We’ve had 2 years to figure out who Obama is. Let’s face it, the majority of Americans had no idea who Obama was or what kind of leader he would be. He had been a community organizer, whatever that was, voted “present” in the Illinois state legislature, which seemed bipartisanship-y (really, people?) and was a US Senator for 2 short years (with nothing to show for it) before launching his Presidential campaign.
We’ve had two long, disastrous, chaotic years with bill after bill stuffed down our throats. Last night was our chance to reject the massively destructive agenda we’ve witnessed over the last 2 years, and WE DID!
Republicans gained more than 500 legislative seats across the country. While we continue to sip on our Slurpees in celebration, let’s see what we’ve won.
First, let’s look at the NATIONAL scene.
1. Republicans win the House!
Ding, dong, the witch is dead. Nancy Pelosi will be packing up her office soon and John Boehner is the Presumptive Speaker of the House. If he fights and talks like this, then we have a chance to defund ObamaCare. Listen, Obama says the Republicans have driven a car in a ditch. That’s not true. If America is a car, we’re always in motion. He’s in the driver’s seat and he’s driving 150 mph on a long, windy, country rode. We can’t hit the brakes because we’re not driving. But we can pull the parking brake. That’s what we did last night. We changed who is sitting in the front seat next to Obama so they can pull up the parking brake. Sure, we might fishtail or spin around, but that’s what we need to do! Stop the dang car and turn it around! Our lives are at stake here! (Obama uses these ridiculous car memes because he’s in charge of a car company now. Way to go, Government Motors.) Look at all this red and enjoy the change in view from the back of the car to the front.
2. Republicans gained 5 Senate seats.
Yeah, I know, we wanted more. We wanted Harry “this war is lost” Reid sent back to Searchlight, Nevada. We wanted Senator Ma’am Boxer boxing up her DC crib and shuffling back to California, too. We wanted everything and the kitchen sink, but we don’t have to get it all in one trip. Knowing the state that sent Snarlin’ Arlen Specter home for the primary and didn’t elect his opponent in the general feels extremely liberating. Let Specter squawk and condescend those at his local coffee shop, just get him packed, out of his office and off my TV during judiciary hearings. He awakened the sleeping giant in Pennsylvania and it showed him the door, and his party. We also took Obama’s former seat (how you like them apples, Barry?). So that’s Pennsylvania and Illinois along with Wisconsin, Indiana, North Dakota and Arkansas. (You can see the map here.)
I’ll always take more wins than losses but I think this sets up the Republicans well for the Presidential run for 2012. Even when Obama had the majority in the House and Senate, he said the Republicans were obstructionists. Imagine how many people would believe him if both chambers had switched from blue to red. Look, even if we had taken the Senate we wouldn’t have had enough to repeal ObamaCare. As much as the American people have rejected ObamaCare, some lack the stomach to fight for it. They’re waiting to “test the waters” when they don’t realize that one sip will do you in. We must spend the next 18 months sounding the alarm on the deadly effects of ObamaCare while encouraging the electorate that they can actually do something about it!
Now let’s zoom in and look at the STATE scene.
1. Republicans swept the Gubernatorial races in 26 states.
They kept 7 and gained 10, including Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania. South Carolina has elected their first female Governor, which will matter to those who love identity politics, but just makes me plum happy because my home state got it right (yay, Nikki Haley!). As for the Democrats, they kept 6 and gained 2. If you look at how The Governator has led California, I wouldn’t blame you if your tallies were 7 kept, 1 gained.
If you aren’t sure how a Governor’s race can affect the mood of the country, look no further than Jan Brewer and her fight on illegal immigration and its murderous effect on cities in her state. Or, Bobby Jindal who didn’t pull punches over the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and Obama’s reactionary job-killing oil drilling moratorium. Who lives in the Governors mansion matter to us as individuals (I have another 4 years of Deval Patrick, no thanks to the “Independent” Tim Cahill, thank you very much) but they can sue the Federal Government over ObamaCare and take cases to the Supreme Court that affect all of us. I’m looking at those 26 states to see which ones to put on my destination list for my next move. I’m not sure how much longer I can put up with Massacusetts. 8 years is a heck of a long time!
2. To go along with those Governorships, Republicans now run 55 legislative chambers.
That’s up from 36. If you aren’t sure if the message of fiscal reality and responsibility has taken hold, look at this number. The people have gone to the polls for local and national issues and the message has been sent.
In Conclusion
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1. Obama will not heed the message. As you well know, he held a press conference today. His answers boil down to, “I Won.”
2. The GOP is on notice. They need to be the Grand Ol’ Party and not the Grand Ol’ Parent or the Grand Ol’ Patronizer.
3. John Boehner and the House of Representatives need to roll up their sleeves and fight, fight, fight. Learn to throw a proverbial right hook and use it.
4. This is a win, a big win. But it’s a win at the ground floor. We need to support those Republicans that have won SO LONG AS they support us and our efforts to halt Obama’s agenda.
5. We need to get together and make our message for 2012 crystal clear. We’ll be fighting each other over the Presidential nomination, no doubt, but if our goal isn’t to Stop Obama then shame on us. If our own personal favorite doesn’t win and we whine about it, then good job. You just got us 4 more years of Barack Obama.
See the big picture. Focus on the big picture. Adopt the big picture. Otherwise, this wave will crash and burn. I’d rather ride it all the way through 2012 myself.
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