Deep thought for the day – bloodbath edition

Landslide – Smashing Pumpkins

I’ve got tons of other more significant things running through my head about politics (including a particularly scathing one about the insanity running around the country around the concept of deficits), and about 10 album reviews swirling around in my subconscious, too.  And some comments about the Pitchfork list of the best songs of the 90s.  But all that will have to wait.  For now, just this:

Everyone keeps talking about how the midterms are going to be a bloodbath, a resounding defeat for the Democrats.  The evidence is a massive swing in the House, sufficient to return control to the GOP.  I’m not trying to say that wouldn’t be a big deal.  And I’m not trying to say that it’s meaningless.  But let’s keep some perspective here, people.  Every single House seat is up in every single election.  So if the Republicans win, say, 225 seats.  That means the Democrats win 210.  Which means the country will have demonstrated, in aggregate, a moderate preference for the Republicans.

Like I said, sure it’s significant.  But it’s not anything close to the actual landslide that happened in 2008 in the other direction.  If the Republicans swing an 80-seat majority anytime soon, that will be a true repudiation.  If they manage a tiny majority, well, let’s agree that we might need a bit more time to truly assess the meaningfulness of it.