People resist change. They fear it, in fact, no matter how bad the present situation may be.
That's why it took major scandals to unseat the Republican majority in Illinois. It's also why the current governor was retained here yesterday even though his job performance rating with the public is not good.
The turnover in national politics is a small sign of a very powerful pendulum swing. Let's hope that the Democrats don't blow it now, as they easily could. Even if they end up with a Senate majority of 51-49, two of those votes are really not party members any more, but independents. Unfortunately, US politics is as much a cult of personality and "stars" as it is anything else. Picking another lackluster nominee for president in 2008, or a highly polarizing one (like Hillary Clinton for instance) will put the party back in the doghouse in just two years. I don't see any viable candidate, unfortunately. Illinois' own Senator Obama would suit me very well, but he would be subject to such horrendous attacks from the right as to make it another ugly, polarizing campaign that I think would be better avoided. Democratic veterans like Ted Kennedy have way too many skeletons in their closets now.
And, as I reported yesterday, I voted for Green candidates in most of the local races. I'm disgusted with both major parties. The Green candidate for governor, Whitney, got 11% of the vote, which is remarkable for a third party candidate in Illinois. People are riled up and tired of the "business as usual" politicians, and especially the ones who have been completely ignoring their constituents and doing their own thing instead.
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2006-11-08 02:36 pm (UTC)That's why it took major scandals to unseat the Republican majority in Illinois. It's also why the current governor was retained here yesterday even though his job performance rating with the public is not good.
The turnover in national politics is a small sign of a very powerful pendulum swing. Let's hope that the Democrats don't blow it now, as they easily could. Even if they end up with a Senate majority of 51-49, two of those votes are really not party members any more, but independents. Unfortunately, US politics is as much a cult of personality and "stars" as it is anything else. Picking another lackluster nominee for president in 2008, or a highly polarizing one (like Hillary Clinton for instance) will put the party back in the doghouse in just two years. I don't see any viable candidate, unfortunately. Illinois' own Senator Obama would suit me very well, but he would be subject to such horrendous attacks from the right as to make it another ugly, polarizing campaign that I think would be better avoided. Democratic veterans like Ted Kennedy have way too many skeletons in their closets now.
And, as I reported yesterday, I voted for Green candidates in most of the local races. I'm disgusted with both major parties. The Green candidate for governor, Whitney, got 11% of the vote, which is remarkable for a third party candidate in Illinois. People are riled up and tired of the "business as usual" politicians, and especially the ones who have been completely ignoring their constituents and doing their own thing instead.