For the first time in living memory, I made a point of not watching any election returns on TV. Instead, I spent the evening watching Star Trek and then flipping to TCM where I watched Casablanca and The Best Years of Our Lives.
Occasionally I would check election results on Twitter. Democrats won control of the House as expected, but fell well short in the Senate. Indeed, Republicans wrested control of four Senate seats from Democrats in Indiana, Missouri, North Dakota and it appears Rick Scott has defeated Bill Nelson in Florida. The only gain Democrats made in the Senate was in Nevada. Beto O'Rourke made things close in Texas, but we will be hearing Ted Cruz droning on for another six years. I suspect that most Republican Senators wish O'Rourke had prevailed. No doubt the Bret Kavanaugh hearings mobilized and motivated Republicans far more than Democrats who can look forward to Nancy Pelosi being Speaker once again.
Democrats also fell short in gubernatorial races in Florida and Georgia although the latter race seems rather dodgy. The Republican candidate, Brian Kemp, is also Secretary of State and was in charge of overseeing his own election. Democrats did gain governor's mansions in Illinois, Michigan, New Mexico, Maine, Kansas and in Wisconsin where three term Governor Scott Walker was defeated by Tony Evers.
The only Republican I was pleased to see win last night was Charlie Baker who was elected to a second term as Governor in Massachusetts. Had I still been living in the Bay State he would have had my vote. I don't worship the ground on which he walks, but he is a decent fellow and they are in short supply in the electoral arena.
Despite Democrats winning the House and a few governorships, last night was not 1994 or 2010. It was not a rebuke of Trumpism. While the Texas Senate election shouldn't have been this close, if Democrats honestly think O'Rourke can defeat Trump when he couldn't beat Cruz they are going to be even angrier two years from now.
Then again we never know what the future holds for us. The Best Years of Our Lives was released 72 years ago this month and told the story of three returning WWII veterans. It would win seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Harold Russell, a real life veteran amputee in his screen debut. Amidst the euphoria of returning home and wanting to have a good time, the tone of the film was one of uncertainty and throughout there is fear of yet another Great Depression. Given that many WWI veterans returned home to unemployment there was little reason to believe a post-war economic boom was around the corner.
To most people living in 2018, 1946 is completely unfathomable and unrecognizable. Yet life is every bit as uncertain in 2018 as it was in 1946 and shall always be uncertain no matter who we choose to elect. I'm not saying who we elect doesn't matter. I want the Trump presidency to come to an end and for him to be replaced by someone of character and honesty. But even if Trump is defeated in 2020 it won't take away our problems. People will still struggle to make ends meet and there will be forces both internal and external who wish to do us grievous harm. We shall always be tested - in the worst years of our lives and in the best years of our lives. Although it is difficult to acknowledge, the best and worst years of our lives often occur at the very same time.
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