Aftermath...

If you are a Democrat in Minnesota, don't be glum.  You have a lot to feel good about.  If you're not from Minnesota, you probably can't say the same thing.

Minnesota Democrats kicked caboose on Tuesday night, winning every statewide race, holding all of the Democratic US House seats, including the heavily contested MN-08 seat of re-elected Congressman Rick Nolan, and outside of losing the majority in the Minnesota House, the state was true blue through and through!  You know what feels good?  In the MN-07 and MN-08 races, the GOP spent $21 million combined, and lost both!  Good times...

The MN House is a loss.  Speaker Paul Thissen has been a sensational Speaker and the last two years saw the fixing of the Republican recklessness and stupidity from the ten years prior (who just shifts a major portion of the budget into a future fiscal year?  Dumb Tim Pawlenty, dumb). But, on the bright side, this guy:

http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/story/24417104/minn-gop-rep-kurt-daudt-involved-in-montana-gun-incident

is running for Speaker of the Minnesota House!  Please, please, please, please.....

The national media's headlines are using over the top descriptions (decimation, destruction, obliteration, crushing, annihilation, humiliating, whooped) for what is a very normal outcome.  In mid term elections, the party not in the White House usually picks up a few Senate seats.  That's very normal, but the way it's being portrayed is as if all 30-plus seats went to the GOP.  

Yes, the GOP now controls the US Senate, and as I've referred to in earlier blog posts, they will make a clown car mockery of it, trying to desperately appeal to the extremist, racist element of the right, who keeps showing up and getting these guys elected, without trying to look like a racist extremist to everyone else.  Good luck with that!  They are already insisting any investigation of President Obama has nothing to do with race.  That's bull!  It has everything to do with race, whether they like it or not.  In the end, these guys will have a shameful legacy known for centuries to come.

Here is why the left can feel good about things.  Ballot measures across the country, even in far right states, all fell on the progressive side (raising minimum wages - passed, personhood amendments - failed, legalizing marijuana - passed, punishing teachers with constant performance reviews - failed).  The majority of people like the Democrat's message, but for whatever reason, they don't vote for Democrats.  If I'm in Democratic leadership, I'm getting as many ballot initiatives to promote progressive issues onto the 2016 ballots, as possible.  What's good for the goose...

The right was bankrolled by a handful of ultra wealthy individuals, outspending the opposition as much as 20 to 1, they did everything to suppress voting rights for minority and low income voters, they controlled 99% of the message the majority of Americans hear, watch, and read, driving a far right narrative, and yes, they won, but not in overwhelming numbers.  For the next two years, watch as they self destruct, starting a war between the traditional Republicans and the far right tea baggers who thrive on hatred, and then enjoy as they have to successfully defend an impossible amount of Senate seats in 2016, while running a low appeal troglodyte as their Presidential candidate.  

Democrats, turn that frown upside down.  Could it be better?  Sure, but enjoy watching the GOP implosion.  In two years, national election results will be far more like Minnesota's.