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The 2018 midterms are in the books. All in all, not the huge victory or disaster (depending on whether you are on the Blue or Red team) that was predicted a while back. The Federal candidates for NEPA pretty much did as predicted. On the state level for NEPA, not a hell of a lot changed.
One thing
that may likely be dead is property tax repeal. And you know what kids, we’re
still going to see a sales tax increase because that door has been kicked open.
Way back
in 2010 when I ran for State Representative, I remember all the GOP candidates being
plopped into an auditorium. Someone asked about repealing property taxes. They
were immediately shut down. “There’s all kinds of ways to go at this, but none
of them have a chance until Republicans control Harrisburg."
Which
Republicans went on to do.
And nothing
happened. Looking back,
that was a watershed moment for me. That's where the seeds of skepticism were planted within me.
As to my run at state office, I didn’t mind the ass-kicking I got in the
race. I still look back at that as the most rewarding thing I ever did in
politics. I knocked on a huge number of doors and met some amazing people. My
favorite door-knocking memory was at the end of a brutally hot day when I walked
up to an elderly gentleman on his porch. The sun was setting, and he asked his
wife to bring me lemonade. He gave me one piece of advice I never got to use,
but never forgot, either: “If you win, as soon as you know the combination to
the safe, get the hell out of there.”
Last
note on politics: America needs
gerrymandering reform. Badly. We are tribalized and on the road to
Balkanization. We can do better than that.
* * *
I am 100% confident that Penn State will beat Rutgers. That's as far as I'll go on the rest of the season.
* * *
Double
Shot!
First a
little Beatles for you. I find this version of Revolution a bit curious. They include the ‘shoo-be-do-wah” background
chant, and yet never show Billy Preston doing brilliant keyboard work. That
would have been a bit of a revolution right there: showing the 5th
Beatle.
…and I’ll
wrap up with some live Sheryl Crow. I love this song. And despite everything, I
still believe…
* * *
...Be good
to each other.
* * *
Reestablishing a foothold in the House (though admittedly not via a "blue wave") was essential to returning the series of checks and balances our forefathers put in place to avoid the rise of another King George.
ReplyDeleteHopefully, that foothold can staunch the flow of daily Constitutional crises that a one party stranglehold on our government has not only allowed, but encouraged.
"We the People" deserve better.