The 2014 off-year elections produced more than expected victories for the Republican Party.
Both at the national and state levels, Republicans experienced gains that have not been seen since the 1920’s. Control of the United States Senate was perhaps, the most significant result of the election. As projected, Republicans gained seats in the House of Representatives. One of the surprise results of November 4 was the winning of the governorship of Maryland by Larry Hogan
Hogan’s message resonated with Maryland voters who obviously did not want another season of taxing and spending in Annapolis. The low turnout of voters, while helpful to Hogan, was disappointing. Hogan will have his hands full dealing with a significant majority Democratic legislature; however, all members of the Maryland legislature will be up for election in four years. Let’s hope they remember the message the majority of Maryland voters sent to Annapolis this year.
At the national level, Republicans will have working majorities in both houses of Congress. This should pave the way for more action on important issues in the Senate with the new majority leader and Republican control of Senate Committees. Perhaps even the logjam of legislation, created by former majority leader, Harry Reid, will be dealt with. Perhaps the Senate will return to being a more deliberative, legislative body. The Republicans were not the party of “No” when the outgoing majority leader would not call up House passed bills for a Senate floor vote. Change is coming, beginning January third.
At present, there is much “happy talk” regarding bipartisan and cooperation in Washington. This attitude may not last very long, especially since the 2016 presidential campaign has now begun in earnest. One might wager that the 2016 candidates will come from the ranks of current and past state governors. Hillary Clinton was really hurt with the recent national election. As with the governor’s race in Maryland, being tied to the current administration is not always the best credential when running for elective office.
The new Republican Congress will seek to deal with such issues as the Keystone XL pipeline, immigration reform, tax reform, improving the economy, the Ebola response, the sudden rise of ISIS and other priority issues of importance to the American people.
Former President Ronald Reagan said, “ I have wondered at times what the Ten Commandants would have looked like if Moses had run them through Congress. ”Perhaps the effectiveness and productiveness of the Congress will improve when the new Congress convenes in January. Their stature and reputation have nowhere to go but up. Perhaps the new Republican Congress will make serious efforts to stop and roll back many of the onerous regulations impeding industries and especially small businesses throughout the United States. Their efforts would be most helpful to the still fitful national economy. Governor-elect Hogan will have the same challenge in Maryland, where overzealous regulations and high taxes have been seriously hurting businesses and citizens. Many have voted “with their feet” and left Maryland. Come January, our government will change significantly at the state and national levels. It will be up to the American electorate to watch the progress of these governmental entities to see if promises are kept, changes made, regulations rolled back, and the future interests of the American people addressed in a cooperative and bipartisan manner. After all, that is what the voters this year said in a loud and clear voice.
Joe Lill says
On a local level, the Chester River Bridge should be the first order of business. Starting with Andy Harris and then with our local elected officials, it’s a chance to see whether Republicans are really going to deal with problems that could affect our local economy. Only time will tell on a local or National level whether Republicans can close ranks and make a difference.
The mid-term electoral demographics will seem “pale” in comparison to what lies ahead in 2016. With two dozen Republican Senate seats up for grabs in 2016 it could be a make or break 2 years.
James Nick says
Mr Hall correctly states that the Republican Party experienced gains in the mid-term elections not seen since the 1920s. But he fails to mention that the national outcome was, in large part, due to the abysmally low voter turnout across the board not just in the Maryland governor’s race. Only 34% of eligible voters participated in mid-term elections – the lowest participation rate since 1942 – driven mostly, but not only, by members of the Democratic coalition dropping out of the democratic process. It is a near national scandal that verges on the obscene that people are so caviler about their inherent rights, if not their civic obligation, to see to it that people are sent to Congress that reflect our true diversity, not more rigid ideologues.
But even with such a dismal turnout many of the marquee races that determined the control of the Senate were still determined by razor thin pluralities. If it is generously assumed that over all the races the Republican candidates prevailed by an average of ten percentage points it would mean that control of Congress was determined by only about 20% of the electorate.
Then there were the historic patterns at work that made this outcome all but predetermined. As noted above and for whatever reason, the Democratic base consistently fails to turnout in any numbers in the mid-terms that can match the conservative base. Second, all two-term presidents have lost an average of six Senate seats in the mid-terms of their second term. And finally, almost all of the Senate races that were determinate were in states that President Obama lost by double digits to Mitt Romney in the last election. It would have been a miracle if the Democrats had prevailed against an almost insurmountable force a nature.
Although it can’t be discounted, one might think that people stayed away from the polls simply because they thought the outcome was so predetermined that it wasn’t worth their effort. But a more likely explanation is that Republicans have made the affairs of governing so noxious, so ineffective, so mind-numbingly toxic that they have succeeded in turning off a large proportion of electorate that has washed its hands of Washington. It is, by design, yet another form of voter suppression.
Naturally, or course, the Republicans will read the outcome of the mid-terms as a mandate and, if history is any guide, they will try to over-reach. But fortunately, over these last six years, the Republicans have shown us all new way to govern. Their success in the mid-terms clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of constant attacks aimed at nullifying the legitimacy of the majority, blatant lying, unrestrained fear-mongering, and rigid, no compromise, unyielding grid locking of the legislative process. It obviously pays, big time. And nothing succeeds in Washington like success. So why on earth does Mr Hall think or expect that now with Republicans in control of both houses of Congress it will “… pave the way for more action on important issues in the Senate…” and usher in a new era of political kumbaya? It is the Republicans that have set the new standard as to how the loyal opposition must act in order to win.
Gerald Maynes says
The Democrats are going to have a difficult time in 206 electing a senate or a President. In short they must represent something, to raise the standard of living for the middle class. it isn!t goin g to do this by increasing the minimum raise or with blaming the rich or with a phony war on women. Perhaps treating the average voter as and intelligent human being just could be a good start.
The Democrats got what they deserved. Lincoln said it best , You can fool some of the people some of the time, You can fool some of the people all of the time, But you can!t fool all of the people all of the time. That indeed sums up why the Democrats lost.
What is needed is jobs, good paying jobs, The party that can put together that program is the one who will be victorious in 2016. All the other stuff in simple English , is baloney.
Dennis Leventhal says
Consider, right now in America, corporate profits are at record highs, the country’s adding 200,000 jobs per month, unemployment is below 6%, U.S. gross national product growth is the best of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries
The stock market is near record highs, gasoline prices are falling, there’s no inflation, interest rates are the lowest in 30 years, U.S. oil imports are declining, U.S. oil production is rapidly increasing, the deficit is rapidly declining, and the wealthy are still making astonishing amounts of money.
So, Americans vote for the party that got us into the mess that Obama just dug us out of? This defies reason.
It absolutely does defy reason.
I can understand simple political disagreements. For a conservative to vote against Obama because he supports same-sex marriage, that’s fine. I can understand that kind of ignorant opposition to him. But what I absolutely do not get is why so many of his once upon a time supporters are ashamed of his record.
James Nick says
It may defy logic that Americans voted for the party that got us into the mess that President Obama just dug us out of but it does not defy reason. Mr Leventhal’s mistake is that he cites mere facts. The Republicans traffic in misinformation and fear, not facts and logic. As has been covered in this forum before, fear will trump rationality every time. You only need to consider the irrational fear and panic Republicans created over Ebola in the run up to the elections. Now, after the elections, you scarcely hear about it. Where’s the “attaboy” for President Obama and the government now that the US is completely Ebola free and that everyone who was treated in the US for the disease lived, save one person? And the same goes for all the guns that Obama was going to take away but never did, the Obamacare death panels that never materialized, the voter fraud that has never happened, the climate change hoax that is now routinely flooding coastal areas like Baltimore and Annapolis (see https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/07/29/annapolis-baltimore-have-most-nuisance-flooding-in-the-nation/), and so on and so on…
Gerald Maynes says
Oh, I see, The Dems are pure as the driven snow, When it comes to just the facts! Consider, That the name Gruber is now known in American slang as another name for Con Artist , the Dems are not to be confused with Honest Abe any time soon. The current occupant of the Attorney Generals office, the IRS commissioner, Hilary Clinton, The President, the minority leader of the congress, and Harry Reid have all been caught in out right lies. As to who caused this mess, Well the Dems are the party that pushed cheap housing loans to people who could not pay for them They are also the enabalers that allowed the Auto unions to destroy The auto industry. They also during the Clinton administration pushed the Trade agreements that caused the mass desertion of manufacturing from this country. So there is blame enough for both parties to go around .
Steve Payne says
The government had very little to do with the financial crisis. Almost all of the subprime loans that went bad were made by private, non bank, lenders. Almost all of those weren’t even subject to Fed housing regs.