Another so-called election expert

Dear Friends - Everyone has an opinion. Well, I do too. The mid-term elections were significant to me in three ways. First, my party "won" control of both houses of the Congress. Whoopee. As a group, they still wallow in overt bribery from corporate America, and are doing so brazenly. "My" congressman, Alan Mollohan, was forced off the House Ethics Committee because he's under investigation for steering federal bucks to non-profits which employ his buds. The alternative was a right-wing nut job, so I voted for Alan. Second, statewide referenda showed two broad public opinions. All of the initiatives to raise the minimum wage won by 2:1 or more, despite big money from guess-who to defeat them. It is a disgrace that Americans - AMERICANS - who make the minimum wage live in "official" poverty. And all of the gay marriage bans passed, usually by big margins. Personally, gay marriage is a non-starter for me - It doesn't threaten my family to have official recognition of loving relationships. But if the Progressives make this their/our poster child, we will alienate the very people who stand to gain the most from Progressive ideas. Finally, all politics is local - Here in Mannington District, we're part of a county with a three person county commission. The Commission president, an old-time, blunt, obnoxious political boss ran as the Democrat. A conservative Republican acquaintance ran against him, and I'm happy to say the Republican won. After all, there's no Republican way or Democratic way to administer responsible local government. Those who know me know that I'm occasionally blunt. I called my Republican acquaintance the day after the election, and told him "You're the only Republican I voted for, so don't f*** it up." Here in Marion County, he sure can't do much worse. Mizpah!