I was 10 years old in 1994, sitting on the floor in my grandparents’ condo in Florida. CNN played loudly on their dated TV, and they were soaking in the coverage of that year’s election results. They called the day “historic”. Republicans had gained control of both houses of Congress.
Many conservative pundits have compared the 2010 election to 1994. The House will almost surely be won by Republicans, and there is a slim chance that the Senate will also change hands. But will tomorrow be a historic day?
It seems more like a day of vengeance than a day of renewal. Not that I believe the change of guard is unjustified. But (as widely reported) it seems like this election involves more votes against incumbents than votes for challengers. Personally, I believe we need more reasoned individual voters, as opposed to calculated, corporate-like partisanship. And a little dose of idealism could go a long way. Why does it seem like voters are only focused on issues that directly impact their direct life or bottom line, rather than voting for representatives that will uphold the identity of our nation?
“We tend to like a government very much when we believe we are among its net winners. That makes it very hard to think clearly about whether any of its laws are just or unjust.” –Peter Thiel
