By BaxterIn this age of cable news gab- and shoutfests, it can be difficult to appreciate the lasting impact of the political events we're witnessing. Talking heads — with or without journalistic credentials — inflate or spin them to suit their preferred narratives.
Knowing that, we cats are gratified that The New York Times has chosen to remind us today of ripples from NY-23 that you'll never hear on FOX News. Heck, you may not even hear them on "Hardball," although the chances there are probably greater that you could.
Ripple #1: The National Republican Congressional Committee sank a quarter of a million dollars into the candidacy of Dede Scozzafava, only to see her driven from the race by their conservative base and endorse the Democrat — who went on to win. That's $750,000 they won't have to spend somewhere else. We cats are sure that Democratic Congressmen like Ron Klein from Florida are grateful for that.
Ripple #2: Now-Congressman Owens will be, in the words of The Times, "a crucial vote in the health care debate." Hel-LO, teabaggers! You can shout and scream and wave your disgusting Holocaust signs all you want, but our guy just won a seat that's been Republican for almost 140 years. And he's on the floor voting. (Canceled out on his White House meeting, in fact, to do so.)
Ripple #3: Not mentioned in this particular Times article, but front and center in our furry little minds, is how effectively the Republicans have shot themselves in the foot by alienating and banishing a moderate woman candidate. Goodness, they're even thinking of stripping her of her leadership position in the New York State Assembly. We cats are not in the business of advising Republicans, but we think this would be a mistake. And we're dying for them to do it!
In the end, amid all the shouting, what to think about all this? We cats don't really like water, but we believe the lesson is simple: Don't focus on the rock or pebble hitting the pond surface. Watch the ripples.
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