2006 election stuff

• Republicans elect John Boehner as minority leader
• House elects Hoyer as majority leader
• Rush: "I feel liberated."
• Mehlman to step down as chairman of Republican National Committee
• Senate goes Democrat!
• Rumsfeld steps down! Smart move on Bush's part. (Too little, too late, however.)
• Text of Bush press conference
• up to the minute election results interactive map showing house, senate, and gubonetorial races, state by state. click on the state for details.
• Governor turned away from voting
• chelsea clinton turned away at the voting booth
• britney files for divorce whoops... wrong blog
• Schwarzenegger gets a "sequel"
• Nancy Pelosi is speaker of the house. This may be the most significant result of election day. She will be the first woman speaker. And she is staunchy liberal in almost every area. Click here for her stance on the issues. As all speakers of the house, she will be in line to be President if the Presidend and Vice-president are not able to serve their full terms for any reason.
• South Dakota overturned a law banning virtually all abortions. details
• Key ballot measures Several states pass higher minimum wage. Michigan restricts affirmative action. Arizona proclaims English as official state language. 7 states banned same-sex marriage; arizona didn't ban it. Legalizing marijuana failed in several states. "Parental notification" failed in California.

MY ANALYSIS (trying to be neutral and objective!)

• I agree that this was a referendum on President Bush. There has been a huge pent-up frustration building with many Americans that he is not open to feedback. I think these results were meant to make him listen. An intervention, if you will... lol. It seems to have worked.
• A spate of recent Republican scandals fueled this anger and frustration, giving energy to the discontent.
• This was more of an anti-Bush vote than it was a pro-liberal values vote.
• Although not necessarily an intended consequence of so many democrats winning house seats, the fact is that it makes Nancy Pelosi speaker of the house. She is staunchly liberal, and this will make for sparks between her and President Bush.
• The Republicans had grown complacent and arrogant about being in power. When they first took control of house/senate they had a lot of energy, an agenda. For some time now they have projected the attitude... "We're right. We know it. Get used to it."
• Having been hamstrung for so many years by not having the white house, house, or senate, the Democrates will come out swinging... probably overreacting to their new-found power. Expect dramatic legislation to be introduced quickly.