candidates (many of them have obvious issues), or someone like Alvin Greene, we should applaud the Tea Party for not just backing candidates they were fully behind that took out legacies like Bennet or Murkowski but vaporized candidates who had full party backing and entire machines behind them like Grayson, Crist, Cox and so on. Taking down the Bush/Rove/Frist/Hastert structure was worth it alone.
Sixth, the Tea Party in the caucus? Wonderful. If they maintain an independent streak, buck the party was Paul and Rubio have both said they will, or if they reach across the aisle on common points as Snyder and Haley have claimed they will, then what is the problem? Too many commentators approach things as a zero sum game, WHO IS THE WINNER? When that's not why we should be electing people. If there is enough of a "Tea Party" segment to deny Boehner the Speaker? Awesome, even if it's Cantor. We all agree Congress sucks, why not want shocks to the system? (This never fails to amuse me, but I am easy, that people hate all of it but will keep electing the same people because it might get worse even though we think it's horrible!) There's also an added bonus, the Tea Party has already informed the GOP of its early capability. The GOP faces a threat in that if they don't capitulate enough they will face more challenges, more issues, and I don't see why the ire will not be directed as much at the GOP as the rest, since they are for now their representatives. The Left will hold together, especially while Obama exists, so there is no chance of picking off the Tea Party, not to mention they want to not just raise taxes but spend trillions more which are anathemas to the Tea Party so the GOP was the obvious target. Had the GOP won the Senate, this might have made things seem like it was "done" whereas now there's two obvious targets. The Senate and Obama.
Seventh, California gets what it deserves. At least Michigan is going to try something new for a change. (Even though it's going to fail. At least it's new!)
Oh, and Shawn Bradley lost.
