Election Reflections

Here are some of musings about yesterday’s off-year election and its results.

I was deeply saddened by the vote in Maine. I have visited Maine often and considered it a most desirable location to live. Each time I was there, spanning even back to the very early 1980’s, I thought I was seeing a very open and tolerant people. Beginning with my visit in 1980 I recall seeing gay persons there not needing to hide who they were. I think I saw my first rainbow flag there.

The right wing is touting the results of the election as a rebuff to President Obama and to the Democratic party. The Democratic leadership is trying to say “Not so much”. I am guessing that the truth is somewhere in between.

Exit polling in most races seemed to indicate that the vast majority of those who voted were not casting their vote either as a signal of approval or disapproval for the President. Other factors decided how they voted. Such polling would appear to support the Democratic position.

But I sense that other factors are in play. These factors have to do with the opinions of those who did not vote and hence would be off the radar of exit polling.

Turnout is generally significantly lighter for off-year elections. Those who vote are those who are geezers like myself who vote in every election no matter what (“Hello. My name is Lemuel and I am election compulsive.”) – OR – they are persons who for whatever reason are energized to vote on a given issue or candidate.

Certainly the Right has been whipping up their base to turn out and vote, and I voted as I have in every election since I was 21, even if it were only to elect the new dog catcher.

But there was no energizing of the other side as there was in the Presidential election one year ago. Voters were just not excited about voting, and voters who are not “election-compulsive” like myself just stayed home.

Why were they not energized? I think that there are two basic reasons: First, a number of such voters do not understand the importance of such off-year and special elections. What happened yesterday may not accurately represent the will of the majority of people, but it will have a ripple effect down the political line. It may not be a good effect. We can pay a steep price for our apathy when we allow someone else to decide for us. Such elections should be a wake-up call for non-voters.

I think that there is another reason that persons did not feel energized to vote. I think a number of those who were energized and who voted last year have come to feel betrayed. This factor needs to be a wake-up call for the Democratic party. Promises made – and promises that (from my perspective) could have been kept – have gone unfulfilled. Health care reform has become mired in attempts to appease those who will not be appeased. Gitmo remains open. “Extraordinary rendition” is still a reality. Those who brought down the economy have been rewarded for their incompetence instead of being held accountable. DADT remains an enforced policy. The most outrageous of accusations go unanswered…

Unless things change and change quickly, I am prepared to see another “perfect storm” in 2010. I see a scenario in which disenchanted voters will be no-shows at the polls and the energized Right will be there in full force. Those of us who are compulsive will be outnumbered, and I think that the President and the Democratic leadership will have only themselves to blame.

To paraphrase a common comment of my college history professor, “they will find themselves standing out on the sidewalk at the corner, scratching their heads, wondering what went wrong.”

* * *

That’s a wrap.

Sending HUGS to all!