When the tectonic plates of politics shift, expect a seismological shake-up at the polls.
The eruption soon to be heard around the nation began its tremors in southern Brooklyn where voters of a traditionally Democratic district spurned entrenched party candidate David Weprin earlier this month for novice Republican Bob Turner — a virtual unknown until a few weeks ago.
The results of the hotly-contested race for the congressional seat vacated by disgraced ex-Rep. Anthony Weiner are baffling, and unprecedented.
Democrats have been untouchable in the bi-borough district since the 1920s — a distinction which was overturned when Weprin, a member of one of New York’s political dynasties, lost by a wide margin despite outspending and out-campaigning Turner at every juncture.
A $1.5 million cash transfusion by labor unions and the Democratic Party didn’t help, nor did it make savvy voters gravitate towards Weprin, the heavy favorite, on the say-so of big party guns, including Sen. Charles Schumer, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Gov. Andrew Cuomo and former President Bill Clinton.
The blow was even more damning, considering that less than a year ago, Turner lost the election to Weiner by 20 points, and just three years ago Obama won his historic presidency by receiving 55 percent of that district’s vote.
Small wonder over the disenchantment: the country’s unemployment rate is more than nine percent, the national debt is the world’s largest at more than $14.5 trillion, and pussyfooting around our sworn enemies has become the crux of our foreign policy, drawing the hostility of Jews and Christians, both of whom continue to be persecuted in Muslims lands.
Fiscal blues are weatherable. History has shown that economic tides can — and do — turn. Obama’s mollification of the Middle East, a reason for Weprin’s defeat, is another matter.
Voters are clearly fed up with this administration’s overcompensation of the Muslim world at the expense of Israel, our key ally and the only source of stability in that volatile region.
Bam’s olive branches and cash injections have been in stark contrast to his abject and hostile treatment of Israel, a state without which the Middle East would be left to duke it out internally, and eventually cease to matter — entirely.
Then, there’s the issue of Obama’s favoritism.
He has yet to visit Israel on one of his several trips to the Middle East, and when he finally received Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House in March, he barred photographers from immortalizing the event and further kicked Bibi in the teeth by dumping him at the White House and heading out for dinner.
The final straw was Obama’s push for a future Palestinian state based on pre-1967 borders, and reinforced by “mutually agreed upon swaps.”
Enough was enough for voters in the ninth congressional district — a scenario now likely to be replicated at next year’s polls.
Democrats and liberals are working overtime to downplay Turner’s deafening victory, but the grim facts are in: Voters have revolted against this administration, and the amputation of its congressional toes has only just begun.
Sabruzzo@CNGLocal.com
