Republicans Hear a Who?

Good Morning Bloggers - I was VERY HAPPY to read that three more Senate Republicans in key states will not be running again in 2010: Senator George V. Voinovich of Ohio, Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas, and Christopher S. Bond of Missouri. They join Senator Mel Martinez of Florida creating problems for Republicans in 2010.

So far this year, no Democrats have announced plans to retire after the current Senate term. Let's hope it stays that way.

Well, well, I guess GOP strategists and the far right wing-nuts are crapping themselves right now. How are you feeling Rush, Sean and Bill? Nervous? As long as Obama does a good job, and the Democrats in Congress represent the people's interests, then it's clear 2010 is shaping up to be another good year for Democrats.

The GOP has been devastated by losses in two major elections. Most impartial analysts blame Republican policies and George Bush, despite party propaganda to the contrary. The GOP didn't only suffer losses at the top, it also suffered losses at the local and state level. It lost key "red states" and lost party members in the millions nationwide. There is every indication that unless something changes, the party is in serious decline.

A key area of change that most Americans don't notice is how special interests will also change within the beltway's "K Street Culture" of lobbyists and influence peddlers. Those changes are important too, because the country has suffered for years under Republican special interest. Democratic Party special interest groups are not innocent, but overall they are well known to be more representative of the middle-class and average Americans.

Republican lobbyists lose influence and are replaced by Democratic interests. Special interest power shifts away from oil companies, the industrial-military complex and international conglomerates, to more people friendly groups representing the environment, education, health care for all Americans, and state and local interests. The trend will probably last for years.

The remaining Republicans must be feeling the heat. They will be running out of Washington influence, and will ultimately lose their ability to profit from their positions, ending up as the vocal opposition. The far right blow-hards will continue to scream into the winds of change, but will eventually lose power since most polls show Americans leaning Democratic on almost every major issue. It will be a very interesting reversal of fortune, and one that I will enjoy watching unfold.

The far right and FOX "News," along with the far right die-hards that comment on blogs like this one, will continue to blast for years to come, but they will also fade over time. Like the Dr. Seuss classic Horton Hears a Who, Republicans are pathetically struggling to listen for any tiny voices still supporting their positions. Unlike Horton, it's a losing battle. The world is changing, and only the Democratic Party is changing with it.

For those right-wingers who think I'm wrong, remember that it took decades after World War II for the conservatives in Britain to finally acknowledge the British Empire was lost. America has changed in a similar way, and unfortunately it will take just as long for hard-headed conservatives in America to admit the nation has changed, and not in their favor.

Tuesday's Political Rave #1 - Michael