Dems cruise. Clinton gets final revenge for '94.

Dems get almost twice the amount needed to take the House, and if recounts hold, will take the Senate. Ouch. Long, long two years ahead for W.

I think all credit (blame?) rests with Clinton, the William variety. Want to know how? Re-read the Contract with America from my last entry. I think the GOP had a vision coming out of '94, but got caught up in the Clinton scandals, became enamored with the idea of being America's moral authority, rode that wave through several elections, and lost sight of their mission. Consequentially, when they lost the moral high-ground there was no over-arching mission to save them and they got slaughtered. Actually, I take that back, the mission became staying in power forever. When the plan is to stay in power no matter what, the plan fails. Such a move works outside of democracy, but in a democracy, at some point, people start to lose emotion for "Let's stay in power!" and want more than helping keep a select few people in power. In the end, the GOP wanted to stay in power and the moral authority card allowed that for a few years. But moral authority and power at all costs were unsustainable, cyclical, and cynical concepts. Once it fell apart, it fell apart hard.

This is the lesson the Dems need to acknowledge. I still don't see that the Dems have any idea what to do with their new power. If they take the same, "Stay in power!" approach, then 2008 is going to be a deeply divided, deeply bitter election.

Quick hits.
Arizona became the first state to reject the Gay rights Amendment. I was happy. Others against such bans are saying that the AZ loss is a sign that the momentum is running out on this movement. Me, losing 7-1 hardly seems like the tide is turning, but you have to admire the optimism.

Ohio passed a sweeping no public smoking ban (I would have voted against). Big tobacco tried to get a measure passed that would have allowed smoking in bars, bowling alleys and racetracks. Ahhhh, how glamorous smoking has become. From Big Tobacco's side, if you're down to trying to hold the line on bowling alleys, and you still lose, well, it must be hard to fall below the gays on society's social pariah scale.

Mary J initiatives fail in Nevada and Colorado. Dude, like that's a total bummer. Had it passed, at least the GOP could've gotten stoned, eased out for awhile, developed a plan to trounce Dems in '08 but tragically forget it the next morning.