“There are only two or three human stories -- and they go on repeating themselves as fiercely as if they had never happened before.”  -Willa Cather

A month before the November mid term elections, pundits are increasingly predicting a Republican landslide.  The House seems destined to go over to the Republicans.  With states like West Virginia, Wisconsin, and even Connecticut in play, the Senate may even go GOP.  So has the political world totally changed into a landscape dominated by Fox News and the millions of corporate dollars seemingly unleashed by the Supreme Court?  

Anything is possible, but remember that just two short years ago (even if it seems a lifetime ago), the United States elected a relatively inexperienced African American President, along with a string Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, all fueled by then unprecedented amounts of money raised on-line.  The experts then were predicting Democratic majorities far into the future, given the demographic changes to our electorate and the new, more democratic ways of raising campaign money. MSNBC and Keith Obermann were king?

The reality of American politics, for better or worse, is that it’s candidate driven.  The election of 2006 was fueled by the growing unpopularity of President Bush and the angry voters who turned out to vote for Democrats.  The election of 2008 pitted a young, charismatic candidate, aided by the same ‘06 anger and a failing economy, running against weak, older candidate.  You know about 2010.  Just watch the video clip from Kentucky, in case you’re missing where the anger has shifted.