Eating Crow On Election Night

The Good Fight

By Jack Random

It is a dark day. The clouds have lowered upon our house and the sorrow is pervasive. Democratic resistance to a Republican sweep could not last the day. The right wing ideologues have solidified their hold on the Republican Party and the Republican Party has solidified its hold on both houses of Congress, the White House and the Judiciary. Progressive and antiwar Americans have been dealt a decisive blow.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, it is disappointing that John Kerry threw in his hand while chips were still on the table. Election evening began with the incredible announcement by the party in power that the exit polls were dead wrong. It was a clear signal that the game was on and the dirty tricks machine was in play. With the concession of the party of opposition, any chance that the general public will ever learn the extent of election fraud in Ohio slipped away. Once again, the Democrats opted to sound the clanging tone of unity rather than to plant the staff and fight for democracy. If the exit polls were right and the fix was in (however unlikely it may now seem), the electorate will never know. The rest of us may find out on the web when Greg Palast releases it to the BBC.

The political message of the day, however, is clear: Karl Rove’s strategy of running on war and social issues (a sardonic twist on "Let them eat cake") is potent and effective. Rove has managed to reelect what is arguably the least competent and most destructive president in modern history. For now into the foreseeable future, national elections will be fought on the wedge issues: abortion, gay marriage, gay rights, gun control, affirmative action, the death penalty and such corollary issues as stem cell research.

Cynically, it has been said that this election was the knowledgeable against the uninformed, the rational against the irrational, and the thoughtful against the unthinking electorate. While it may be grounded in fact, it is no longer a useful observation. Americans have served notice: they will vote against their own interest and send their children to war if only it allows them to feel righteous at Sunday prayers.

Cynically, the rightwing operatives (of whom Karl Rove is now Lord and Master) have exploited these issues on the pulpit without ever intending to act on them. It was revealing when GW Bush assumed the Democratic position on gay marriage versus civil unions without risking a single vote. It is all on the surface. It is a front yet it is so powerful they will never give it up. Ironically, it is the Republican strategy to keep the hot-button issues hot. Victory is not an option. They will not allow these issues to be resolved for it is not in their interest.

It would be a debilitating error to assume that this defeat can be attributed to an ineffectual candidate. If anything, the map tells another story. Now, we can begin to understand why the candidate so often seemed to be dancing on ice. He was seeking a rhythm of the electorate that did not exist.

The Republicans were fully prepared to fix this election but ultimately it was unnecessary. The majority of voters are now in lock step with the most extreme rightwing force in American politics since Jim Crow.

The youth of America failed to stand and be counted in this election and, sadly, they will pay the greatest price. The Hispanics jumped ship and the black community did not rally. The Jewish vote was compromised by the president’s allegiance to Ariel Sharon and the seniors inexplicably waffled. The traditional Democratic alliance is shattered.

We have lost and we have lost decidedly but it would be foolish to think that we can forge a bridge with the ruling party. We simply cannot. We are diametrically opposed on every principle and every policy. We will remain so. Nevertheless, we must find a way to address the decisive wedge issues or we will lose again.

There will be no peace within this nation or without. A majority of the electorate has taken refuge in a place where reason cannot tread. The people know full well that Iraq had nothing to do with the attack on this nation; they pretend not to know because they cannot otherwise explain to their children why the nation went to war. They have betrayed their children with a comforting lie just as our parents betrayed us during the Vietnam War. These are wounds that survive generations.

We may be comforted by the fact that we have fought the good fight only to the extent that we keep fighting. We are down. We have been relegated to the gutter of American politics. We are wounded and the rightwing zealots cannot decide whether to kick us or watch us bleed. We are further from an end to war than when we began this journey. We compromised our principles and the right handed us our lunch. They are sipping mint juleps while we are eating crow.

We are exactly where we belong. We are the dissidents. We are the fringe element. We are the subversives in the belly of the beast. We are the disenfranchised and, frankly, we have always been. That is why we will rise again. We are on familiar ground. Being down is nothing new. Having hope, even for a moment, is.

Jazz.

JACK RANDOM IS THE AUTHOR OF THE JAZZMAN CHRONICLES (CROW DOG PRESS) AND GHOST DANCE INSURRECTION (DRY BONES PRESS). HIS COMMENTARIES HAVE BEEN POSTED WIDELY. SEE

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