Welcome To Oz, Nancy!
At last!
The one party rule of George W. Bush is ended, and just in the nick of time. With the Democrats taking at least 29 seats for sure as of the moment I write this, and with three Senate seats still undecided with the Democratic candidate leading, the extremist policies of the right-wingers who sought to turn America into a corporatocracy have been soundly rejected by the voters.
But what lesson to draw from this tremendous turn of events?
Focusing on what is good for the nation is an excellent place to start. So far, the analysis is that the voters rejected the Bush practice of excluding anyone who wasn’t “with them” from the decision-making process. Such a practice leads only to the sort of cronyism that is Bu$hCo. I expect that we will see the share price of Halliburton and Bechtel open lower today now that they can’t call the shots through Unka Dickie.
I also expect, from the personal comments I have heard concerning voter opinion, that it is time to build a concensus to work out solutions to the severe problems facing the nation. A centrist rule which included membership from across the political spectrum is the only logical course to follow, as the perspectives of all will need to be tapped if we are to solve major problems like the pending collapse of what remains of the once-mighty American industrial sector.
Just because I have favored a return to Democratic dominance in the Legislative branch does not mean that they will be getting a blank chack from me, however. Their misfeasance (to be kind to the victors) helped to bring us to the brink of catastrophe. Any time I feel that they have strayed from the path of doing what is right for the country, I will be vocal. I am not going to play partisan favorites as our friends on the wrong-wing have done for six years.
In my discussions with the Good Orange County (CA) Republicans with which I work, there is a growing awareness of the dangers of one party dominating the affairs of the connected over the affairs of the nation. Such an awareness is what led to Republicans actively voting for Democrats this time around.
If my discussions with the GOC(CA)Rs is any indication, the prospects for major changes in the political makeup of the country are good. They seem amenable to the idea of breaking up the two-party monopoly that America currently endures. This can only be a good thing, but the devil is in the details. I hope to promote the idea that remaining involved in the process will prevent the sort of excess that has so badly harmed the American economy and our international reputation. However this can be accomplished, including promoting the participation of additional political parties in our deliberations, is not off the list.
Time will now tell whether the Democrats will have a Senate majority. This will be decided prior to my return to this blog for further comment. But to the new House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, I say:
Welcome to Oz, Nancy! Do NOT ignore that man behind the curtains. His name is Karl, and he means to do evil now that his plans have been thwarted. Don’t play the game his way from the other side. Reach out to those members of Karl’s party which are reasonable and include them as you have been excluded for the past six years.
It will do the country good to see you do this.