MCCAIN LOSES TO PALIN

It appears that it would take the biggest election coup d' cheat in the history of the world for McCain to win at this point.

I don't think anyone can argue that McCain-Palin have probably run the worst presidential campaign in U.S. history. From calling Obama a "terrorist" and "socialist" to McCain's debate "pacing" performance, to Palin's lack of basic political expertise, and her Saks Fifth Avenue clothes problems, this Republican campaign is a mess.

Yesterday we heard that one of McCain's staffers was saying that "Palin had gone rogue" and was basically feathering her own presidential aspirations for 2012. Nothing like a loyal running mate. It appears that McCain is drawing smaller crowds than Palin in these final days of the campaign. The Christian fundamentalists, pro-gun folks, anti-abortionists, anti-tax, and pro-war enthusiasts have already picked their favorite for the next time around. The 2012 campaign has officially begun.

It just goes to show how forgiving the right-wing is. Even though Palin has been charged with corruption in Alaska, has a $20,000 (in the first two weeks of October) hair stylist with her on the campaign plane and wears elitist clothes, none of that matters. Abortion, prayer and wolf killing trumps all that. The working class hard-right folks want a champion and they have found one. They are going to ride her as long as they can.

So McCain not only will lose to Obama, but he will lose to Palin as well.

With the major shift that is likely to happen in the U.S. Congress on election day the Republican party is going to be hurting for some time to come. The Senate will be close to a 60 vote majority for the Democrats and they are expected to pick up as many as 30 seats in the House.

There will be no reason now for the Dems to idle along as they have done since returning to power in 2006. To his credit Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has just called for a 25% cut in military spending. Admittedly Rep. Frank is not one of my favorite politicians. His efforts to lead the $700 billion Wall Street bailout being just the latest example of his cronyism.

The fact is though that George W. Bush doubled military spending while in office. So a 25% cut is really just a start on what is needed if we truly want to have serious change. The public is going to have to get behind this call for Pentagon cuts and push like hell.

It will be good to rejoice on November 5 that the worst Republican-era in American history has finally ended.

On November 6 the celebrating needs to end and we must begin to immediately made specific and determined demands on the Democrats. To do any less will mean an abdication of our role as citizens.