--Please quit calling it a "Republican wave." Yes, the GOP did very well. In mostly red-purple states. With a midterm, older, whiter electorate. That's not a wave, that's taking advantage of election cycles. In 2016 it's something like 20 seats vulnerable for Republicans and 10 for Democrats. Will a flipped re-Democratic Senate riding Hillary Clinton tails be a "wave?" Tell me what her electoral vote is then we'll talk.
--Much is being made about Bruce Rauner's apparent win in IL. Take heart, Dems, we still have a supermajority in both houses in Springfield. We can still pretty much do what we want.
--America is slowly inching towards legalizing pot as marijuana did well in both DC and Oregon. (Though medical marijuana did fail in FL.)
--It will be interesting to see how liberal/moderate Hillary positions herself going into 2016. That's probably her biggest choice to make right now. It's less about being a friend or enemy of Obama as some pundits are claiming. There is a lot of pressure to her left, but she's always been more of a centrist. It's going to be fun watching her win the White House mostly in "how" she does it.
--It's interesting all the talk about Republicans now being willing to work with Obama since they control Congress. Why now? Well, the blame is on them if they can't get laws passed so there is pressure there. And a battle for whether ultra-conservatives or moderates control the party.
--Both parties seem to be recognizing that we're in a stalemated, longterm, 50-50 divide now. The nature of the election cycle means that compromise and moderate stances are where the action is...if Democrats want to play the waiting game for our emerging permanent majority, the next chance we have for taking the House is probably 2022. Both parties have hardcore, purity-driven bases. How much will each side give in the interest of getting something done?
--Minimum wage hikes did very well...including in some very unlikely places.