Well, this is another fine mess. Getting things headed in the right direction just went on hold for at least the next two years, during which time the hole this country is in will only get dug deeper. And it's pretty certain that all the wrong lessons will be learned from this debacle. America is no longer a center-right country; it's a Tea Party sponsored by the Koch brothers, with entertainment by the FOX NEWS mediaplex.
For those of you wondering about the title of this diary, go check out This American Life #417: This Party Sucks. You can download a free MP3 file of the radio broadcast of the show which should be required listening for all Democrats.
The Prologue is about how even a few Republicans are starting to freak out. Act One goes inside a Tea Party campaign and what happens when Principle collides with Pragmatism. Act Two talks to Democratic insider Paul Begala about WTF is wrong with Democrats. Nothing we didn't know already, but a must-hear.
More below
If you haven't downloaded the podcast or listened to it online, DO SO NOW. If you can only listen to part of it, go to Act Two - it's the last 16 minutes or so of the one hour broadcast.
ACT TWO. MR. HITT GOES TO WASHINGTON.
Jack Hitt has spent the last two years watching the Obama administration lose the news cycle and war of soundbites to Republicans day after day. Watching the Democrats run away from issues like health care reform and middle class tax cuts, Hitt wonders if there is some secret long-term master plan the Democrats are deploying, or if they're just incompetent. He goes to a Democratic Party insider—Paul Begala—to try to understand what the thinking behind the last two years of Democratic messaging has been. (16 minutes)
If the Democrats and especially the President learn nothing from today, they deserve to lose it all in 2012. Not that we deserve to go down with them, but that's the way it goes.
Those happy that the Democrats and Obama got "sent a message", enjoy it while you can. Those who think this election was all about stopping the Democratic agenda ditto. There's one or two things you're forgetting.
- The GOP just got rewarded for two years of bad behavior - blocking everything they could, weakening every thing that did get past them. Think they're going to give that up now when it worked so well?
- Control of a big part of the government has just been given to people who don't believe in government at all, or the ability of government to solve any problems for the country. They believe in the magic of tax cuts, deregulation, and the 'free market'. And while they didn't take control of the Senate, it's going to become even more dysfunctional.
- Republicans are great at campaigning, but lousy at governing. There's no problem they can't make worse - and will. Serious action to solve real problems will grind to a halt, while fake scandals, endless hearings, and subpoenas will be used to trash the Democratic brand even more.
- Democrats will learn all the wrong lessons from this. Watch them start apologizing for being Democrats. Even more. Will Rogers was right.
- Thanks to Citizens United, this election is just the first in which it will be all about money - as in who has the most for the 24/7 attack ads. And it won't be limited to the run-up to elections any more. Look for it to continue year round.
Bottom line: When Republicans win, America loses.
You may want to keep a copy of the above 5 points handy. I expect the only pleasure we're going to have in the next two years is being able to say "I told you so."
Especially to the DLC 'centrists' who kept trying to reach across the aisle while punching hippies.