Elections

Elections:

In Sweden, elections reveal a socialist crisis, which has installed a center-right government for the first time in ages. It is 'center-right' because it is desperate to exclude the actual right, the anti-immigration party, who did shockingly well. Thus, it is necessary to build a coalition across the major fault lines if the government is to avoid actually instituting some truly right-wing laws and policies.

Rasmussen polling, here in America, has been splitting things up between "the political class" and "mainstream" voters. It appears that methodology might be exportable to Sweden, where the political class prefers its class to its politics. Better to compromise on ideological principles than to let power escape the confines of the Usual Suspects.

Here at home, well-known right wing echo chamber The New York Times says that the real reason the Tea Party is doing well is women. Well, we knew that, right? Part of the power of the movement is that it represents a breakthrough in involving women with an interest in protecting the integrity of their families, and the traditions of liberty for their children.

Except the Times has a different point: actually, they say, the problem is that women aren't paying attention, are confused, and either depressed about politics or just unenthusiastic about it. If only women would outperform men at the polls, the Times says, the Democrats would do great!

That kind of underlines the problem, though, doesn't it? Why should it be true that the only portion of women to be generally enthusiastic and engaged this year is on the right, especially among those leading the Tea Party? Isn't this supposed to be the year that the Great Health Care Takeover represents such a relief to women (whom, we hear, disproportionately favor these kinds of socialist programs)? Shouldn't they be lining up to express their enthusiasm for more of the same?

The opposite is happening, and that's the real marker. What is the Democratic Party's agenda if they are returned to Congress with their majorities intact? We don't know: they have not said much of what they will do next if re-elected. Partially this is because they despair of the possibility, but partially it is because the Great Achievement has produced only fury from America -- not the expressions of love they told themselves to expect.