Any Other Silver Linings Aside From The Political Demise Of 30 Blue Dogs? Well... Maybe

Or maybe not-- at least in Afghanistan

Two of Blue America's most difficult-- and ultimately losing-- races this year were in favor of Justin Coussoule's bid to oust John Boehner and in favor of Jack Conway in his bid to win the Kentucky open Senate seat that was won by Rand Paul. There's no silver lining in Boehner's win whatsoever-- unless you want to enjoy watching him trying to balance angry lied-to teabbagers and pork-hungry GOP corporate shills. Here is was on Twitter yesterday bragging about tossing some teabaggers a bone:


But don't get the idea Boehner is a moderate when it comes to anything. While Coussoule was campaigning hard for serious environmental reform and a forward-looking green economy, Boehner was continuing to rack up the most repulsive record on all things Green of any political figure in America. "Pelosi and Republican John Boehner of Ohio, the presumptive House speaker, have scores that are polar opposites. Pelosi’s is 92 while Boehner’s," the League of Conservation Voters pointed out yesterday, "is 2." 

A moderate with a progressive streak, we felt Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway, would not just be a much better senator than Rand Paul, but also a potential Democratic leader for the future. Paul's quirky independence, however, may offer some silver linings-- and I don't mean for followers of the Aqua Buddha faith. Certainly for anyone uncomfortable with the tenor of American war policies, Paul could wind up as a pleasant surprise. Maybe; watch:


 

"We need to have a national debate and say, is our national security still threatened? I don’t think it’s enough to have had the debate ten years ago, and just accept that that’s the same ongoing-- the situation hasn’t changed. We’ve been there for ten years, and I think Congress has abdicated its role. Congress needs to have more of a role in talking about foreign policy. So there needs to be a debate within the Senate and the House, over what is in our national security interest and has it changed in Afghanistan? Can we do nation-building? Do we have the money to do nation-building? Is it effective? Those are things that should be discussed and should not be all based on a
resolution from ten years ago."

Hard to imagine Conway would have gone so far out on a limb opposing-- or even questioning-- the Military Indistrial Complex so soon had he been the winner Tuesday.