The Day After

"The Day After" is the title of a 1980s TV movie about the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust.  I don't think we went through a nuclear holocaust last night, but the election results weren't pretty.  The Democrats will keep the Senate, probably because of a couple of Tea Party candidates that went too far out of the mainstream.  We will have to wait to see what happens next.  Health Care Reform isn't going anywhere, but there won't be any more stimulus.  Tea Party folks will be calling for deep spending cuts, believing that there are billions of dollars of waste, fraud, and fat to cut.  We've heard this before.  There are those who call for the end of earmarks, but conservative Republicans are just as apt, if not more apt, to bring home the pork as liberal Democrats.  So, who wants to give up the benefits they bring home -- benefits that lead to re-election.  I remember when Arnold Schwarzenegger came into office, he was sure there was lots of fat to cut and quickly found out that there wasn't much he could do -- largely because the voters, through the initiative process, had tied up most of the budget. 

One of the things to notice is that while there are younger Tea Partiers, the vast majority are older.  Thus, my sense is that this "revolution" we're seeing will be short lived, maybe no more than a year.  It will be interesting to see  how "mainstream" Republicans try to coexist with their fractious newcomers, many of whom have no experience in government.   Will their constituents support them in the long run?   Remember that two years ago, the Democrats rode a crest of enthusiasm to historic gains.  This time, with a much older electorate than two years ago, Republicans rode a wave of voter discontent to victory. 

I think we also need to ask the question of how much influence the recent Supreme Court decision freeing Corporations to spend as much as they want on elections, with no transparency.  Money can't be given to candidates, but can be given to parties, so the vast majority of ads were either 3rd party or Political party ads -- and much of this was full of deception or misinformation.  My sense is that many voters were so turned off by everything that they just decided not to vote, and that's likely true of younger voters.

Finally, I want to make a comment about what happened yesterday in my new hometown of Troy, Michigan.  There was a ballot measure that would fund the library for ten years, restoring its funding in full.  The opponents of this measure, which was placed on the ballot with the support of the Friends of the Library, fought it through what I believe was extremely deceptive means.  They placed three other ballot measures that looked almost exactly like the first one, forcing voters to figure out which one to support.  Then, they began a separate campaign of disinformation calling for the defeat of all four tax increases, suggesting that if all four passed, then there would be four tax increases, which wasn't true.  They also suggested that the library would have to go out and buy a new building and new resources, which is also untrue.  If the separate board had been established, the city could easily transfer ownership to the new board, as has been done in other communities.  The difference between yes and no votes is a mere 600 or so votes.  If the other three had not been on the ballot, would it have been defeated?  I don't think so.  I've learned something very quickly about Troy -- there is a small group of people who have figured out how to control the structures of power, and they will do everything they can to achieve their purpose.  They lost out in the last city council election cycle, but I fear that they will regain power and that doesn't bode well for what is supposedly one of the most affluent cities in the state.

But, at the end of the day, we will survive.  We will live on to fight another day.  My hope is not in any one party or program, but in God.  I will continue my calling to push for the common good of all, and not just the few.  That is, I believe, the desire of God. 

Comments

Rick said…
One thing that we really need to emphasize: a limit on election spending. In an ideal world, and maybe it would be a good Tea Party type emphasis, all candidates would show their management savvy by campaigning on a strict budget. Give them all the same amount, no exceptions. Spend that and may the best candidate win.
Glenn said…
My family has been in Troy since before there was an official city. My grandparents farmed here. My parents grew up her . My wife and I, as well as our children, attended Troy schools. My wife teaches high school in the Troy School District. We built our home in this city and I had always figured that I would probably die here. But if the recent trend of elections is any indication of the what the mindset of Troy's population has become then it may be time to start looking for a strategic exit. I can only hope that in a city with no public library and a militant don't tread on me attitude my house will still be worth something when the time comes.
Rial Hamann said…
As goes Troy, so went the nation.

This cycle was full of deceptive ads all around. The "debates" were just a rehash of talking points.

I am for open discussion between the canidates or multiple canidates. I also feel that they should be the ones asking the questions of each other, and not have some "big name" standing in as proxey for the public or the canidates.
Unknown said…
Thanks for writing this Bob. As a major supporter of the save the library movement I feel very sad right now, both about the outcome and the manner in which people are behaving. I am fearful that we are going to destroy our community because we cannot work together toward getting things done. Obstructing things is easier than building things. I pray that we can work to find a middleground and work together and that some of the venom will diminish.
Karen said…
I really liked your entry. I live in Troy, and, not only am I upset about the library closing, but I am so disappointed in the lies, deception and outright anger the other side displayed.
Karen said…
I, too, am disappointed, not only by the library closing, but by the lies and deception the other side showed.
Sharon said…
Thanks for speaking the truth, Bob. I'm sure the vast majority of people have no idea about the unethical actions of the small group of people you speak of. We have a lot of work to do to make sure they don't take over city hall next year. Please, everyone, watch the Troy Citizens United carefully. We now know they will do anything to win.
Sharon
http://keeptroystrong.blogspot.com/
Ellen said…
A wonderful reflection. At the end of the day, my worries here in Troy transcend the library. Like you, I am concerned about the discourse. The lies. Today is a new day. I pray that God reveals to me the proper, Christlike way to proceed in the current environment. Being prayerful, I suspect you would say, is the key. : )
Rial Hamann said…
Ellen
"Being prayerful, I suspect you would say, is the key."

I would also say that being public in one's prayer is important when the issues we pray about are public issues.

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