Seriously - Vote 'em out

The Czar of Muscovy brings The Smart about Christine O'Donnell's Senate campaign in Delaware, and makes a persuasive case that she's loonier than a Canadian Dollar. The Republican Party establishment seems to be having kittens over her win, to the delight of the Democratic Party establishment.

At the risk of causing our Autocrat's cold dread eye to be cast this way, the Borepatch take is that it doesn't matter. 'Puter makes a partial case for this:

Sure, loser Republican establishment candidates like Mike Castle in Delaware and Lisa Murkowski in Alaska are fighting rear guard actions against the party's nominees. This simply proves 'Puter's point that these people deserved to be fired. They lust for power for themselves, not for justice for their constituents.

I would go further. The problem, as I've said, is not the Democrats. The solution is not the Republicans.

The problem is an institutionalized Ruling Class that has increasing contempt for most of the voters in this country.

For all the Republican's talk this election cycle, they still don't Get It. Neither do the Democrats, but that problem's getting fixed no matter what in two months. Let's deal with the Democrats first, because they're easy; then we'll deal with Mike Castle and the Republican Establishment.

The Democrats are going to get pounded in November, and the pounding is going to be worse that anyone is saying right now. The electorate is in a foul mood, the economy continues to tank, and the Democrats - after a spending binge and power grab unprecedented in this Republic's history - won't even talk about their so-called "accomplishments." Democratic voters are demoralized, Republican voters are energized like we've never seen, and disgusted independents are breaking 2 to 1 for Republicans. This defeat will be historic in its proportions.

The defeat will make things much, much worse for the Democratic party. The party's trouble is that it pushed a very left-wing agenda (Obamacare, Cap and Trade, nationalizing the auto industry, huge pork spending to favored clients). The country as a whole is nowhere near accepting these policies, and the reaction is (a) energizing the opposition and (b) splitting off independent support.

However, perhaps two thirds of the Democratic seats are more or less safe, meaning that they are occupied by solid Pelosi-style left wingers. These people will be safe; moderate Democrats may cease to exist come November. The Democratic Party is fixin' to take a massive swing to the left, after an election where they get crushed for being too left wing. So there's no plausible comeback strategy that looks viable. Sic transit idiotes.

The Republicans are a different matter, and much more of a concern to us. What the Democrats lose, the Republicans will gain. The Republican Establishment will say it's because of their program. So what is their program? Basically, it's "Vote for us because we're (slightly) less reckless than the Democrats." Well, phooey to that.

The Republican Establishment is at war with the reform wing of the Republican Party, and with the Tea Parties. The only "program" worth the name is from Rand Paul, who has his finger on the pulse of the independent vote, but is pushing uphill against the old guard. Where's the new Contract With America? Where's the plan? Why should we vote for a bunch of Old Guard loser type like Mike Castle who's champing at the bit to push through Cap and Trade?



Watch this starting about 3:30 into the video. One of Castle's constituents says he should be voted out because of his support for Cap and Trade. The cheers from the crowd are deafening.

This is the sort of candidate that the Republican Establishment wants us to support? But more significantly, why then should we think that the Republican Party is less reckless in its spending than the Democrats? There's a very clear pattern that has emerged in the GOP's support for Castle, Murkowski, et al - support the Usual Suspects, protect their power and privilege, and pay lip service (if that) to actual fiscal reform.

Like I said, phooey.


This November will see the breaking of the Democratic Party, which is half the battle. But everything will come to naught if the Republican Old Guard is not also broken. There is quite frankly no evidence that they will change their old ways unless we break them. Christine O'Donnell may be crazy like a Cat Lady, but she serves the purpose of breaking them. She is particularly useful in this, because it sends the following message:

We'll vote for the Village Idiot before we'll vote for you lot.

Some will say that the Democratic Party is killing this country. I can't argue with that. However, the Republican Establishment is killing the country, too - just a little slower.

Think strategically, not tactically. If we are to die, it's better to go fast than slow. The proper response to the contempt being shown us by the Republican Party Old Guard - vote for us because we suck less than they do - is to return that contempt with interest. Vote 'em out, every Man Jack and Woman Jill. If they're an incumbent, get rid of them.

A Republican Party that loses "safe" seats this November because of this contempt will be shocked into a realignment towards the center of gravity of the body politic. And that will open up room for the reform we'll need to fix things. Voting (R) this November hurts that.


Eyes on the prize, folks. Think Long Game, not short; strategic, not tactical. Our children's future depends on it.