Tea Parties fizzle, Progressives make gains in 2011 election

The “Teabagger” revolution has fizzled out...and we may now see intelligent dialogue.

Last November, the media and Republican strategists were giddy about the Tea Party wins...and Tea Party republicans held the country hostage for the past 11 months due to this “mandate” or swing to the right...as Boehner said, “The American people have spoken!” Too bad he didn't listen.

An NBC-Wall Street Journal poll shows that at least 60% of the people strongly agree with the ideas of the 99% movement while only 33% agree with the Tea Party ideology. So, now comes this Election in November...and a much larger “wave” with a much larger area of concerns of economic, social and political values:

Labor/worker's Rights:

Ohio voters pushed back on their governor's abhorrent power grab on collective bargaining and public employees by a vote of 61 – 39% vote. “Ohio’s working people successfully fought back against lies pushed by shadowy multi-national corporations and their anonymous front groups that attempted to scapegoat public service employees and everyone they serve by assaulting collective bargaining rights.”, said AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka.

Keeping democratic voting rights:

Governor Paul LePage(Maine) and his cronies attacked citizen's voting rights by killing same-day registration in the state. The citizens of Maine began a petition campaign which forced a referendum vote and again, the voters won same day registration by a vote of 61 - 39%.

Protecting Reproductive Rights and Birth Control...AKA not enslaving/imprisoning women, just cuz...

Mississippi politicos were trying for the slogan, “We are the most vile and stupidest people in the United States”...or something like that by putting up an amendment to their state constitution that life includes "every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or functional equivalent thereof.” If this had passed there were ramifications with in-vitro fertilization, birth contraception, not only abortion. The folks in Mississippi decided that they were not in the business of throwing Mississippi women back to the 19^th century and voted against the measure by a 58 – 42 majority. There had been a big push by the anti-abortion side, they thought that Mississippi was the best testing ground for this garbage and then go on to other states. The people of Mississippi put it where it belonged—in the trash.

Democratic party sweep Kentucky state offices, win in Iowa and New Jersey:

Kentucky, which gave us Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell also gave the state government Democrats in 6 of 7 state offices, including Governor. In fact Governor Steve Beshear was reelected by a 21 point margin.

Iowa allowed Democrats to retain control of their state senate. If Republicans won the special election, they vowed to pass numerous measures, including a ban on same-sex marriage, that had been blocked by Democrats.

And New Jersey? The voters snubbed Gov. Christie's attempt to gain republican control of the state senate...in fact, there are now more Democrats in the senate, giving Christie less power.

Even in Virginia, the takeover of the state Senate by Republicans stalled since there will probably be a recount of at least one senate election with the 2 candidates within 100 votes. Even if the republican wins, that gives the senate 20 Democrats and 20 Republicans. Yes the lieutenant governor is republican, but all it takes is one republican to be absent...

Arizona Recall

Russell Pearse, the AZ state senator that pushed the anti-immigrant law SB1070, was defeated by a moderate Republican, Jerry Lewis.

Mr. Pearce was a Republican power and former sheriff's deputy. His personality was well known for being uncompromising and self-righteous. He appeared to be shocked at the outcome of the election, “If being recalled is the price for keeping one’s promises, then so be it,” the now “unemployed” president of the senate declared. Pearce had been a star to the Tea Partiers due to his anit-immigration bills and also several bills to nullify federal laws. He also had been involved in taking “inappropriate” campaign donations . He'd been involved in a scandal surrounding the Fiesta Bowl; Pearce accepted$1,025 in contributions from Fiesta Bowl executives and was accused of illegally accepting gifts in the form of tickets to games and travel(although seen “educational” due to a seminar here and there). He denies the accusations.

Andrei Cherny, Arizona Democratic Party chairman, issued the following statement, “Tonight, mainstream Arizona dealt a bitter blow to extremism. In choosing Greg Stanton as Phoenix’s mayor, in electing Jonathan Rothschild as Tucson’s mayor, and in recalling Senate President Russell Pearce, the voters have launched a new era of responsible leadership.

Progressives and the Democratic Party didn't win everywhere. Virginia got tighter and Tennesse gained some red seats. One of the biggest disappointments was also in Mississippi where a Voter ID law, which has been compared to the old poll tax type legislation and will make it more difficult for seniors, college students, poor and working poor to participate in elections passed by 60 – 40. In Ohio voters approved a referendum on the new health care law, although it was not binding, nor did it mention the health care law by name.

But, all in all, the lesson of this election is clear. The Republican/Tea Party movement went too far, is/was too extreme. It looks like it woke up the citizens and Progressive ideas are winning from Maine to Mississippi. Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln may be smiling a bit easier now.