An important election

There was a burst of media over the weekend saying the election races were tightening. Well, duh. Races always tighten towards the end as the undecideds make their choice. This is normal. However not even the most die-hard of Republicans believe they will keep the House. Plus, recent polls show the Democrats have a reasonable chance of taking the Senate too. We are seeing a historic shift of public opinion. The pendulum is (finally) swinging back.

The polls generally are of “likely voters.” However this time young voters, who usually don’t vote, are planning to vote, and they favor the Democrats, something that I’m guessing is not being tracked in likely voter polls. Not to mention that many young live by their cell phone, not their home phone, and might not even get polled at all since pollsters don’t call cell phones. Thus,, the Dem vote could be bigger than expected.

Does it matter which of the “Twin Parties of Militarism” rules? Yes. In terms of the war(s), only a few Congressional Democrats genuinely want to stop them. But the people want the wars ended, and thus Democrats will be forced to act whether they want to or not because the tide that is sweeping them back into power is strongly antiwar. This is precisely what happened during the Civil Rights era when Democrats in the Senate first opposed then finally backed that movement.

If the Democrats take the House (an apparent given), then John Conyers becomes head of the Judicial Committee. He’s already called for the impeachment of Bush, and as chair will have subpoena power and the power to start investigations. Expect serious fireworks.

Greg Palast is saying Rethuglicans operatives are stealing votes and a big turnout is needed to offset this. Me, I think we’ll see a big Democratic vote today.

If the Dems allow an invasion of Iran after being swept into office on antiwar sentiment (and they might) then we need to get into the streets in massive numbers. But one or both houses going Democratic will mean mean the end of the neocon agenda and a rollback of neo-fascist freedom-hating Republican excesses. And that’s worth supporting.

“This is the most important vote that you’ll probably ever cast. Because should this gang of thugs continue in the two houses of Congress, there isn’t any chance of getting the Constitution back…”

— Gore Vidal

Vote Democratic and hold their feet to the fire after the election. Then frog-march the neocon war criminals to prison.