When January Comes: Why American Politics is About to Become Far Worse

It is Election Day in America! Everyone should et out and vote--unless you are planning to vote Democrat. In that case, I hope you will consider cuddling up with your DVDs of The West Wing and quietly sob over the failure of fantasy progressivism as real public policy.

I am sticking with my prediction of 62 new House Republicans and seven new GOP Senators. We may e in for a few surprises, but I suspect they will all go in favor of Republicans. If events turn interesting, I may live blog or at least write up a post or two tonight regarding whatever caught my attention.

But I do not want to talk about that yet. Regardless of the actual numbers, it is safe to say the Republicans are going to have a good night. Ergo, Barack Obama is going to have a ad one. So the real question is what comes next? It is not counting chickens before the eggs have hatched to even declare te Senate lost for Obama even I republicans gain only six or seven seats. They will have enough influence with the Democrats running for reelection in 2012 to curtail much of the Obama agenda.

Which begs the question--what is Obama going to do now?

My prediction is fall apart. He is not the politician Bill Clinton was. He could not make a good enemy out of John Boehner even if Boehner had a firebrand personality like Newt Gingrich’s, as he most certainly does not. The next couple years are not going to be a repeat of ’94-96. None of the players have it I them, least of all Obama.

I am singling him out because he is about to face the biggest opposition of his life and it is very clear he does not know how to handle it. His inexperience at the political game is the key. He was a novelty act in 2008 at ust the right time when the Republican brand was at its lowest. Now we are familiar with im and Republicans are on the rise, albeit by default, since the Democrat brand is tanking. The consequence is that he now has to rely on politicking. But he is no good at it.

He is not yet fighting for his political life. I doubt he will have to. I do not see a primary challenge in his future regardless of what happens. All he has to fear at the moment is an opposition Congress. Yet look at his panic and, more importantly, his reaction. He told Latinos to vote or their enemies would win. E told gay hecklers to attack Republicans instead. He ha blame sagging Democrat fortunes on fearful, stupid voters. He has even divisive an insulting over potential Congressional race losses. How bad will he get when it is his own agenda at stake?

The answer is embarrassingly worse. He does not have it in him to use much tact or savvy when faced with opposition. I say brace yourselves. Obama is going to be addressing smaller an smaller crowds of increasingly progressive admirers who hate the ew conservative majorities and whom he will have to cater to, competently or not. Expect even more divisive, unwise rhetoric. Not to mention a more vicious media propping him up in his endeavor. Celebrate tonight while you can. American olitics is about to get even nastier than it has been in recent years.