Karl Rove bolted upright from his nightmare; the cold sweat painting the wisps of his remaining golden hair down across his forehead; the rest of him moist as if recovering from a hot flash. He shivered as he remembered the dream. The sinking slowly falling, falling, falling, feeling in the pit of his stomach was growing uncontrollably. His world was closing inward on him, a developing darkness and descent into the abyss. His heartbeat was near fibrillating, a racing in his chest that made his throat seem to close and he needed air. Not just oxygen just to breathe but cool clean air to chase away the grip on his chest that said this might be his last. "What's wrong?" came a voice from next to Karl. "Nah . . . nah, nothing. Go back to sleep," Karl said as he threw off the covers and swung his feet to the floor. Karl stumbled toward the bathroom, turning on the light he splashed water on his face and taking his head from the drying towel he looked directly into his own wide eyes in the mirror. He didn't like what he saw; an ashen faced, bug-eyed, shell-like version of himself that was out of control. Something else was controlling him . . . fear! Panicking, mind-robbing, self-realizing, honest fear overtook Karl as he'd never known.
The Republican Party was plummeting in the polls. Scandal, indictments, prison sentences, evangelicals disrespected, used, and abused and leaving in droves, hypocrites exposed, gay sex, lies, and videotape, torture, the destruction of Habeas Corpus and Posse Comitatus; the Republican party faithful proclaim they'll vote Democratic this time or just not vote. All predictions and popularity polls say Democrats will take the House by 20 or 30, perhaps more seats, and the Senate by one or two spots. For any other result to occur would mean every independent political analysis and analyst would have to be universally wrong. This was the kind of freefall that even he didn't predict.
Oh, sure, he knew it was going to be close. History told him that. He planned for that. Every second term president in history lost seats at the midterm elections. The "six-year itch" was in effect and they had some bonehead plays that needed to be overcome for sure, but we always had that handled. We always knew close meant we win because we had "the math", we had the "right" people in place . . . we had the machines. But this, this is not even close; this is a meltdown we never saw coming!
What happens Tuesday? What happens when the exit polls show Democrats leading Republicans 60/40 or 70/30 even? "Oh my God," exclaims Karl shivering once again, his entire Machiavellian career coming apart at the seams; it's too late, can't go back, the machines are already preprogrammed, can't get the memory cards back now . . . they're gonna know!
Democrats are beginning their victory dance around 9PM EST, but, around 11PM there is a change in direction of the vote. By 1AM the next morning, all elections between Democrats and Republicans that were within 5 percentage points have all gone to Republicans 51% to 49%. Republicans retain the House by six seats and the Senate by one. Democrats are demoralized, the nation momentarily stunned, the media and pundits bumfuzzled!
HEADLINE: Greatest Unexplainable Republican Comeback in History!
But it does have an explanation that the "conspiracy theorists" and "anarchists" and "technophobes" have been exposing all along. And Karl's great fear becomes his reality; now the sheeple awaken and know they've been lied to, robbed, exploited, murdered, and disenfranchised from the beginning. They rise from their complacence and take to the streets by the millions. A human cry rises from the streets that shakes the earth and reverberates 'round the world. The military joins the masses, tanks ring the White House as the people chant, "This is our house and you will leave it NOW!" Legislators, Supreme Court Judges, Military Commanders, Police, the FBI, and citizens march into the White House, the Pentagon, the State Department and humiliatingly, in the most degrading ways; kick the entire administration out onto the streets where you are spat upon and pummeled with thousands of epithets. You're left for the World Court to render you to The Hague to stand trial for all your crimes against humanity . . .
Karl Rove bolts upright from his nightmare . . .
Michael Shelby serves democracy as an aggressive progressive and "equal opportunity abuser". An independent election integrity activist in Arizona, he is also an active member of Progressive Democrats of America. A veteran of Vietnam era antiwar protests, Mike serves in the 82nd Pajamahadeen/101st Keyboard Division continuing the fight against war and Republicans.
