8:00AMThe people have spoken and democracy is restored! Well, at least in forty-nine states.
As I peer out from behind the bars of California, the people of America have made their voice heard and power in the House of Representatives has been shifted. While the Democrats will retain control of the Senate, the Republicans have won enough seats to take the House. Welcome to the back row, Nancy.
Let’s see how I did on the home front (Blue means I picked ‘em right; Red means the other guys won):
These results are as of 07:30AM Pacific. Where the Result is blank, the votes are still being counted.
My take on the California offices and propositions are below.
General Assessment
Obviously, America was not happy with the direction Obama and the Democrats were taking the country. In general, Americans in the past have expressed a preference to maintain a ‘balance of power’ with the House, Senate, and Presidency being split among the parties.
Losing sixty House seats means that Nancy Pelosi will not only lose the gavel but will probably not even retain Minority Whip status. If the numbers hold, this would be the biggest shift in seats since 1948. I see the Democrats fleeing this sinking ship.
Sarah Palin’s mini-me, Christine O’Donnell, got blown out in Delaware but the Tea Party made in-roads across the rest of the nation. Now we’ll see if they can actually lead or if all they are good for are rallies for retirees and sound bites on The Daily Show.
I’m a little shocked CA Proposition 19, the state legalization of marijuana, lost. With Mr. Hand in mind (“What are you people? On dope?”), there still remains no legal way to explain why Californians vote the way they do.
Speaking of 'on dope', hearing Democrats listen to the national results and say "it’s not that bad" is like Monty Python’s Black Knight inventorying all of his lost limbs and saying “it’s only a flesh wound”.
Early yesterday, former Speaker Pelosi was still saying that the Democrats would retain control of the House. Uh,... hello?
A little under thirty-eight percent of registered San Franciscans voted. So much for the leftist intelligencia.
On a side note, someone needs to outlaw robo dialers. With all of the calls I received during the day, I was coming home to a dead hoome phone and a stuffed voicemail box. Robo dialers are used for political campaigns and collections. Both are evil.
In the end, if the Republicans think this election marks the turning tide, they are wrong. If the Democrats think this was just an apparition, they are wrong. The Tea Party is not the answer. Resending the same old retreads back to Washington, DC is not the answer. Both parties are going to have to pick up the pieces and find a way to move forward.
What this election has done is reset the game to zero.
Governor
Not really a surprise here. Meg Whitman never really ran a good race. Her inability to coalesce on a message as well as her previous indifference to voting hung her out. Yes, Nannygate came into play the last month but the real issue came down to who the people thought could handle the job. Let’s hope money can buy Meg some luv because it couldn’t buy her the governor’s mansion.
The funniest comment I received on this race was from a democratic friend of mine from out of state who conceded that they, too, had employed an illegal nanny but at least they had the decency to get her a green card. It made me wonder if they had considered the poor person who was going through the system and trying to get a green card but could not get a job to stay because people were using cheaper, illegal immigrants.
Lt. Governor
Puke. This race is a double loss for San Francisco. Not only have we given this yo-yo, Gavin Newsom, another office, but now the decision of who will be the temporary mayor falls to the Board of Stupervisors. Save me, San Francisco.
US Senator
Somehow, this and the Governor’s race made being a business person an issue and a bad thing. Obviously, Boxer’s ads focusing on how many layoffs and jobs H-P shipped overseas under Fiorina’s watch struck home. Ironically, the Fiorina never struck back with where was Boxer when corporate America was pushing workers to the back of the bar and onto the pinball machine.
Attorney General
The vote is still being counted.
State Proposition Highlights
Prop 19, California legalizing marijuana, not winning was a surprise to me. I thought for sure this would pass. However, in hindsight, the Humboldt Growers Association and other pot industries already established in this state did not back the measure because they saw this as something that would cut into their revenues. Maybe there still is a chance for capitalism on the Left Coast.
Prop 25, changing from a super majority to a simple majority to pass the the state budget, won. I think this sends the message that Californians are tired of the budget drama of the past (twenty-three of the past twenty four budgets have been late).
US Representative, District 8
It was a pipe dream to think that Nancy Pelosi was going to lose her seat in California. However, she has a lot of ‘splain’ to do to her fellow democrats on the Hill. Not only does she lose the House but I would imagine she will lose her leadership role.
Ding dong, the witch is dead.
State Assembly, District 13
Tom Ammiano destroyed Laura Peters. Not surprising. But sending him back to Sacramento is the definition of insanity.
Board of Supervisors, District 2
The vote is still being counted.
Local Proposition Highlights
I continued to be dumbfounded by the way San Franciscians pick their propositions. Prop L, the Sit/Lie law which opens the door to a police state, won while Prop B, having city employees actually pay something for their health care/pension, lost. I guess I should not be. It’s like asking your children if they want cake or vegetables for dinner and then being surprised that they chose cake.
Other silliness of note, Prop AA (the $10 vehicle tax) passed. This just shows how cash greedy the city is when they think they are taking other people’s money and just how much San Franciscans hate cars. Prop N, raising property tax, also won under the same logic (as long as it’s your money, I’ll take it).
Prop C, having the mayor required to appear in front of the Board of Supervisors once a month, passed so I look forward to seeing the usual suspects preen and grandstand. Idiots.
Prop A, money for earthquake bonds, losing while Prop AA passed makes no sense to me. But then again, this is the city that mocked New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina for living below sea level yet every year refuses to pass bonds to shore up Hetch Hetchy (our main water supply) against earthquakes.
As I have said before, when the four horsemen of the Apocalypse arrive, the first sixteen hoof prints are on San Francisco.
