In a long distance race there is a certain point where the unsuccessful racers will lose their steam and hit the wall. There is a noticeable drop in speed and they usually look down briefly as if to acknowledge defeat, gather their breath, and take a later position in the race to avoid dropping out. Could the Republicans have just reached this point? They certainly carried a lot of steam through the primaries. With bluster and boldness they stated their unpopular views. We have watched as one extreme candidate after another has shown that they do not deserve a place in congress. Now with the mealy and disingenuous Pledge to America, even Redstate and the Club for Growth have stopped cheering.
A good runner knows when he or she sees the opponent catch their breath to begin their kick. They need to put the competition far enough behind them to secure an easy victory. Will the Democrats take this collective breath on the Republican side to forge ahead and cement victory? All eyes turn now from the ‘sure thing’ of the Republican’s growing 25% chance of taking the house and 5% chance of taking the Senate to the Democrats to see if they will gather momentum and begin their drive to victory.
Is this going to be a repeat of 1994, or 2006 or some other previous time? No, it is 2010 and it hasn’t finished yet. The story is yet to be written despite the predictions and certain doom of some of the narrative so far.
We know the Republicans ask all of their members to vote. This is the real reason they have high turnout. Will we do the same? We must ask in English and en Espanol and to all of our other friends with English as a second language. The diversity and independence of our members is both our strength and a challenge. It is herding cats. It is moving mountains. It is bringing change.
It is time to start if you haven’t already started. Like Howard Dean said, just voting in this election will get you a D. You have the power to bring tens or even hundreds to the polls with you. It is a lot to expect, but it will be worth it when all is said and done. Speak with your family, speak with your friends (I know how hard the family thing can be.) Walk around your block and see how people light up when you ask them to vote and tell them that it will be ok. Then do just a little more. People will be happy that you care.
Or just hold your breath for the next month and hope for the best… it is your choice. People come here to debate. People come here to inform. People come here to learn. People also come here to be inspired. What will you do starting today?