Not just an election, but a restraining order. | Eastern NC Now

    Publisher's note: Brant Clifton continues to keep a keen eye on the Republicans who won the U.S. Senate race in his "bare knuckles" Conservative online publication known as The Daily Haymaker.

    It is absolutely amazing how many people have reacted to the recently completed elections in the same fashion as they would to athletic events. Yay, Blue Devils! Yay, Panthers! Yay, Thom!

    The recently completed campaigns were so devoid of substantive content that they honestly became comparable to ACC football or basketball skirmishes. It was all about who gets bragging rights, rather than who has the plan to get us out of the mess we're in.

    I find myself in agreement with Erick Erickson and Rush Limbaugh on Tuesday's vote. It was NOT about how much we love Thom Tillis or want Mitch McConnell to get a new office and a new title. The polls all across the nation indicate that people were sending a message to Barack Hussein Obama.

    We did it, as well, in 2010, and got a whole lot of excuses about how Harry Reid won't let anything happen. Now, THAT excuse is gone.

    Tuesday evening, Tillis admitted that he knew a lot of his support came from people voting AGAINST Obama. He then went on to talk about wanting to be bipartisan and work with the Democrats and the president. (Did you hear what Rush said, Thom?)

    The new GOP majority likely has two good years before things really get tough. The electoral map for the Senate looks a lot less friendly in 2016. There will be a competitive presidential across the country AND a competitive gubernatorial race here. (Enjoy those car and pizza and retail ads while you can. It won't be long before the Super PACs kick back into gear.)

    I didn't hear ANYBODY saying, on their way to the polls, "I want a new senator so he can work with Obama some more." People want so much gridlock that not one more iota of the Obama agenda can see daylight. They want this mess that has killed economic growth, slowed hiring, and is in the process of destroying the world's greatest healthcare delivery system REVERSED POST-HASTE.

    A lot of people, I think, believed that voting Republican saved the nation. Arguably, it simply reduced the speed of this out-of-control truck, with bad brakes and headed toward the cliff, from 110 mph to about 85.

    In 2010, we patted ourselves on the back after election day and went back to our business. This time, we need to keep the heat on these people to make sure they live up to their promises and act in the best interests of the country — instead of their political careers.

    We're not going anywhere. And neither should you.