By Staff
As predicted in this space Aug. 7, a hard reign fell before gas prices.
Voters surged to the polls Nov. 7 and corrected the excesses of the Bush administration, awarding House and Senate control to Democrats.
The day after Republicans thudded to earth Dowagiac pump prices skipped up a dime, from $2.29 to $2.39.
Pragmatic swing voters looking for ideas and solutions made their voices heard, despite The Associated Press reporting that "late polls suggested momentum was swinging the Republicans' way, and Ken Mehlman, the party chairman, told allies the surveys summoned memories of 1998, when the GOP lost seats but held power."
Democrats are just one of the three major parties, however, the other two being the traditional GOP of fiscal conservatism and the shallow Bush/Rove/DeLay evangelical social conservatism wing which crashed and burned.
Pandering to the new Republicans, with their rigid agenda on abortion, gay rights and any willingness to tolerate Democrats, left moderates no place to go short of defection.
The public was disgusted by the scandals on top of a Congress which knocked off work without addressing anything meaningful, like immigration, health care or energy prices.
"Stay the course" ran its course and everyone saw a landslide coming except Bush and his brain, Karl Rove.
Across the nation we saw blowback against these nasty attack ads promulgated by Washington outsiders dedicated to winning elections who don't live in the districts they damage.
The irony of the tinier tent may be lost for the time being on the disconsolate Republicans who rose to prominence in the early 1990s by railing against Washington.
This time, the party itself was seen as a carpetbagger stirring up trouble by its own supporters – at least the ones who began to realize some members of Congress represented the party at the expense of the district.
The Bush/Rove/DeLay crowd, who have always been revolutionaries, not conservatives, presided over a proven plan for winning elections, raising cash and concentrating power, but their scheme works better for perpetually campaigning than for governing, as you may have noticed.
Just support the president blindly and cynically demonize the opposition. The king thumb in the eye to small government and fiscal restraint was invading Iraq to impose democracy.
The corruption scandals continue to mount. In mid-October Rep. Curt Weldon, vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, joined the ranks of the investigated along with Rep. Rick Renzi, R-Ariz.
The FBI raided Weldon's daughter's home. The 29-year-old lobbyist received a considerable amount of business from clients seeking her dad's vote.
Investigators are looking at Renzi for allegedly steering a $3 million profit to a former business partner and for offering legislation on behalf of a military contractor that employs his dad.
The FBI reportedly gave convicted lobbyist Jack Abramoff his own desk because he's been putting in four hours a day spilling his guts about his illicit dealings with Republican officeholders.
Virginia Sen. George Allen conceded to Jim Webb to give Democrats control of the Senate. Webb, a decorated Vietnam veteran, served as President Reagan's Navy secretary, then switched to the Democratic Party because he opposes the war in Iraq.
President Bush and House Democratic Leader Nanci Pelosi agreed over plates of pasta at the White House Nov. 9 to seek common ground. He reached across party lines as Texas governor when he still fancied himself a "uniter, not a divider."
Donald Rumsfeld is out as defense secretary. Bush's nominee, Robert Gates, a former CIA director, served in Dad's administration.
Zeeland, despite its conservative Dutch heritage, ended by 40 votes, 1,425-1,385, a 104-year-old alcohol sales ban with a ballot measure meant to attract more visitors to the city's quaint but struggling downtown.
At least a year from now there will be three liquor licenses available to drive economic development.