The Great American Experiment
Yesterday was election day in the United States. It happens regularly. Second Tuesday in November. Americans have been holding elections since shortly after we told the British we didn’t want to be British anymore back in 1776. Some elections are more important than others. We typically consider presidential elections as the important ones. That election cycle is every four years. Our next one will be in 2024.
Senators are elected for six year terms. The senate is made up of 100 members. Every two years about a third of the senate is up for reelection. This year there were 35 senate races.
Members of the House of Representatives are elected to two year terms. There are 438 members of the House. They were all up for election yesterday.
The Democrats held control of the House and the Senate going into yesterday’s election. But, it was a slim majority, especially in the Senate where it 50-50, with Vicr President Harris being the tying vote. Because we were not holding a presidential election, yesterday’s vote was called a mid-term election, as in mid-way through the president’s term. Typically the president’s party does poorly during the mid-terms. And going into yesterday the prediction was for a large Republican wave.
It didn’t happen. The pollsters will be analyzing it for at least the next two years. As for control of Congress, it looks like the Republicans will gain control of the 438 member House, by the slimmest of margins. Probably no more than 5 or 6 members.
Several senate races are still too close to call. It will likely come down to a senate race in Georgia. None of the candidates got more than 50% of the vote. So, they will hold another election on December 6. The winner just may determine who controls the senate, the Democrats or the Republicans.
This beautiful experiment has been going on for nearly 250 years. May it continue for 250 more.
Stay safe
Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany III A Collection of Holiday Short Stories, an anthology including his latest short story, “You Can Call Me Dan” here
Follow him on
Twitter (@rodneymbliss)
Facebook (www.facebook.com/rbliss)
LinkedIn (www.LinkedIn.com/in/rbliss)
or email him at rbliss at msn dot com(c) 2022 Rodney M Bliss, all rights reserved
