Well, it has been all over the news the last couple weeks, and this has shaped up to be one of the most desperate elections from both sides in history, which is especially interesting since its not a presidential year.
The Democrats see an administration weak in the approval department and a shot to win the House and the Senate and gain momentum moving into 2008. The Republicans are trying to hold on and defend what they feel have been valid decisions and policies that have been effective despite some public opinion and media scrutiny.
Of course, I have a couple things to say here about it as well.
First of all, I have never seen the Democratic party as weak as it has been over the last twenty years. With the possible exception of Clinton, the Democrats have been down for the count as far as elections have been concerned.
But I feel that this has made the Republicans somewhat complacent and weak. I feel a strong Democratic party with valid perspectives is good for the Republican party, as well, because it forces them to choose what’s important and unify and move forward. With control of the House, the Senate and the Presidency, some good things have been accomplished but others, like immigration reform, have been overlooked. I feel that 2004 was a last chance shot for Republicans and on some issues they have caved or not performed well enough to bolster public opinion and overwhelmingly win the heart of the middle.
The problem is that the Democrats have one thing going for them … they’re not Republicans. They have no other argument, really. They try to make Iraq an issue, but they fail to vote against some things when they come up and most of their leaders were campaigning just as hard for the war years ago as Bush did. There are no real solutions for Iraq and they want to push for more taxes which will result in a weaker economy, not to mention their obsession with progressive causes like same sex marriage and abortion on demand.
I feel there is a similar dynamic happening in the news media. People like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity and O’Reilly and others have been very successful in the Republican revolution beginning in the 90′s, and that has parlayed into a very successful Fox News cable channel that kicks CNN’s butt in almost every category. But since Fox News is seen as more conservative, and in some ways they are, it has only made the liberal media MORE liberal and outspoken in their editorial coverage of every issue.
Add in websites and blogs and things of that nature, and we are seeing a polarization the likes of which is very unique. Not only are there two parties and two basic political philosophies, where these two sides get their information from is totally different, which is politically segregating the nation like never before, except for possibly the North/South divide in the decades before the Civil War.
There is a culture war, and to be honest, I’m afraid for any one side to win because although one side might be more right, what happens when they win such a war? Will some be forced to hear news and commentary from their side alone? The resolution is sometimes worse than the problem.
As a Christian, I will be voting on Tuesday. I feel that it is honoring my country and those who have fought and died for it to do so, a nation where God has ordained me to be. I will be voting my conscience based on who is more likely to take the country in a truly progressive direction.
I will make a slight prediction here. I think that the Republicans will lose one house, either the House or the Senate, I’m not sure. They might keep both, but they won’t lose both. It will not be the rousing victory Democrats are touting, but it will be a wake up call (at least I hope) to the Republicans. If the two parties don’t get their act together soon, the 2008 presidential election will be very sad.
Till Tuesday (aah ooh shush …)
Peace.