So another election cycle in America has come and gone.  Four billion dollars in stupid ads have come to a blessed end. Thank God! By all accounts it was a big win for the Republican Party and a bad night for Democrats. Many people are saying the elections were a repudiation of President Obama’s policies. This is something echoed by Obama before the elections on Al Sharpton’s show when he said, “Have no doubt that my policies will be on the ballot.”

Many Democrats running for office chose not to have the President campaign with them. I heard some say that this is why many Democrats lost; because they showed disrespect for Obama. Well, that’s one theory. So, how did those politicians who welcomed Obama’s help in campaigning do? Well, my own Governor Quinn (D) of Illinois accepted his help. The Democrat Governor of a historically blue state lost, and yesterday the now, Governor –elect Bruce Rauner (R) won 101 of the 102 counties in the state.  Actually according to CBS News of the nine politicians Obama campaigned with, five lost their election bids.

Okay, the Republicans now have the Governorship of 31 states and control of the House of Representatives and the Senate.  I see three main questions:

1. What will the Republicans do with that power? To be perfectly honest, they will not do a damn thing. I’m sorry; I don’t think they have learned that with great power comes great responsibility. Few politicians understand this and without a good and strong leader to guide them - they will not. I hope they try to use a common sense approach, and do the right things, but…
    
2. What will President Obama do differently after this wave of Republican wins? Nothing! A person doesn’t change when they truly believe they are right. He said as much in his press conference today.
    
    
3. Why did the Democrats lose so badly? That’s an easy one. How many Democrats reading this agree that Obama and the Democrats care and fight for the poor, minorities, immigrants and unions rights? Well, that sounds good if you’re one of those groups and you’re getting what you want at the time. But what happens, if at the time, you are not getting what your group wants? Well, you’re pissed. You cry, “You lied. You didn’t give us want we want.” So you stay home and don’t vote. But there is another bigger thing that happens. Sooner or later people begin to notice that their once United States of America is now the Divided States of America. Sometimes people just want to be people, not group A-people, or B-people, or C-people. They get tired of always hearing white against black, white against Hispanic, poor against rich, women against men, citizens against illegals. 

I have nothing personally against President Obama. I actually met him once when he was a State Senator in Chicago. He gave a speech at the prison I worked at. It was a nice speech and I told him so. The Warden was standing behind me looking nervous so I didn’t say anything embarrassing.

One final thought. A captain of a ship can’t maintain a happy crew by constantly pitting them against each other. He can’t seem to care when an engineer person kills a navigator, but pay no attention when it happens the other way around. He must treat all people, rich, poor, blind, fat, or thin as equals with no favoritism. He can’t say I’m going to help orange people by taking what purple people earned and giving it to them.

Eventually, all the people will realize that if it can happen to the purple it can happen to us. What does all this mean? Americans weren’t so much for Republicans as they were against Democrats (this time). If there was a legitimate third party, I think we would be hearing their victory cheers. Both sides have lessons to learn and I hope one day they do.