This week's elections

As a Florida resident living in Virginia, the only election of the "big three" I was really following was the race for Virginia governor, in which Republican Bob McDonnell won convincingly over Democrat Creigh Deeds (the other two big elections were for New Jersey governor and New York's 23rd district). As I was not eligible to vote for a Virginia candidate, I watched from the sidelines, and I must say that I am now eager to see how McDonnell will improve transportation in Northern Virginia without raising taxes and without impacting the state's education funding. I will be a Virginia resident soon, and I do not relish the prospect of my taxes being raised, so if this is the person who can fill the coffers of the currently-bankrupt state transportation construction fund without a tax increase, I say more power to him. Thus far, his primary proposals to raise money involve one-time gains, such as selling off the state liquor stores, so I am curious how he will secure a sustained revenue stream that will finance needed improvements. Stay tuned.

I think the bigger story, however, is not the large swath of independents who voted Democrat in 2008 and Republican this time. The "ideological shift" that so many on the left identified last year was no more real than the "Republican renaissance" being touted this time. No, the destruction of the Republican candidate for New York's 23rd district by far-right ideologues is most interesting to me. As a firm believer in market-based economics and efficiencies, I think that the Republican party has a lot to bring to the table. But I also think that elements of the far right that have become increasingly vocal and organized and that preach intolerance of gay rights, elimination in all cases a woman's personal choice to have an abortion, and teaching creationism alongside evolution as rooted in science has gone too far. The editor in chief of the web site redstate.com, Erick Erickson stated, "This is a huge win for conservatives...We did exactly what we set out to do - crush the establishment-backed GOP candidate." About Florida governor Charlie Crist's candidacy for U.S. Senate, Erickson said, "...if Crist wants to own the mantle of 'GOP Establishment Candidate,' let's tie it around his waist and throw him in one of Florida's many lagoons."

What I pick up from these statements, and the actions surrounding the NY 23rd election makes me nervous for the health of the Republican party. In a sliver of optimism, maybe what I am seeing is a shift that will open a couple of seats at the table for Libertarians. I must conclude that the many smart, educated conservatives that I know who can see the difference between constructive debate on the corporate tax system and carrying a rifle around a protest rally will become disenfranchised when more of their bretheren choose the latter as their modus operandi. Maybe a new breed of political interest will be spun off that recognizes that while it is easier to take pot shots at an elected representative based on looks or family history, it is more productive (albeit difficult) to learn and debate the issues - and dammit, sometimes we cannot take the easy way out.