by Terry O'Neal-Cox MD

Created on: October 30, 2010   Last Updated: October 31, 2010

The results of the 2010 mid-term elections in the USA are about to reveal themselves; and for me, I am asking myself  "what does this mean for America"? I have asked myself this same question nine times in the past, during the presidential elections. I was never really into mid-term elections until now; the reasons for that are another topic. 

Unless you live on another planet (it used to be under a rock, but in this age of cell phone service that excuse no longer holds. There is even cell phone service on Mt. Everest), there is no escape from hearing about the fight that is going on for political control of the US congress. The Democrats are currently in control, and the Republicans want to have control.

Like most Americans, I am concerned about the direction in which our country is headed. Like most Americans, if not all, I am also aware of the fall-out from the current economic crisis; led by high unemployment and the escalating rate of home foreclosures. Like most Americans, I am also aware that we are still clawing our way out of a nasty GLOBAL recession, that most other countries blame the United States for in the first place. The truth or falsehood of this blame, to me, is subjective.

Getting back to the question of what this midterm election means, after several months of mud slinging and close to, if not more than, $4 Billion spent by the candidates, what will be the outcome? Fact: The Republican Party held control of the congress for twelve years (until January, 2007), and had a Republican President for eight of the twelve years (until 2008). Our current poor state of affairs occurred on Republican watch; the recession became official in December, 2007. Fact: We are currently engaged in two wars, that were started on Republican watch and costs projected to be over $3 Trillion, plus lives lost. Fact: Foreign relations have been at their lowest point during the reign of the Republican Administration. Fact: ARRA was passed by the Democratic controlled congress in 2009. Fact: the current Democratic Administration began in January, 2009. Fact: The current Democratic congress is spending a lot of money, and is planning to penalize Americans who work hard enough to earn more than $250,000.00 annually. Fact: The Democratic congress managed to pass a health-care reform bill. The true benefit is being debated, but no other congress, after several attempts, was able to accomplish even a controversial reform bill.

It is obvious that

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