It's the spin not the substance.

Republican reaction to the upset in the New York 26 special election for Congress is starting to come-in. Democrat Kathy Hochul's victory over Republican Jane Corwin has been attributed to the Paul Ryan plan to convert Medicare to a voucher program. According to Democrats, seniors see it as a threat to their health care and are scared. Democrats think that reaction is good for their election chances in 2012. Republicans, at least publicly, say that's not so. They say all they have to do is explain themselves:

"If we’ll just stay with our argument and do a better job developing it, we’ll be fine," said Rep. Tom Cole (Okla.)

In other words, don't be concerned with the substance, just the spin.

Those words should sober-up the Democrats. Republicans are very good at demagoguery and distortion. They very well may be able make their plan to gut Medicare look like a plan to make health care for seniors more affordable. Democrats should pay attention and be forewarned. They are going to face a storm of Republican lies and distortions which will make the usual Republican lies and distortions look like a gentle breeze of logic and truth.

Deficit Advice to President Obama

As we get closer and closer to next general election, President Obama is going to be getting more and more advice about how to win the election if the face of the budget deficit. Brit Hume offered him some on “Fox News Sunday” online “Panel Plus” segment on Sunday. Hume said "Obama (should) get on board with at least one of the current proposals put forth to address the federal debt. But he also noted the opposition he would face from his own party if he did so.

You're darn right, Brit.

Democrats didn't cause the deficit problem. Republicans did. Whatever Obama does about the deficit has to be at their expense. The Bush tax cuts, the Bush wars and the Bush Recession caused it. Obama has to keep the voters focused on that.

Class Solidarity

Form what we've seen of the Republicans' legislative agenda so far this year, their intent should be clear. The Republicans are attempting to use envy to turn workers against each. The assault on public employee unions and the push for "right to work" laws shows us that. Each is an attempt to turn those not protected by unions against those who are. Unless American workers develop a sense of class solidarity, they will fall victim to the scheme. Every worker benefits when one worker improves himself. When he wins the battle, the next battle becomes easier and victory more likely.

Will the Democrats win the 2012 general elections in a landslide?

When the results of the 2010 elections came-in, pundits might easily have predicted the end of the Democratic Party. Republicans were elected from coast to coast to a variety of offices both minor and major. The Republican Party was on top of American politics and looked like they were there to stay.

Then they actually had to govern.

Now things look different. Republicans have begun implementation of
their ideas and America is recoiling in horror. Ending collective
bargaining, repealing child labor laws, gutting Social Security and
replacing Medicare with inadequate vouchers aren't playing well with
American public. Even on overly cautious observer might be beginning to
get the idea the Republicans are in for a beating in 2012 which will make
2010 look like a clever Democratic scheme to let the Republicans hang
themsleves.

It couldn't happen to a more deserving bunch.

"Cut and Grow" Already a Failure

Eric Cantor hardly had had time to move into his new office as majority leader before he declared his majority to be a "cut and grow" majority. He laid-out his plan to "grow" the economy by cutting everything - jobs, spending, benefits. Everything.

He should have waited.

A few months ago, the Conservative majority in Britain tried the same thing. They promised to cut this and cut that and promised growth but guess what happened. As Labor predicted, the economy shrank.

Let that be a lesson to you, Mr. Cantor. Keep your mouth shut. Better yet, resign. You'll be doing everyone a favor.

Please Mr. Obama, No Compromise

Democrats are facing a disaster in the November mid-term elections. But even in the best case, even if things don't end-up as bad as the could, Congress will be different in the remaining two years of President Obama's term. Republicans will hold far more power and they will use it to advance their own goals. John Boehner, the presumed Speaker of the House, has promised no compromise with the President unless the President does what Boehner wants him to do. Mitch McConnell, the presumed Senate minority leader, has promised his Republicans would work only for the President's defeat in the 2012 election.

So what's Obama going to do?

According to this article he may follow President Bill Clinton's lead and try to work with Congress anyway. Quoted in the article, New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson says "The divided government result, if it happens, is good for the president, because he now has some potential enemies but he also has some potential partners to get things done where he didn't have them before."

My question to Gov. Richardson, or anyone willing to answer it, is: "Why would we want anything we could get from a Congress run by Republicans, even if we have Democratic President?" Clinton's administration, the presumed model for Obama's, was hardly a golden age for the American people. With Clinton's trade policies, welfare reform and banking reform, the Republicans got what they wanted and the American People got the seeds of the bitter harvest we have today.

Please Mr. Obama, no compromise. America can't afford any more compromise with Republicans.

A Perspective on Unfavorable Results

If the November elections go as predicted, the Democrats will lose control of the House and their control of the Senate will be imperiled. This will be a dark time for Americans of good will.

As bad as it will be, though, we should be be aware of the reason for the results. The Republicans will have won not because of the strength of their ideas but because of the depth of their depravity. They had no ideas but they were willing to distort and misrepresent the Democrats' ideas. Where the Democrats put forth honest attempts to move American forward, they obstructed and deceived. They put their party's interests above America's. The Democrats can take comfort in knowing their cause was just but the power of evil was just too great.