Politics from the Palouse to Puget Sound

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Our Status Quo Election

Listening to the national news last night, I heard over and over how voters were "repudiating the status quo."

While that may be true, Whitman County voted FOR the status quo.

Maria Cantwell is still our Senator.

Cathy McMorris is still our Congresswoman.

Susan Owens is still a Supreme Court Justice.

We still have two Republican state representatives.

We still have a Republican District 3 County Commissioner.

We still have a Republican Auditor.

The death tax is still alive.

Farmers and landowners are still subject to the depredations of the Growth Management Act and Critical Areas Ordinances.

Pullman still has a property tax bond.

Lest local Dems get too giddy, they should remember as they pull up their yard signs that only one of the names on those signs actually won.

4 comments:

Paul E. Zimmerman said...

I'm curious to know when the harsh reality will set in that the only thing that will come of this election at the national level is gridlock. The Dems do have the house now, but not by an extreme margin, and the senate might still go to them, but barely. For the next two years, we can basically expect nothing to get done. The "revolution" is in name only.

As a business owner and an investor in the stock and bond markets, I actually welcome this. Uncertainty is anathema to investors; if we know with certainty that very little change will be made in the regulatory environment surrounding business, then we can invest with greater certainty. Profitable times are likely ahead for me! :)

Paul E. Zimmerman said...

One other thing, a question: I know that CNN results are far from perfect, but right now they're showing 49 GOP seats in the Senate, 50 DNC seats, and zero independents. Are they trying to count Lieberman as a member of the DNC to project a Dem majority in the Senate? Something's fishy there.

April E. Coggins said...

Cougster: Two independents? One is registered Socialist (Bernie Sanders) and the other (Joe Lieberman) is a former Democrat, who ran as independent because he was forced out of the party. The question is, how is the media counting the party affiliation? Bernie is always counted for the Dems. Lieberman's allegence is a question. My guess is that Lieberman will kiss and make-up. But neither one are technically elected Dems.

Paul E. Zimmerman said...

Exactly what April said, cougster1.

But probably inconsequential, if the independents do basically act as Dems.

However, potentially, they could prove very disappointing to the Dems if they act as Independents.