Spoken? 110614

Election 14 is over; long live election 16 which began in election 08.  The GOP (Grand Old Party) scored a great victory in election 14 wining control of the Senate and claiming the majority has spoken in the states.

Like most politics today it is mud that is being flung at the electorate.  The majority didn't speak, only about a third of the electorate even bothered to vote.  Contested elections were squeakers meaning a majority of slightly over a sixth ruled the day.   The Republicans true to their name, claim a mandate for revolution.  The election was neither a mandate nor a call for revolution, it was a statement of their message control.

Election 08 was also a GOP statement which colors the American culture.  The GOP allowed a Black man to be elected to prove it was no longer racist while obstructing that President's ability to govern, supporting 19th century stereotypical racial theories.  Even before the votes were counted the GOP was actively demonizing the candidate/president and arguing his every action, even protesting the color of his suit.  Possibly the party's expectation was that a horrified electorate would give the President his "come uppance" in the next election and swing further to the right.  The vote did swing right but to the party's own horror their "Token" returned to the White House.

Election 14 may be the most expensive in history, estimates range between one and ten billion dollars spent in a by-election.  The electorate will probably never know its true cost as much of the money falls in the non-reportable category. In part the spending reflects deep pockets attempting to buy legislative agendas but also it  is the result of a growing campaign industry that fuels and feeds on elections. The GOP became a frenzied mob dragging by standing Democrats along on the sole issue that the President  is the devil to be cast out with all of his followers.

From the GOP's point of view they now have the best of both worlds, total control of the legislature,  control of most states and a lame duck President to blame for everything.  Its  target is not achieving the American dream but gaining control of the country in election 16.  The swing to the right is not unexpected, it follows global reactions to long periods of liberal governance.  The GOP however is fractured as never before, there is no consensus on anything except that the left has carried the country in the wrong direction.

The GOP's direction? No platform, but a look at the past few years of "Red" state control give an indication.  Gerrymandering districts to favor GOP voting and dilute minority influences, restrictive voting qualification, elimination of labor protections in favor of big business, hostility to women's issues and the only recognized religion is evangelical Christianity.  The new majority has proclaimed that it will eliminate the Federal Reserve and turn its functions over to Wall Street money men, the same people that gave the world the 2008 crash.  In short the GOP actions look a lot like the mid 19th century when minorities didn't dare vote, women had no vote, labor was told how to vote, good Christians knew how to vote, buying a vote was cheap  and big money approved the results or votes disappeared.