The Aftermath of the Mid-Term Elections

And The Fall Of the Neo-Conservatives

The public radio program On Point examines the aftermath of the Mid-Term elections.

Listen to program here. Select audio format at top of page. Also visit NPR's Election Page.

Listen to additional program from Nov. 9th, 2006, on the subject of Donald Rumsfeld, and the possible end of the neo-con movement.

I have already commented on this before the elections, expecting that Democrats would win.
My brief take now that Democrats have won....

-Democrats will be limited in what they can do on Iraq.... and They WILL NOT cut off funding.

-The Democrats are concerned with setting things up for 2008 and beyond. So they will want to take the middle ground on many issues. However, if the Democrats refuse to do the things that I have been suggesting that they need to do.... then this Democratic majority will be temporary. Read my commentary entitled "Major Shift in U.S. Politics or are Republican problems Just Temporary"? If Democrats do not establish a long term strategic plan and if they do not build a media infrastructure, then they are wasting their time. Republicans will rebound. If Democrats do not reach out to Conservatives and the Religious communities in this country, then they leave the door open for Republicans to rebound. If Democrats do not embrace the 50 State national strategy laid out by Howard Dean, then they will quickly become the minority party once again. AND if Democrats do not embrace a more aggressive style of politics & planning, then they will not stand a chance against Republicans. One of the other main things that Democrats must tackle is campaign reform....including changes in elections/voting.

-There will be no impeachments, but there will have to be oversight hearings. Democrats will be reluctant to reach back too far or dig too deep. This is unfortunate. I was hoping for a more comprehensive overview of all the Republican crimes... from Abramoff, to Valerie Plame. We are unlikely to see a full investigation of all of these matters. Democrats are afraid that if they dig too deep, they will find the dead bodies in the closet and will be painted into an impeachment corner... a position that they do not want to be in. So we are likely to see only nibbling around the edges..... But they may surprise me. We will have to wait and see.
I don't really need to see impeachments. I am more interested in the Democrats at least making an effort to expose these crimes, so the American people will at least have the chance to know what happened- they can then make up their own minds.

-Democrats must get some things done. Minimum wage, healthcare, Immigration, Energy independence, the National Debt, use their influence for a better path on Iraq, etc....must be a part of the agenda. They must develop a good track record for future elections.

**I didn't like all of the smoozing at the White House this week between Democratic leaders and Bush. It looked too much like One Party with Two Faces.

I'm still holding onto hope that real Democracy will emerge in the U.S. within my lifetime. Real Democracy= real choice on the ballot.... more than just 2 dominant Political Parties. We need at least 2 more viable Parties. However, the current system is designed in such a way that other political Parties are almost locked out of the process. Without millions of dollars, other political Parties and candidates cannot even get on a ballot and cannot get equal airtime. This is at the heart of the problem. We need campaign reform that would eliminate corporate big money funding of campaigns. Campaigns should be publicly funded with all candidates receiving equal money, equal access to debates, and equal TV and radio airtime. This would essentially break the Republican-Democrat lock on power. If this kind of reform were enacted, Independents and new Parties would have a much easier time participating in the process.

One last note.... I was glad to see that Independents.... Folks like Me..... the most powerful segment of voters in the country, decided this election.....as they have so many times before.

Yet independents have no representation in Washington D.C. This is why Independents...Independent progressives/populists, etc....need their own political Party. Independent Conservatives should start their own Party as well....

Independents, Populists, and Moderates are indeed the most important voters. Hopefully this is a sign that the major political Parties will move away from their extreme fringes, and will take a more moderate/middle stance.