This Baffling Election

As we approach the mid-term elections. I find myself baffled as to the outcome. I feel in my bones that the polls are wrong, but there is this undercurrent of racism and misinformation fostered by FOX News, the Internet, and the teabagger Republicans that is unmistakably scary. Are Americans so racist and so stupid that they will vote to put the Republicans back into power?

After eight years of George Bush, his unnecessary war and poor economic policy, and now an openly bigoted segment of the population spewing hatred toward, minorities, gays, women, and Muslims, the social atmosphere in this country has been turned upside down. Will gays stay away from the polls because of there disappointment with the President? Will African-Americans, who voted in record numbers, turn their backs on the President by not voting?

The free thinking segment of the population must realize that any disenchantment with the President must take a back seat to keeping the teabagging Republicans under their rocks where they belong. We cannot and must not allow this backward move toward a church state, with no public education, poor health care coverage, persecution of minorities, and an ever widening gap between rich and poor, as the middle class rapidly declines.

At the same time, we must be on guard, should Democrats prevail. The climate will be ripe for violent reactions, fostered by the Republican minions on FOX noise and the likes of Karl Rove, Sarah Palin, Sharon Angle, Joe Miller, Christine O'Donnell and many others. The President must govern strongly, and he must avoid the weakness of continuing to try to be bi-partisan. I know that he promised to do so and he has tried desperately to fulfill his campaign promises, but it hasn't worked. He must move beyond the GOP, basically, ignoring it, unless it chooses to be statesmanlike and compromise.

The election will be "electric." There is no doubt about it. I can't predict the outcome and I do not think the pollsters have a real grasp of it as well. Hopefully, common sense will prevail and the country can move forward, rather than return to the dark ages of Republican rule.