Wednesday, November 03, 2010
My take
Now that the election is over, and we can all think about something else, I do have some thoughts on the results:
1. Combined with the results of two years ago and the possible results two years from now, the people do create term limits, even if imperfectly created by my standards. Republican incumbents fell two years ago, Democrat incumbents fell this time--including some very well-established ones, and there are more in the wings if the country doesn't change to suit the people, including the President.
2. Despite making it a popular election with the 17th Amendment, the Senate still changes more slowly than the House, as the Founding Fathers designed. There are still some fools in that institution by my reckoning, but they are what their voters wanted, including the ones that probably stole elections two years ago. After all, if the race hadn't been close to begin with there wouldn't have been the opportunity. The more determined won, whether legally or not.
3. This election may slow the Federal Government juggernaut, but it is not stopped by any means. As Charles Krauthammer said last night, the President can continue his agenda via regulation and look good on the surface with legislation.
4. The parallels to the pre-Civil War period still hold. With the inability of Congress to completely reverse ObamaCare and do anything about illegal immigration that are hurting the states, they will continue to fight in the courts. The issue now, just as it was then, is who is in control, the States or the Federal Government. Today the trigger issues are ObamaCare and illegal immigration, then it was slavery.
5. The Republicans will be called heartless, cruel, vicious, etc., when they actually start cutting the budget. It will be interesting to see how much spine they have this time. Conservative economics and politics is compassionate by nature but not in a touchy-feely way that is visible. Its compassion is in creating an environment where everyone has a chance not just the entitled. The removal of privilege is always resented by those who lose, regardless of how much it is appreciated by those who pay. Those who lose always have the ear of the press. We can feel sooo sorry for them.
[As a side note: Capitalism is always misrepresented by its opponents, and this is fed by the mislabeling of what is actually corporatism as capitalism. Today's corporations like regulation. It keeps them from having to really compete. A true capitalist hates it. Yes, unregulated markets are chaotic, but it is a milder chaos than the wild swings that occur due to regulation. Yes, people lose their jobs and companies fail, but overall, it is still less than the massive unemployment we see today. It is not just the burden of the labor required to comply with regulations, it is the stiffling of initiative that is the great evil of regulation and corporatism. Nobody pays attention to the statements that today's successful companies could not be started in today's regulatory environment. We are dooming our children to being served by flabby corporate failures rather than strong, dynamic competitive companies.]
6. My own prediction is the President will say all the right things, and do all the wrong ones. He will not change his direction, only his words, and only as long as he thinks we remember. He is convinced he knows what is best for us, regardless of the fact that he has never held a real job, doing real productive work in his life. While we were busy earning a living he was busy having his given to him. It makes for a very different perspective. [I know because I had mine handed to me for years. After I had to really work, I found out a lot about the world.]
7. Two years from now will be a bigger challenge for those of us who are conservative in outlook. Things will be just enough better that the urgency that drove this election will be gone. We have two years to do some effective work and, more importantly, some effective education.
In the meantime, I am grateful for what did happen, and somewhat regretful for what did not.
1. Combined with the results of two years ago and the possible results two years from now, the people do create term limits, even if imperfectly created by my standards. Republican incumbents fell two years ago, Democrat incumbents fell this time--including some very well-established ones, and there are more in the wings if the country doesn't change to suit the people, including the President.
2. Despite making it a popular election with the 17th Amendment, the Senate still changes more slowly than the House, as the Founding Fathers designed. There are still some fools in that institution by my reckoning, but they are what their voters wanted, including the ones that probably stole elections two years ago. After all, if the race hadn't been close to begin with there wouldn't have been the opportunity. The more determined won, whether legally or not.
3. This election may slow the Federal Government juggernaut, but it is not stopped by any means. As Charles Krauthammer said last night, the President can continue his agenda via regulation and look good on the surface with legislation.
4. The parallels to the pre-Civil War period still hold. With the inability of Congress to completely reverse ObamaCare and do anything about illegal immigration that are hurting the states, they will continue to fight in the courts. The issue now, just as it was then, is who is in control, the States or the Federal Government. Today the trigger issues are ObamaCare and illegal immigration, then it was slavery.
5. The Republicans will be called heartless, cruel, vicious, etc., when they actually start cutting the budget. It will be interesting to see how much spine they have this time. Conservative economics and politics is compassionate by nature but not in a touchy-feely way that is visible. Its compassion is in creating an environment where everyone has a chance not just the entitled. The removal of privilege is always resented by those who lose, regardless of how much it is appreciated by those who pay. Those who lose always have the ear of the press. We can feel sooo sorry for them.
[As a side note: Capitalism is always misrepresented by its opponents, and this is fed by the mislabeling of what is actually corporatism as capitalism. Today's corporations like regulation. It keeps them from having to really compete. A true capitalist hates it. Yes, unregulated markets are chaotic, but it is a milder chaos than the wild swings that occur due to regulation. Yes, people lose their jobs and companies fail, but overall, it is still less than the massive unemployment we see today. It is not just the burden of the labor required to comply with regulations, it is the stiffling of initiative that is the great evil of regulation and corporatism. Nobody pays attention to the statements that today's successful companies could not be started in today's regulatory environment. We are dooming our children to being served by flabby corporate failures rather than strong, dynamic competitive companies.]
6. My own prediction is the President will say all the right things, and do all the wrong ones. He will not change his direction, only his words, and only as long as he thinks we remember. He is convinced he knows what is best for us, regardless of the fact that he has never held a real job, doing real productive work in his life. While we were busy earning a living he was busy having his given to him. It makes for a very different perspective. [I know because I had mine handed to me for years. After I had to really work, I found out a lot about the world.]
7. Two years from now will be a bigger challenge for those of us who are conservative in outlook. Things will be just enough better that the urgency that drove this election will be gone. We have two years to do some effective work and, more importantly, some effective education.
In the meantime, I am grateful for what did happen, and somewhat regretful for what did not.
// posted by Bill @ 8:28 AM 
