Things Look Bad for Incumbents
Ruy Teixeira at Mother Jones writes the following.
"What it means, though, is that the GOP is unlikely to get dislodged unless an intense anti-incumbent mood
moves a significant number of races from the noncompetitive to competitive category. Could that happen? Possibly. Because one thing that does seem to be developing is just such an intense anti-incumbent mood unlike anything seen in American politics since-you guessed it-1994."
Comments
Too bad voters have to keep revisting this lesson. They will continue to repeat it until they start voting out (or recalling) irresponsible incumbents every election (not just once in a great while).
It's not hard to beleive, as the pain level increases. That is what motivates voters.
And voters are starting to feel the pain of so many decades of:
[1] pressing problems, growing in number and severity, and ignored by bought-and-paid-for incumbents.
[2] so much corruption and irresponsible behavior of incumbents, who also block newcomers to Congress from passing badly-needed, common-sense reforms.
[3] fiscal irresponsibility, and the fact that we are really already fiscally bankrupt with $8.2 trillion in National Debt, so large that it would now take 139 years to it off, which is growing ever large by $2 billion per day !
[4] personal debt, nation-wide, now at a staggering $32 trillion.
[5] Government FOR SALE, and irresponsible incumbents that have perverted the system to secure their cu$hy, coveted seats of power, making it very difficult for newcomers to be elected or pass reforms after being elected.
[6] voters failing to do the one simple, non-partisan, peaceful, responsible thing they were supposed to be donig all along to peacefully force government to be transparent, accountable, and responsible too.
Posted by: d.a.n | January 31, 2006 10:47 AM
Frankly, I think Teixeira is engaging in wishful thinking. I believe 2006 will see a few incumbents lose seats, but, the real hurdle is the psychology of voters which causes them to believe their representatives are not the problem (cognitive dissonance).
Since 2003, inflation has been exceeding wage growth. That is the issue could potentially halt the cognitive dissonance of voters, but, not until 2008 if the trend continues. Consumer confidence hit a 3 year high today. Its a lagging indicator, which means things will have to get a lot worse before voters become aware of how bad it is getting.
Posted by: David R. Remer | January 31, 2006 5:23 PM
Highest in three years?
That's not really saying much really.
Median wages have still been falling for the last 5 years.
Yes, things will have to get worse, or the voters must be educatedbefore things get worse (again).
Posted by: d.a.n | February 1, 2006 2:11 PM
For some it's going to take more of an impetus than personal hardship to redirect them from what they've always done. VOID is going to be that extra nudge; that push that drives them away from partisan rhetoric and complaceny towards a better future for themselves and their country.
Posted by: Stephanie | February 9, 2006 12:05 PM
Could you get financing from all challengers to help fund your organization? Just like politicians you need money to get the word out. I have been saying this for about a year now, We the people, still have the POWER! Lets use it and show goverment who is in charge.
Posted by: Robert G. Fisher | June 18, 2008 12:50 PM