Election Day Wrap Up

One week ago you went to the polls and decided the direction our country would be driven in. Both parties suggested radical ideas to reform the country and what did we get? Status Quo. Nothing changed. Same President, same balance of Congress.

So what happened?
Having expressed unease with the economy, concern about the nation's direction and frustration with government gridlock, voters chose to maintain the status quo in Washington, propelling President Barack Obama to a second term, while keeping his party in charge of the Senate and Republicans in control of the House.

The President's victory was remarkable in many ways, racking up more than 300 electoral votes and carrying nearly every state he won in 2008 against a much weaker opponent. Only North Carolina and Indiana shifted from the President to the Republican column. Outside of North Carolina and possibly Florida, the President carried every battleground state despite winning only a slim popular vote majority. The President led his opponent by 2.6 million votes (50% to 48%).

That he became the first President to be re-elected with smaller popular vote and electoral college majorities than in his first term is less remarkable than the fact that he won re-election during an anemic recovery that has left millions out of work and driven labor force participation rates to near 30-year lows. No President since Franklin Roosevelt has won re-election with unemployment rates so high.

So what will happen? First as motorcyclists we did lose some races where major motorcyclists were involved. Senator (R-MA) Scott Brown who rides, lost his race and in Wisconsin, Tommy Thompson a strong supporter of ABATE of WI and the MRF failed to win the open Senate seat. A lot of people just retired this year, the most noteworthy is Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME). Snowe offered the original national helmet law repeal language that would become the law. So we have work to do with the new Congress, but thats always been the case.

Lameduck. First we have to get through the lame duck session of congress, the point in time after a political election but before the Congress adjourns for the year. Its an odd time of year when you have congressmen and women voting after they lost an election. Strange things tend to happen. My predictions of what issues will be addressed are: The Fiscal Cliff, Hurricane Sandy, and the Farm Bill.

House and Senate leadership elections will be a factor as well. Some rumors have Nancy Pelosi retiring since House Democrats underperformed again in an election. So a lot has changed and at the same time everything in Washington DC is exactly as it was last Monday. Gridlocked,

In addition.
It has always been the MRF position to not advocate for the SAE sound standard. The MRF has had a position on the sound working group national standards as reported most recently. For reference please refer our legislative agenda press release sent on 12-10-29.