We’re all winners, kinda

Although some contests are still too close to call, the clear winners in the 2014 mid-term election are, as always, the chattering classes. Even when they are wrong, they can wind up being right. Or at least a lot righter than wronger.

These are the people, either of the media or persons designated by the media as experts, who first define the issues and candidates for us, then tell us why and how to vote. Midway through the campaigning, they tell us more precisely how we are going to vote and why. After the votes have been counted, those who got it right will remind us. Again and again. Those who got it wrong will explain that they actually had it right up until you went in the voting booth when something changed things.

Pro-Democratic groups say the 2014 vote means they must work harder to block the Neanderthals, and you should join them in the upcoming fight. And send more money.

Pro-Republican groups say the 2014 vote means they must work harder to block the Progressives and you should join them in the upcoming fight. And send more money.

While a relatively small number of politicians bit the dust (the vast majority were re-elected, died or quit on their own accord) there were some big changes. Republicans did capture the Senate. And took the governorship in Maryland, one of the most Democratic of all states and home to a huge number of federal workers and lots of military personnel. In Maryland, many were upset with more and higher taxes and the incumbent governor (a dark horse presidential candidate in 2016) who, to some, seemed to spend more time in Des Moines than Annapolis.

The impact of the new congressional makeup, with Republicans in control of both the House and next year, the Senate, remains to be seen. Both sides have pledged to work together (although the sound of knife-grinders can be heard in the background). The President has invited congressional leaders for a White House sit down this Friday.

One thing we do know is which of the political crystal-ball forecasters got it right. And wrong. In its Nov. 4 issue, Politico polled eight experts. Some had Republican backgrounds, some had worked for Democrats. All three Democrats got it wrong. Two predicted the Senate would be a 50-50 tie with Vice President Joe Biden having the tiebreaker vote. The other said the Democrats would emerge with 51 seats to 49 for the Republicans.

The pro-Republican psychics turned out to be a little better. Their predictions ranged from a Senate with 51 to as many as 53 seats for the Republicans.

Ironically, all the Democratic experts predicted a Democratic victory. All the Republican experts predicted a Republican victory. Half were right. Half were wrong. Which is what happens when you flip a coin, right?

The one sure thing to come out of this election is that Washington may be the only town in America where at any given time on any given subject half the experts — among the salary elite of the nation — are consistently, and publicly wrong, yet keep their jobs.

Darn. We are good!

NEARLY USELESS FACTOID:

By Michael O’Connell

Americans consume 800 million pounds of bologna annually.

Source: Tidbit Fun

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