Post-Election Stray Thoughts

Is it morning in America once again?   Well, the sun did rise and it does seem to be providing a modicum of warmth.   Thankfully,  we can now be assured of a presidency with relatively humane values and priorities for at least the next four years.

The Senate emerges  with a slightly bluer tinge;  a net gain of two seats for the Democrats.   Among the new senatorial faces in Washington will be  Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts,  every Wall Street poobah's  living nightmare.   Also D.C.-bound is Wisconsin's  Tammy Baldwin,  our nation's first openly gay senator.   For the first time ever,  20% of that august body will be of the female gender.   Nothing wrong with that!  

The House?   Well,  that's another story.   But few observers expected the Democrats to recapture the House. As I write,  nine seats are still in play.   When all is said and done,   the Dems will have posted a gain of maybe six or seven seats:  still well short of the 25 that were needed. 

In many states,  especially Florida and Ohio,  the voters mightily resisted blatant attempts at voter suppression as well as the toxic add campaigns made possible by the US Supreme Court's  Citizens United decision.   Maybe this sounds a li'l sappy,   but my faith in humankind is somewhat reaffirmed.

Still,  every effort should be made to repeal Citizens United v. FEC  (Federal Election Commission)  as well as the draconian measures put in place to make voting difficult for minorities,  lower-income households,  and college students.
As an early voter in Chicago,   I was in and out of the polling place in 15 minutes;      there's no reason why every voter shouldn't expect the same level of convenience.

Anyway,  it was comforting to know that the $1.5 billion dollars  invested in  campaign media buys mostly by Republican political action committees,  didn't resonate.  I guess most voters must be savvier than the ad-buyers assumed.

In any event,  with a divided Congress for at least the next two years,  we could still be facing some contentious times,  especially with the so-called "fiscal cliff" looming ahead up the road a piece.  Despite some new faces,  many of the same cast of characters will remain in place,  especially in leadership roles.   Speaker of the House John Boehner ("His Orangeness") will probably still wield the gavel unless his Republican colleagues decide otherwise.  

 Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell,  who once declared that the Republican priority  was "to see to it that President Obama will be a one-term president",   will now need to redefine that goal.   How about this one:  Keeping the Republicans relevant.

Tough challenge!