The next four months could turn out to be the most treacherous the United States has seen since the Civil War. In this time we will see the conflict between the entrenched Political class against the citizens of the United States. What could happen and why?
Pols from both parties have been shocked and dismayed by the rise of the Tea Party Revolution. Its headless, leadership style is the antithesis of how the other parties work. They do not know how to attack this new monster on the political landscape as it is a movement that has its own internal propulsion. It is a people's movement not unlike the Poles in the 1980's or later the ending of East Germany except there were leaders who headed those movements and most probably there will come to be leaders of the Tea Party. However, ordinary, work a day Americans are now driving this movement as a result of their dissatisfaction with everything connected to how Washington gets things done. They are unhappy with the spending, the passage of laws unpopular with a majority of the American public (i.e. Health Care) and the lack of attention by our legislators for the one most important issue. That being jobs.
In my "not so humble" opinion, I believe that there will be 100 new Representatives and around 15 new Senators, mostly Republicans. The winners for the most part will be espousing a fiscal conservative platform (it will be interesting to see how many really are.) So, if we have this major sea change in Washington, how will those who currently hold those seats react? I am afraid, not well. We already have seen the reaction by some candidates who lost their primaries like Crist in Florida who changed their allegiance and became "independents." There are other examples in Alaska (Murkowski also became an independent) and Delaware (Castle--a forty year political operative-- who refuses to endorse O'Donnell). My point is these losers are acting like spoiled children. They are indeed LOSERS!
So what will these LOSERS do in the upcoming Lame Duck session of Congress. Are they going to be statesmen/stateswomen and do what is in the best interests of the United States or are they going to take their anger out against the people who voted them and their fellow travellers out of office? I believe the latter will be their modus operandi. So what things could they do? Could they pass a law that provides them and their offspring with a salary and full health insurance for 200 years? Could they pass a measure that gives President Obama unlimited power, essentially gutting the Constitution? Could they pass regulations allowing for the immediate confiscation of all guns? One can only speculate about the nefarious issues that could raise their heads during a "let's screw the American people because they screwed us" session.
If these LOSERS go "off the tracks" and do pass legislation detrimental to the United States, it will cause civil unrest. Will it be a full Civil War depends upon the legislation and the action the Congress that is seated in January takes. However, my impression with many to whom I have talked, is that there is an anger that currently is being expressed through the Tea Party, however, it would not take a lot to make it take another more volatile tact. So, we are in a very tenuous place in American history. Which way the country goes, depends upon how the defeated legislators take their medicine.
I hope they will take the high road. I fear they will not.