In 2008, Democrats were given the greatest opportunity of a generation to make a positive difference in the lives of ordinary Americans. No president in my lifetime has been sworn in under such an overwhelming aura of goodwill and hope as the one that surrounded Barack Hussein Obama. No political party promised such a wide range of reforms: fiscal accountability (Pay As You Go), earmark reform, an end to corruption, openness, transparency, accountability, the highest ethics of any Congress, and so on.
And no political party faced such a daunting task: restore the flagging spirits of a nation weary of war and concerned over perceived injustices here at home, and turn around the deepest economic recession since the end of World War II.
Let’s face it — the Democrats blew it. Big time.
Instead of a focus on economic recovery, we got 14 years of pork barrel spending, political payoffs, and big government power grabs crammed into a two year legislative session. Instead of fiscal responsibility we got $3 trillion in deficit spending. Instead of bipartisanship, we got “I won.” Instead of openness and transparency we got “we have to pass the bill so you can see what’s in it.” Instead of reasonable reforms we got pork-laden, convoluted 2,000+ page bills that no Congressmen read and few of their staffers understood. Instead of an end to corruption we got tax cheats, boodle for family members, a virtual sea of campaign money from labor unions and other liberal special interests, crony capitalism, and bribes for Senate votes.
And when ordinary Americans, most of whom had never attended a protest rally in their entire lives, dared to speak up against the deficits, corruption, cronyism, bailouts, sweetheart deals, and power grabs that defined the 111th Congress, those Americans were mocked, insulted, derided, and dismissed by the ruling and chattering classes.
November 2 was our turn as citizens to remind the rich over-educated elites who run the Washington DC political machines and the mainstream news and entertainment media that Americans control the destiny of America, not a self-appointed ruling class. And when they insult is, ignore us, or patronize us in town hall meetings, and ram legislation through Congress using obscure parliamentary procedures and party-line votes — especially when a majority of Americans oppose that legislation — it’s time to send the bastards packing.
Which is exactly what we did on Tuesday.
And the biggest lesson for Republicans? They had better listen to the American people. The people chose once again to put their faith in the Republican party, but if Republicans fail to do what they were elected to do — get the size and cost of government back under control — they probably won’t get another chance.
Nor would they deserve one.
