...and even from the great distance of New Jersey, it looks like a Gadsden flag....
But I am sure this is not a harbinger of things to come in November, because the only referendum elections are the ones Democrats win. PA#12, for instance, is a bold indicator of the Democrat's strength, despite the fact that their candidate grossly underperformed in a district that is 62% Democratic. But the victory by Republican Charles Djou, who just won a Democratic-held House seat (for 20 years) in Hawaii in the district where President Obama grew up is meaningless, utterly meaningless.
Sure it is:
Djou's victory was a blow to Obama and other Democrats who could not rally around a candidate and find away to win a congressional race that should have been a cakewalk. The seat had been held by a Democrat for nearly 20 years and is located where Obama was born and spent most of his childhood.
"This is a momentous day. We have sent a message to the United States Congress. We have sent a message to the national Democrats. We have sent a message to the machine," Djou said. "The congressional seat is not owned by one political party. This congressional seat is owned by the people."
Djou, 39, enjoyed solid support from state and national Republicans and ran a disciplined campaign focused on taxes and government spending at a time when Hawaii's tourism-driven economy remains troubled, with the state facing a $1 billion deficit, large cuts to state programs and workers and an unemployment rate that has nearly doubled in the last three years.
Republican Gov. Linda Lingle said Djou's victory indicated that voters "are looking for people who aren't tied to special interests."
He burnished his conservative bona fides during the campaign, making appearances at Hawaii's tea party protest and on Fox News Channel for an interview with host Sean Hannity.
His message was clear: Taxes are too high, the federal government has grown too large, and wasteful government spending hinders economic prosperity.
Djou will face a challenge in November, as he won 40% of the vote to the remaining 60% that split between the Democratic candidates. But the incumbent always has the edge, and if the Republicans are smart, they'll give Djou the spotlight now and again, to burnish his importance and let the Hawaiians know their man is a player.
It's incredible, actually - first Djou stakes his claim to Obama's hometown, next it will be Republican Mark Kirk in Illinois taking Obama's Senate seat. It is unprecedented; no leader has ever seen his hometown and his virtual capital - the original seat of his rise to power - turn against him (so quickly), and survive.
And the Obami will continue to retreat and dig deeper into their Washington bunker, continuing to wield what power they have, issuing directives and orders while a compliant media ignores the encroaching citizen army and screeches that...well, you've seen it all before:
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