From Our Founder

Tuesday, November 7^th was a historical day in our nation, our state, and our region. A Democratic political Tsunami swept the land.  Voters came out in droves to express their will.  The election proved that why “all politics is local” one cannot ignore the power of national and regional fervor to capture the local psyche having a profound affect on local elections.

I saw it coming on Monday evening when Democratic signs appeared at each polling place that pretty much summed up what proved to be a highly successful electoral strategy – “Ditch Mitch, Send Bush a Message.”  While Karl Rove may have been the principal architect of the Republican strategy that secured control of both Congress and the Presidency, that strategy was rendered useless in the face of a Democratic strategy designed to energize their base while targeting swing voters (in political circles we refer to these voters as: I’s, U’s, soft d’s and r’s).  By combing National & State discontent and embodying that in the persons of President Bush & Governor Daniels the Dem’s packaged a popular product.

I worked the polls on Election Day and I was excited to see folks voting that I had not seen in previous elections.  What encouraged me was their enthusiasm and determination.  We later discovered these voters were largely choosing Democrat candidates by default – they were sending a message.  If a voter was not motivated to vote for a specific Republican candidate in a specific race, the Democrat candidate was given the nod.

What I learned from the dramatic results of the election was that voters will vote wholesale when motivated to do so.  Troubles with the war in Iraq, recent disclosures of misbehavior among high profile Republican Congressmen, increasing Federal deficits, concerns about the effectiveness of our immigration strategy, increasing conflict in the Middle East, roller coaster fuel prices, concerns over the lease of the Indiana Tollroad, threats to organized labor, and the effects of Statewide adoption of Daylight Savings Time (DST)  – in combination trumped a growing economy, low unemployment, low interest rates and a plethora of legislation reflecting conservative values.  I have heard political pundits rate the importance of one issue or another, but I am convinced it was the “sum of grievances” that won the day.

My hope is that Democrats will use their newly acquired power to forge consensus and focus on fashioning solutions.  It would be sad if partisanship and payback produce political stalemate.  The message the voters sent on November 7^th would be reduced to “something else is always better.”

Both parties must govern with an appreciation and understanding of the fact that:  1.) absolute power corrupts absolutely, and 2.) familiarity breeds contempt.

While this election served as a painful reminder to Republicans, it was also a declaration to Democrats.  Voters are impatiently watching and willing to act.