Since some of us in the Bunk House have certain personal requirements to rise in the middle of the night, there was some general consensus on the events of yesterday. General agreement was that there were grounds for some elation on both ends of the spectrum. Not so much in the middle.

So, we have to run with something we don’t completely understand as usual. There wasn’t a jaunty headline apparent to anyone. As we turned on the flatscreen. The initial reports had the House and Senate contests in unpredicted ambiguity. There was no motion of ocean water beyond a modest wave. Now, the questions started on coverage. We wanted to report something, and the maintenance of the status quo was a bit of a puzzle. The morning is unfolding with the division closer. The first cup of Chock-Full-o-Nuts had the Dems at 170 wins and the Reps with 200. By lunchtime, the Dems had increased to 174, Reps 200 with the magic number of majority still at 218. The Senate is currently knotted at 48-48, with the prospect of a run-off in Georgia.

None of it matched what we did when the first polls closed. Melissa had insisted on two Hallmark seasonal movies to prepare for contingencies. We were filled with mild joy and goodwill as we began lifting glasses to the conclusion of a busy campaign, which is when work really started. Splash had created a lede and meme to support report of a crimson tsunami and likely consequences. Reports are it didn’t happen. The House may narrowly change and the Senate may- or may not- marginally do the same. A seeming vote for the status quo ante.

So, we couldn’t go with Splash’s version, which would have been written already. We cast a glimmer at Buck, our resident economic expert, to see if anything was reflected in the financial policy side to deal with anything. He shrugged authoritatively, so we had to look at the other former also-ran headlines. We tried issues around the circle:

“The Dobbs issue was higher in some exit polls than forecast, and most had the economy at the top.”

“Crime wasn’t reported in what we heard.”

“Mild Red wave? Apparently not! Dem resurgence? Sort of! Actual result? Deadlock?”

There are branches and sequels to each issue, of course, and conversation is still going on near the Fire Pit about consequences. There was a lot of effort and emotion in this campaign and room for celebration on both ends of the partisan spectrum. There were impressive wins on both sides in Pennsylvania and Florida. Fetterman’s win indicates support for the status whoa. And In Florida for efficient leadership in time of Covid crisis and natural disaster. It is an odd balance.

There is a generational balance, too. The Old Salts are generally of the old “sound government” school without strong social imperatives. Quaint concept now, but it included reasonable fiscal policy, stable economy, disciplined entitlements and acceptable economic growth. Melissa provides balance, since she had direct exposure to that view as a veteran of military marriage. Despite it, she has always retained her independence from group thought.

She put down her mug on the flat stone next to her and smiled under the cool but brilliant Piedmont sun. “I think both ends of the spectrum on all the issues are hardening positions. With things divided so starkly, it’s odd to feel isolated in the middle, you know?”

Copyright 2022 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com