Vote Tomorrow!!!

One of the more interesting biennial occurrences in America is the midterm election. It is usually not so much about the candidates or issues of that election cycle, as much as a response to what happened two years earlier. The midterm election is the electorate’s response to the President and Congress’ symbolic “How’s my driving?” bumper sticker.

We’ve had the “contract with America” election of 1994 in which the voters told Bill Clinton and the Democratic-controlled Congress we’re not happy. In 2006, it was the Republican president and representatives who heard the deafening “NO!” from the voters. It’s time again for the disgruntled and disillusioned to have their say, and pollsters and prognosticators are predicting a landslide victory for Republican candidates in the house with strong gains in the Senate and the State houses.

I would think that this year, it would be hard to find a voter who wasn’t angry with those in power. On the Liberal side of the spectrum, you voted for “change” only to see most of your key issues not addressed. Yes, a form of health care restructuring was passed, but it was not as extreme as the Liberals wanted. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” is still being supported by this administration in the courts, we’re still in Iraq and Pakistan, even Gitmo is still open.

Moderates who believed that Obama would bring bipartisan change to Washington have seen him lock Republicans out of meetings and promote divisiveness. They’ve seen money poured into solve every problem, the administration giving more handouts than a pedophile at Halloween.

Conservatives have seen every core value they hold dear come under attack and they’ve been ridiculed and marginalized as crazy extremists. Those who wanted limited government and tax relief have been labeled as evil or uncaring. Our president has recently told Republicans, they can get on the bus, but they’ll have to sit in the back.

So if no one is happy with the direction this President and this Congress are taking America, what will happen tomorrow? Much depends, as it always does, on voter turnout. There is no clearer way to make your opinion known that to vote. For all the water cooler talk, blogging, posting, tweeting, calling into talk radio, it is only what you do tomorrow that really matters.

I live in California where Republicans have put up two candidates for the major contests that have failed to ignite voter excitement. Meg Whitman has run a confusing campaign for Governor, spending too much time trying to court unlikely voters rather than rallying the Republican base. This is not the year to pander or run as a moderate. Carly Fiorina could have won in a landslide if she just ran commercials of Senator Boxer talking. Whether she was a godsend at Hewlett-Packard or just another overpaid executive, she would be infinitely better for California than the “reliably liberal” Boxer.

As a Republican, I hope the turnout of other Republicans in California will be great enough to overcome the less than electrifying campaigns these two women have run. And if they have to win by virtue of anti-Obama, anti-Brown and anti-Boxer votes, rather than based on any voter enthusiasm for them, I’ll take it.

If you want to have your voice heard, if you are not happy with the direction the country is moving, then say something where and when it counts. VOTE tomorrow.