I think that it is possible to discuss the opportunities to build new political coalitions at a different level than before after yesterday’s election. Here are a few points that are worth considering:
1. We have a class of Members of Congress both in the House and in the Senate who are more willing to consider Constitutional reform than has been the case in any other Congress.
2. Sarah Palin has established herself as a real power broker and Sarah Palin is the living symbol of State’s rights, localism, rural values and family feminism that many Americans have been waiting for in one way or another for a long time.
3. Obama and Michael Steele are in a position to broker a Constitutional compromise that is not hostile to America’s future is not color-blind and is not destruction African-American political influence (depending on how things go there may not be others). Eric Cantor is in a position to help broker a compromise that protects Jewish interests, likewise we have Jindal and Haley who can represent the situation of Indian-Americans. While my own predominant ethnicity is less represented than often as we have neither a US Senator nor a Louisiana Governor who is an Acadian (Landrieu probably has some Acadian ancestors but her heritage is Creole, a group that has white and black sections one might say). Mark Rubio is in a position to represent Latinos and realize that even if he does not look Norwegian Hispanic and Mestizo identity are separate if not unrelated things. I do not think any of this will lead to the changes we need to see but there are places where on could begin to discuss the future of a more realistic constitutional view than we have had.
4. People have discussed the possible repeal of the 17th amendment and the direct election of Senators. People have discussed the possibility of a Balanced Budget amendment. People have discussed addressing how States create districts. People are discussing “Constitutional Government” like it is a good thing.
Now, for me this is probably much too little much too late to make a difference. I am still more inclined to look for a way out of the country than to change it as for as I am concerned. I am divorced for decades and ever more detached and childless. I hate living here in many real ways. But whether I leave or not I am eager to see the trends better for the nieces, nephews and communities I am planning to leave behind. For me this may be entirely not the country Rand Paul described but I have paid enough dues to hope to be able to see his class of new leaders help to make things a little better. I am just too tired to work hard for things to get worse even if they get worse more slowly (maybe).
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