Janis Joplin

Some classic Janis. A celebration of what made the difference in the elections, Tuesday. We tried just a little bit harder.

Reliving the Exorcism of November 7th

Exorcism complete. Democrats control Congress (unlike Republicans who tried to own it).

















-- Working for Change

More Sour Grapes

More from Owen Robinson.

I confess that this one makes me the most pessimistic about Wisconsin. When it comes right down to it, I believe that Jim Doyle is fundamentally dishonest. I believe that he is corrupt. And I believe that the evidence of his faulty character is overwhelming. I truly believed that when people were in the ballot box, that they would choose to cleanse their government. Again, I was wrong. I think that the fact that a majority of Wisconsinites were willing to ignore Doyle’s ethical issues speaks poorly about the character of too many Wisconsinites.

This comment seems fairly endemic of conservatives everywhere from what I've read and illustrates what is truly going on here: Conservatives are the ones lacking character. Heck, Tom Reynolds (the most principled guy in the Senate according to Jessica McBride) can't even bring himself to make that concession phone call like well-mannered and gracious opponents do when defeated.

Sour Grapes

From viewing the comments sopping with tears and sour grapes over at conservative websites, I have come away with the belief the defeat of the Republicans had nothing to do with the Democrats being any better (though I hope we have learned our lessons well), but with the ethical lapses and boorish behavior of many conservatives. Oh, did I forget arrogance. Check this comment out from Owen at Boots and Sabers.

Looks like it is over as far as governor goes. I admit, I’m surprised and I’m very disappointed. We get the government that we deserve and Wisconsinites have chosen another four years of corruption, expanded Tribal gambling, higher taxes, selling of state contracts, and an out of control regulatory and litigation climate. I’m pretty ashamed to be a Wisconsinite tonight. I thought that Wisconsinites were sincere about clean government and ethics. I was wrong.

That seems to be a common thread … that the voters are somehow to blame. It apparently doesn’t concern Owen that perhaps he and his own are the ones to blame.

One person couldn’t understand how the “Ban Gay Marriage” amendment could pass (their base?), but conservatives could not get elected. The answer is fear. Opponents of gay marriage used fear and other sanctimonious imagery to get this amendment passed. They succeeded in convincing a substantial number of normally undecided people to vote for the ban. It’s sad, though it does lay bare the Republican agenda which hoped that a vote for the ban would also carry water in the election.

And now, of course, unable to accept defeat, others are turning to the fraud gambit. The Game is saying that Democrat’s victories were all garnered because of voter fraud. They must have won that way he says, because the races were all within two to three percent, which is the amount, of course, of voter fraud that occurs whenever Democrats are involved in lections (I’m paraphrasing).

And finally, my nemesis, Chris, at spotted horse 2 had this to say in a responding comment (to mine) at Boots and Sabers:

I am really torn right now wondering if Wisconsin is worth fighting for anymore its not sour grapes Tim now that the crook has won reelection be honest would you tell you children to use Governor Doyle as a role model?

Between Doyle and Falk how many businesses will be driven out of Wisconsin?

Hey the people of Wisconsin have spoken and unlike our Rat enemies have done since 1994 I will
not say they were dumb or stupid Tim is right the people have spoken if they want Jim Doyle's style of leadership they are welcome to it.

What a night I imagine this was what it felt like in 94 if you were a Rat.

Time to rethink some things and some long term plans

Let the looting begin.

For Chris this is relatively tame. However, it is indicative of conservatives in general. It was never that their candidates may have been flawed, and it was never about the blind eye they turned to the obvious ethical and moral problems of their candidates … nope, the campaign was always about the evils of liberalism. If they had taken more time to right their own ship instead of being power-hungry, boorish and arrogant, the Republicans might still be in power.

Face it guys … You blew it. You had your opportunity. I hope this is the beginning of another 40 years of Democratic rule, because the 12 years the Republicans held power nearly tore this country apart.

God Will Be Angry

Psst. Don’t tell Jessica McBride.

MINNEAPOLIS - Voters elected a black Democrat as the first Muslim in Congress on Tuesday after a race in which he advocated quick U.S. withdrawal from Iraq and made little mention of his faith.

Keith Ellison, a 43-year-old defense attorney and state representative, was projected to defeat two rivals to succeed retiring Democrat Martin Sabo in a seat that has been held by Democrats since 1963.

Ellison, who converted to Islam as a 19-year-old college student in his native Detroit, won with the help of Muslims among a coalition of liberal, anti-war voters. "We were able to bring in Muslims, Christians, Jews, Buddhists," he said. "We brought in everybody."

Goes to show that there aren’t so many bigots like McBride. Thankfully!

Voter Intimidation by Right-Wingers?

It figures.

RICHMOND, Va. - The FBI is investigating complaints that phony callers tried to intimidate Virginia voters amid the hard-fought race between GOP Sen. George Allen and Democratic challenger Jim Webb, officials said Tuesday. State Board of Elections Secretary Jean Jensen said her office had forwarded several reports to the FBI of phone calls to voters apparently aimed at misleading them into not voting or directing them to the wrong polling place. “If something is going on that worries and alarms voters enough that I’m contacted to look into it, I have a responsibility to do that,” Jensen said.

The reason Republicans rant and rave about voter fraud is because they want to deflect attention from what is really going on: Republican voter intimidation. How much you want to bet that bomb threat prank in Madison was sent by some hillbilly conservative hoping to derail liberals in Madison from voting?

More Republican Malfeasance?

This is too good.

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - Conservative columnist Ann Coulter has refused to cooperate in an investigation into whether she voted in the wrong precinct, so the case will probably be turned over to prosecutors, Palm Beach County’s elections chief said Wednesday.

One can only hope this goes badly for her.

Wigderson Predictions

The hardly feckless writer James Wigderson, the patron saint of right-wing humor and proud owner of Wigderson Library & Pub (but does he do his chores?), has come out with his fearless election predictions (was he on medication when he made them). We at the Other Side will compare his with the final results and have a good laugh, or in the unlikely event his are fairly accurate, we will provide congratulations. Here are a few of his predictions.

Mark Green 51% Jim Doyle 48%
John Gard wins handily
F. James Sensenbrenner wins big
Dave Magnum does better than expected but still loses to Tammy Baldwin
Republicans lose control by 2-5 seats

And more …

We'll see!

UPDATE!
It's the next day and it's time to compare. How did James do with his fearless predictions.

Mark Green over Jim Doyle of 51% to 48%.
Reality sucks. Doyle clobbers Green 52.7% to 45.4%.

Steve Kagen’s self destruction will be complete.
Hmmm. Kagen defeats John Gard 51.2% to 48.8%.

Bryan Kennedy loses big.
He did. Fat Slob Sensenbrenner 61.8% to 35.7%.

Van Hollen will defeat Falk.
He did, but it was close. Van Hollen 50.2% to 49.8%.

On the national level, Republicans lose control [of the House] by just 2-5 seats.
Whoa. Just a little off. Latest projections now have Democrats leading in House 234-201.

Burns in Montana, Allen in Virginia and Corker in Tennessee all win.
One out of three ain’t bad (though to be fair, the Montana and Virginia races are not yet done, but Dems lead).

Talent loses in Missouri …
Right on. McCaskill wins 49.45% to Talent 47.43%.

Republicans will lose one Senate seat, State Senator Tom Reynolds.
Just a little off. Sullivan wins and the Senate could switch to 18-15 Democratic. Who would have thought.

Republican McReynolds in Racine County will win handily.
Oops. John Lehman 53.1% to McReynolds 46.9%.

Correct on the Waukesha County races.


This was all done in fun and to be fair, James is not the only one missing big on this election. Some serious prognosticators did not see this wave happening. I certainly didn’t. But … Woo Hoo!

The Day Before

It was a rainy grey day, followed by a cold, wet night. I was not very inspired today ... I think it's called election burnout. Tomorrow is the day ... I will get up nice and early and vote ... prbably sometime around 10:30 or so.

I had a dream that Tom Reynolds supporters accosted me outside the polling place and asked for whom I would be voting. They were all women. They wore dresses that completely covered their legs, and they all wore those Amish-type bonnets. When I answered that I could not vote for their candidate, they chased me into the building and waited for me after I was done voting. I swear J.J. Blonien and Bob Dohnal were hiding amongst the gaggle of god-fearing womenfolk.

It was a weird dream.

I spent the day learning how to do a little plumbing. The drain lever broke off and I had to remove the offending part underneath the vanity top and replace it with a brand new healthy piece. I managed to complete the task in four hours ... hey, I never did this before and the first visit to Home Depot for repair parts was a waste as I was directed to purchase the wrong part.

But the new stopper is now in place and working better than the old, corroded one ... and it doesn't leak. Woo hoo!