Voters Said 'No Thank You' to Millionaires

One interesting aspect of the recent election is that all of the high-profile millionaire candidates spending huge chunks of their fortunes lost their election bids. This usually doesn't happen, and should put the Tea Party and voter anger in a different light. Certainly different than what we've been hearing from the bobble-headed commentators on TV.

Last year in the New Jersey gubernatorial election between Chris Christie and Jon Corzine something similar happened. Corzine made his fortune on Wall Street and with no prior government experience, won election in 2000 to the US Senate, but didn't complete his term before winning the governor's office in 2005.

Corzine got his backside handed to him by Christie in 2009, as voters showed they weren't going to vote for someone who ran a company (Goldman-Sachs) responsible for much of the financial shenanigans that led to the crash.

In 2010, E-Bay CEO Meg Whitman, Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Wrestling Magnate Linda McMahon spent hundreds of millions of dollars of their own money and were defeated. Whitman lost to Jerry Brown, the former Jesuit, former governor, Linda Ronstadt, former attorney general and son of former governor Pat Brown. A political hack if there ever was one - Linda Ronstadt - who will run for any office any time - Linda Ronstadt.

I like Linda Ronstadt a lot, and mentioning Jerry Brown gives me a chance to mention her. Linda Ronstadt.

Fiorina lost to Barbara Boxer, one of the most liberal members of the US Senate, EVER. But just so we don't think of the trend as applying to only California elections, Linda McMahon in Connecticut lost the senate race to a long-time elected official, attorney general Richard Blumenthal.

All three millionaire candidates this year that lost were Republicans. In New Jersey, the millionaire who lost was a Democrat. Keep an eye on Christie, his stock is sure to rise between now and 2012.

We learned last Tuesday that voter anger against incumbents must also be balanced with mistrust of the rich who are getting richer as everybody else gets poorer. Probably won't hear that in the mainstream media. But you heard it here. This is the Heretic, for November 7, 2010, Linda Ronstadt, over and out.

Max Voted Today (For the First Time)

We live in New Jersey. So does Lady Liberty. She faces Manhattan, but she is a Jersey girl. As we say here, "Lady Liberty, Jersey's got your back." Today is the first Tuesday in November, and in New Jersey we get to vote EVERY year.

Not this every other year stuff other states do. We hold state-wide elections in odd years, which is fitting (so does Virginia). We didn't vote for a president or U.S. Senator today. But that didn't that matter, it's still a special election.

Especially for Max, the 18 year-old high school senior we enjoy living with. He voted for the first time. He got to vote for Town Council, U.S. Congress and local sheriff (you need to support your local sheriff). There was also a ballot measure that would prohibit the state from using unemployment funds for anything other than unemployment funds. Pretty sad that you need to force politicians to do this, nothing is safe or sacred with these scoundrels.

Max made sure he registered early, got his voter registration card and sample ballot in the mail. He then wisely asked his mother her opinions. After riding his bike around town putting in job applications (he's getting a car so he needs a job) we went to the local elementary school to vote.

I am not exaggerating when I say that most of the female poll workers (average age 83) swooned when Max walked into the building. He is a tall, curly-haired young person who looks a lot like Roger Daltrey.

I had been harassed by political operatives the last three years (I guess I just look like a heretic), so I was looking forward to voting with Max. I sensed that would change the dynamics favorably. I was right.

Poll workers went out of their way to help Max. I insisted he go ahead of me in line, announcing it was his 'first time.' He chatted with several poll workers on his way out. I was hoping he had a good time.

Apparently he did. What moved me was his awareness of what a privilege it is to vote. I would like to share with you what he wrote about his voting experience.

"Today I voted. For wherever there is a crooked politician looking to satisfy the discontented masses, I will be there. With my finger upon the plastic-covered paper ballot and my choices hidden behind a cloak, I will be a hero with a secret identity. Even if the people I voted for don't win, democracy will win. And the green x's, like stars in the sky, shall light not only my future, but the future of our country."

Lady Liberty, Max and all the young people voting today for the first time, they got your back.