To all my fellow progressives who yearn for an election day that does not disappoint too much. Despite all the predictions for an awful election night for Democrats tomorrow, Nate Silver offers up some succinct ideas as to,
"How Democrats Could Beat the Polls and Hold the House."
Link after the fold.....
http://fivethirtyeight.blogs.nytimes...
I remain cautiously optimistic that our turnout will be high relative to what is being forecast by the "experts." I also remain practical in knowing that my optimism has been shattered in the past (i.e. 2000, 2004).
For one, should the GOP take over the house and should Harry Reid lose his race....I think it actually may be a good thing from a political standpoint come 2012. In the House, John Boehner will surely overreach thinking of the election as some "mandate" to pursue a reactionary agenda, catering to the extremist tea baggers. In the Senate, Chuck Shumer will rise to take over as majority leader and with that, actually LEAD the democratic Senate with the courage of his progressive convictions.
Reading the "tea" leaves incorrectly, the GOP will lurch farther to the right exposing themselves (even moreso than now) as corporate lackeys and nihilists except in their quest for the executive power of the presidency. They will "do nothing" in terms of bipartisanship and expose themselves to a powerful onslaught from President Obama during the presidential campaign as being a bunch of selfish fools.
In the background, the Democrats will be able to recruit better progressives who will ride the coattails of President Obama against whichever extremist reactionary nominee the GOP enlists for the presidential run (que Sarah Palin).
In two years with an improved economy (and possibly with most US troops out of Afghanistan), President Obama will surely be able to pull better progressives past the finish line and continue on his long-term plan to fundamentally improve what makes our country so great.
Change is never easy. Lets Get out the Vote. If at first we dont succeed, then we'll try and try again!
I wish for a good day tomorrow. If it doesn't come, we will work even harder to ensure our progress come 2012! Goodnight everyone!