Election results: A note to the Democrats

The results are in, and the Democrats have taken control of both the House and the Senate. As a former Dem supporter (but not necessarily a current GOP supporter), I was actually hoping that the Dems would crash and burn again - not because I hate the party or anything, but because I strongly believe that they need to revamp how they do things, and they won't get to that point unless they crash and burn some more.

Until yesterday, the most recent elections had the Dems at least questioning how they are doing things and they were almost to the point of wondering whether there were better ways of doing things. However, the successes of yesterday will now push back that day of reckoning for at least another two years, for the Dems now feel that their party line is what Americans want from them. Now they are going to be reinforced in their erroneous views for two more years and possibly longer.

You know who represents the current Democratic party to me? Barbara Streisand, when she went ballistic over a heckler during one of her concerts. The concert-goers came to see the lady sing, not to hear her political ideology. Her arrogant and elitist behavior to me represents the Dems today - especially her lack of understanding as to why some people took offense at her attempt at political humor (she should have said that it was a "botched joke"!). Despite the fact that other fans have also showed their displeasure over her political hacking during her concerts, she had stated that she's going to continue to have the Bush impersonater at her concerts. This kind of cluelessly arrogant behavior is a microcosm of how the Dems are at large.

But now, the Dems will continue their clueless ways, because they will believe that Americans voted them in because they believe in them. However, Americans weren't so much pro-Dem as they were anti-Bush. The Dems were just the beneficiaries of that anti-Bush resentment because they happen to be the only other major political party. They were also the beneficiaries of the fact that the GOP is now getting cluelessly arrogant as well. Being in power too long must do that to a political party. It might have been for the GOP's own good for them to lose power - especially to the Dems.

No doubt the Dems are going to try to institute their ways and views onto the political arena. However, let me give them two bits of advice:

1.) Don't pull out of Iraq right away. That would be the stupidest thing that you can do right now. If you think you'd be hurting Bush, then you'd be horribly, horribly wrong. Discuss a pullout, even work on a timetable, but do NOT pull out of there right away.

2.) Although the temptation will be overpowering, don't put the country to the unnecessary process of impeaching Bush. That will accomplish nothing positive, and it will only to be disruptive in all the wrong ways. Yes, the nature of politics tends to encourage such petty and vindictive behavior, but if you really, truly want to make changes to how things are done in Washington, then not engaging in impeachment proceedings is one way to do it.

Perhaps I will be wrong, and the Dems will truly become the party of positive and ethically responsible change. But I don't believe that I'll be wrong. I hope I am, but I seriously doubt it. How the Dems behave in the next 3 months will tell us where they will be headed for the next two years.