By James B. Ewers Jr. Ed.D.
There is something about winning that gives us hope. It makes for a better day and allows us to have some joy.
Winning is a term that all of us understand and probably been associated with at different points in our lives. We have won in life whether it has been in our jobs or in sports.
It is not easy to do. Everyone wants to be a winner, however there is some work attached to it. Yet those who win sometimes lose their edge. They become complacent and take it for granted.
During the last election season, the GOP made a lot of promises and won over the American voters. All seemed right with the world. The new president had everything that he could have possibly wanted.
He gained control of both the Senate, the House of Representatives and used the Supreme Court to his advantage. Legislation was being signed signaling new rules and regulations. Executive orders were coming out of the White House at a rapid pace. Reports indicate the new president has signed 212 executive orders.
The people who voted for the new administration believed the promises they made. They were expecting better days ahead. The citizens who didn’t vote for the new White House team knew bad days were right around the corner.
Well, those folks were right. They are now simply using the old expression; I told you so.
The new administration underestimated the I told you so crowd and the power of the vote showed itself on Tuesday, November 4th.
The states of New Jersey, Virginia, California and Georgia had victories for the Democratic Party. They were much needed because some pundits were saying that they had lost their way. Well, you shouldn’t jump to those conclusions after what happened last week. The Democrats are still alive and kicking.
Mikie Sherrill is now the new governor of New Jersey and Abigail Spanberger will hold the same position in Virginia.
Governor-elect Sherrill while campaigning said, “Trump administration’s policies were raising costs on everything from a cup of coffee to your groceries.” Governor-elect Spanberger on Tuesday night said, “We sent a message to every corner of the commonwealth, a message to our neighbors and across the country. We chose our commonwealth over chaos.”
In California, voters said yes to redrawing new congressional voting lines. California political strategist, Erica Kwiatkowshi Nielsen said, “I think the campaign did a fantastic job of saying and acknowledging people’s fears that hey, we’ve been a leader in California on redistricting, but this isn’t politics as usual. These are unprecedented times.”
While in Georgia, two Democrats, Peter Hubbard and Alicia Johnson won seats on the state’s Public Service Commission. Reports show this was a landmark election. It is the first time since 2006 that the Democrats have won a statewide constitutional office in Georgia.
Will these victories move the political needle for the Democratic Party in the mid-term elections? Many critics believe that it will. They say that momentum is on the side of the Democrats.
These wins come at an opportune time for them because polls show that many Americans are not satisfied with what the new president is doing. Surveys also show that the Republicans are to blame for the shutdown.
On Sunday, November 9th, the Senate passed legislation that if approved by the House of Representatives will bring a halt to the government shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson must now reconvene the Congress to get a vote. This will bring some temporary relief to the millions of people who are suffering.
Politico reports, “The 60-40 vote to take the first step toward ending the shutdown came hours after enough Democrats agreed to support a package that would fund multiple agencies and programs for the full fiscal year, and all others until January 30, 2026.” If things go as planned, the United States government could reopen late next week. We’ll see.
