“As much as current conditions demand a ‘red wave,‘ I don’t see it happening. The GOP will pick up seats in the House, I believe, but it won’t achieve a majority in the Senate. In fact, I expect Dems to gain a seat or two.”
from Ubi Libertas Blog, October 29th, 2022
Last night, with a resounding thud, the door closed on the 2022 mid-term general elections. The “red wave” was all hype. Republicans handed control of the US Senate to Democrats with an all-too-predictable loss in the Georgia runoff.
If you don’t see much difference between 50-50 and 51-49, you don’t understand how the Senate works. The balance of each and every committee and subcommittee now shifts hard to the Left.
Yes, the GOP achieved a majority in the House — barely — but time will tell how effective the slim advantage will be. I don’t have high hopes. Early indications are that it’ll be more show than go.
Optimists, Pollyannas and many who believed the “red wave” forecasts will scroll hopefully down-ballot, but even those results are (to say the least) disappointing. Before the election, Republicans held a so-called “trifecta” (governor and legislative chambers) in 23 states, compared to Democrats’ 13 states. November saw four — Minnesota, Michigan, Maryland and Massachusetts — swing from “divided government” to a Democrat trifecta. Republicans lost trifecta Arizona, which went divided. With no GOP conversions, the trifecta margin narrowed to 22-17.
If there’s good news on the Right, it’s that deep-red states, counties and municipalities got deeper and redder. Arkansas, I’m glad to say, is among those.
But the same can be said of The Blue Places. Republicans didn’t gain any significant ground — wherever it mattered, they lost.
And then there’s Trump.
His near-pathological obsession with 2020 continues. He’s a declared candidate now, with a strong record to run on, and yet he insists on whining like an indignant child.
As Deb puts it, “He’s become the psychotic ex-girlfriend.” I happen to believe that he announced for 2024 only because he thought it’d amplify his quest for personal vindication and retribution, and you’d have a hard time convincing me otherwise.
The 2020 presidential election was rigged. America and Americans are suffering greatly from that wrong, but it’s over, done. Dwelling on and complaining about it, either as a candidate or as a citizen, accomplishes absolutely nothing — except, perhaps, guaranteeing that a Democrat will occupy the Oval Office for the next generation.
That’s not the way to MAGA. Just sayin’.
So what’s next? Honestly, I don’t know — less than two years out from November 2024, the picture is far from focused. I won’t even go so far as to name names of Republican “contenders,” not until they declare and perform on the campaign trail.
I do know that I have no stomach for the GOP establishment. Anyone from the Bush-McConnell-Romney-McCarthy-Cheney wing would be a ticket to preserving Uniparty rule. Neocons and RINOs need not apply.
I’m neither anti-Trump nor never-Trump — I’m pro-Liberty and pro-Constitution. I’d welcome another four years of the Trump policy agenda. I’m simply not interested in relitigating 2020, however corrupt it was. I believe that a preoccupation with the last quadrennial election is a prescription for losing the next one.
I have two votes to cast — one in the primary and one in the general. Right now they’re up for grabs.
Our girl Scout yelped a plaintive “Good morning!” before 7:30am today. I was still pulling my boots on when my phone rang — it was our site contractor. Wet weather predicted for this afternoon forced his hand on another job, and that wouldn’t allow him to meet us on The Mountain today.
He suggested that we get together for dinner in Harrison instead. We accepted.
We met him, along with his wife and daughter, at the “new” Marie’s in Harrison. It was the first “fine dining” experience for Deb and me in quite some time, and the food was absolutely spectacular — both of us ordered the cheese tortellini, served in a red-pepper cream sauce with grilled chicken. Jamie himself, owner of Marie’s and several other restaurants in town, stopped by our table to greet us.
Complementing a great meal was great company and hours of wonderful conversation. And we still managed to talk shop, discussing and reaching agreement on the next steps for our build.
It was the best possible combination of business and pleasure. Life is good.
Take care of yourselves, Patriots. Stay calm. Stay sharp. Stay free.
#WiseUp #LibertyOrDeath
#LetsGoBrandon #FJB
These are The Red States.
All 16 have a Republican governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general; Republican majorities in both chambers of its legislature; and two Republican US Senators.
(Note: Nebraska has a unicameral legislature and Wyoming doesn’t have a lieutenant governor.)
2 thoughts on “And now…?”
Comments are closed.