I am sure you have heard all the recent predictions from so-called political experts: of gloom and doom for democrats in next month's nationwide elections. They have been saying that polling results are showing a large enthusiasm gap between democrats and republicans in near every state, which would translate into gains for republicans in both federal and state legislatures. They say more republicans will turn out to vote than democrats, and that this has been fueled by the Tea Party movement. I caution people to consider this: polls are just snapshots in time, and as such they are subject to overnight change. I also caution people that the same movement (Tea Party) ostensibly driving republican turnout, could likewise motivate Dem turnout. Perceptions that President Obama is being disrespected by certain elements within the Republican party, will surely spur turnout in this midterm election, and as such I expect that there will be a slightly higher nationwide voter-turnout than what historically occurs in mid-term elections. I predict that election-night results will show democrats in surprisingly good shape compared to the predictions: there will be some hemorrhaging as expected, but it wouldn't be a bloodbath as the pundits predict. I expect Democrats to retain both houses of Congress.
Despite all the prognostications, recent trends are suggesting that democrats are finally waking up after months of inertia, frustration and somnambulism. This is a good sign. In this country there are more people registered as democrats than as any other party-member. A surge in the turnout will enable dems to retain both pieces of Congress (House of Representatives and Senate). It will also mean that for Democrats, various state legislatures and governorships thought to be vulnerable will be retained: and that is extremely important as we all redistrict next year (mandated after every ten-year census).
In New York, it will be criminal to return the senate to republican rule. They were in the majority for over forty years, and they weren't nice in many ways they treated democrats in the minority. In the past two years alone, we have seen positive signs from the John Sampson-led Democrats, relative to addressing some of the major issues facing us in this state. I am hopeful that once dems are returned to the majority, all new-yorkers will see positive changes in the way things are done: relative to legislation-development, redistricting, taxes and policy-formation. I am expecting progressive legislation on environmental issues, taxation, education and minority-affairs. I am hopeful that once dems control both senate and assembly, we could finally end the many legislative deadlocks which we have grown accustomed to seeing in Albany.
If the senate is returned to republican rule then it will be business as usual and the same old same old. We have wasted too many years over silly partisan bickering, while too many jobs and too many productive residents left the state; while our taxes -as middle income folks- got higher; while the cost of living for the poor and the middle class folks rose like a pregnant belly; while crime and unemployment (especially in communities of color) get higher than a heroin addict. It's time for a reversal of the many dysfunctional things we now accept as normal. Now that Joe Bruno is gone, it is time to get rid of Sheldon Silver: we need a new leader for the assembly.
And while we dems vote en masse to retain the state senate, remember to also vote for the re-election of both senators Kristen Gillibrand and Charles Schumer. Republicans are offering no new ideas relative to addressing some of the pressing issues we face. Cutting taxes for rich people is both trite and tired. Obstructing every piece of legislation that President Obama proposes (even when it is a recycled republican idea) is rather irresponsible. Wishing, hoping and praying for the president's economic polices to fail, isn't what the founding fathers expected (of legislators) when they framed the constitution. Republicans don't deserve to run either branch of Congress at this time in our country's history: obstructionism is cowardly and deserves no reward via legislative victories.
Stay tuned-in folks.