Who are we electing this November?

The victory of Tea Party candidates has come as a pleasant surprise to most Democratic insiders, but we have to remember that not everyone thinks the Tea Party candidates are bonkers.

A scary thought is that the victories of candidates like Rand Paul, Christine O'Donnell, and Sharon Angle could actually have the effect of energizing the conservative base.  That's one of the main reasons that Sen. John McCain selected Sarah Palin as running mate -- he knew that she appealed to the activists in his party.

Why Democrats who suffer the most from the accumulation of conservative legislation need to be prodded into the simple act of voting boggles the imagination. Of course, in some cases the problem is understandable.  There are some precincts were would-be voters must wait for hours to get their turn. Even in many developing countries, voters are not tested so hard.  One must wonder why a country that regularly touts democracy, and toots its own horn whenever possible, has such a low voter turnout rate.

What the Democrats need is to put forth, in the public eye, their candidates who can inspire people to get excited about the upcoming election.  Who are the champions who can help President Obama achieve meaningful change in Washington?

The campaign can't just work on negative energy, but must also show vision and leadership.  We need our own personalities to spotlight in order to counter the theatrics of the Tea Party.