Midterm Election: 2010 Aftermath

The numbers are in, let the political posturing began and what will become is still unknown. The Republican’s are under some strange belief that the American people needed them to save us from the world’s fallen-angel, President Obama. The star of the midterm elections was not the Tea- Baggers and the Republican’s. The villain wasn’t Obama, Nancy Pelosi, or the Democrats. The star was the Independent voters who are switching teams faster than any confused bisexual. And the understudy was voter frustration.

What did we learn? Was this a wave for Republican support or mandate? Was this a rebuke on Obama’s handling of the greatest economic circumstances we have faced since the great depression? Keep in mind, this is the third-time in a role that a seating President has loss control of the one or both the senate or house of congress. This has happen under President Clinton, Bush and now Obama. My summation is that this was pure and simple voter frustration.

1994- all over again?

The Republican’s are doing what Republican’s do they did over whelming credit that the results of the election are in fact a mandate for their agenda, no wish I knew what that was. I know that they say that they are going to control the deficit and extend Bush tax cuts but the question is how? The Republican’s have actually back them selves into a corner. If in fact they keep the Bush Tax cut’s in place that will increase the deficit, less people paying taxes means less revenue the government will take in meaning that will increase the deficit spending.

I keep hearing conservative pundits say that this was just like 1994 mid-term elections. Actually, they are not, the elections in 1994 resulted in 54 new House seats, 8 new seats in the Senate and 12 new Governor seats. Also, not one single republican loss a seat! If you forgot the Republican’s ran on the “God, Gays, Guns and Clinton” strategy, that was a mandate. Another key difference in 1994 was the unemployment rate was at 5.6%.

Independent voters

Note to Republicans and Democrats the Independent voters have no allegiance to either one of you. Their vote seems more squarely aimed at our problems not at a partisan viewpoint. Respectively speaking the independent voters seems to vote with the a particular party when things are going well, if not it appears they vote for a changing agent. Who ever is going to change the tone in Washington so that things get done.

Familiar territory for Republican leadership

What is similar to the 1994 mid-term elections for the Republicans is the fact that this is a clear opportunity to lead and work in tandem with the President, can or will this happen is up to them. I am not sure how they can want to “get things done for the American people” when they have members of their own party stating their objective is to make sure that Obama does not get re-elected. You cannot be for the American people and be divisive at the same time, can you?

The Republican’s failed to gain control of the Presidency in 1996 because they over reached. We will see what happens this time.

A Presidential test for Obama

We have been talking about the 1994 mid-term elections and it seems only fitting that we would look at what President Clinton’s reflection were at that time. From all published accounts Clinton admitted that he was overly concerned with “what” he got done, after the midterms he seemed to be more concerned about “ how” things got done. Clinton was also committed to controlling his schedule and his time more so than before.

The six months for President Obama are crucial to his current presidency and any desire for another term. It is one thing to say that you loss sight of the American people while you were fighting for legislation. The American public's patience is running thin his major goal over the next six months is to create jobs. if not his presidency is over.

The Federal Deficit

I think that it should also be noted that when Clinton left office we had a $236 Billion surplus. When Bush left office we had a $1.2 trillion deficit, $700 Billion coming from 2008 Bush Bail-out. So, when the Republicans talk about fiscal responsibility and controlling the deficit why were they approving all of Bush’s deficit spending with clearly no way to payback. Oh, yeah John Boemner has support and walked in lock step with Bush during his tender, so isn’t he more responsible for our deficit problems then Obama.

Whatever, you think clearly the 2010 midterm elections were about congress and the President working together. And if not the Independent voters clearly made a big mistake

SNL: 11/20/10: Funny!

Democrats Rejected African-American Voters and Paid the Price - New America Media

TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE (part2)

The reason why I started this blog was for the simple reason that I fundamentally believed that all our blind faith in the democrats was not being reciprocated by the Democratic Party. Currently we are in the worse economic conditions the country has been in since the great depression. Yet, somehow we are still last in line for help and first in line for a hand-out. People we need to really re-think our political misfortunes. The old adage use to be that "we needed a seat at the table," well we have that, Obama just isn't representing our interest either. Ask yourself, who is the first to be let go on the job? Which segment of society has been most impacted by this recession? Black people! Like most African-Americans, when asked, what is your political affiliation, I always say Democrats, naturally? But, really belonging to a politcal party or organization means that they support you and you support them. Is this not true across the board? When one is in a membership or organization, the objective is to represent all members. Would one belong to an organization that is dependent upon you, but has no intentions of really supporting you. The Democrats do not support us. I wonder what would happen in current American politics if African-Americans and Hispanics starting acting like Tea-Party members. Their mantra is TAX ENOUGH ALREADY. Well we've had enough!

What happened in some of the other states relative to their outreach to the African American communities? According to media reports, The Democratic National Committee (DNC) reported to have spent $50 million during the 2010 mid-term election, and of that amount, only $3 million was said to have been spent in the African American media. According to NNPA Chairman Danny J. Bakewell, Sr., "We (the Black Press of America) is still looking for that $3 million." It appeared to have been a case of 'you get what you pay for'; they did not spend much and they did not get much.

Outreach to African Americans must be done early, often and real to be effective.

In looking at the history past mid-term elections, politics pundits and historians have reasoned that a changeover of power in Congress is usually expected at the mid-point of most presidential terms. But that sounds like voodoo politics because politics is not an exact science; there is a cause and an effect. And traditionally, the Democrats have had a history of ignoring the African American community and/or taking it for granted. They appear only at election season.

Too little, Too late

Interesting fact?

"Why did the DNC fail to mobilize and maximize the black vote in the midterm elections? This is a salient question because it is, or should be obvious, that in a close election the turnout of black voters will be the difference between victory and defeat.

One answer to this question is the fact that the national committee invests the bulk of its resources in reaching out to voters it was unlikely to get and didn’t get, while largely ignoring the most loyal and traditional base of the party, Black voters."

Some Lessons from 2010 | Texas GOP Vote

REPUBLICANS LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR VOTES IN 2010

Interesting article about how Republicans need to rethink their Strategy for minority votes in 2012! What I found interesting is that the Republican's recognize that they need minority voters and that they also need to reach out to those minority voters. What does this really mean? If the GOP is in pursuit of minority voters, our firts question to them is what are you going to do for me?

"The second problem is the obvious, minority voters are becoming higher percentage of the voting population and much of this growth comes from the Hispanic voters. Hispanic as a average are less likely to vote when compared to Whites or African-American voters but they are voting in greater numbers. The Democratic strategy for a permanent majority is based in no small part on this demographic change. They feel that if they continue to get 90 plus percentage of African-American and keep Republicans to 30% of Hispanics while keeping their base along the West coast and Northeast, they can become the dominate Political Party. With minority voters as important base of support, they can sweep the Southwest, add Texas and Florida in the future and maintain the upper edge in the Midwest. They pulled this off in 2008 (with the exception of capturing Texas)"

Exit Poll: Lower Turnout Among Youth and Black Voters - Political Hotsheet - CBS News

Exit Poll: Lower Turnout Among Youth and Black Voters - Political Hotsheet - CBS News:

Who is surprised by this... 50% of the Voters between that ages of 18-29... did not show up to vote. Most Probably could not afford the gas to get to the voting booth!