Left of the Right: Is the GOP’s Vision of Re-taking Congress Slipping Through Their Fingers?

People are finally realizing the Tea Party and Republicans are just a whole lot more Bush W (that failed so bad he couldn't even come to his own party's convention)? Finally?

Finally???!!!

Time to pay the check....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pOdvn2dtM0A

Good news! The Republicans got lions share of the attention during the primaries. Now that they are over the rest of the public is starting to watch the election. Should be interesting to see what happens!

You mean to say you have hope that the ignorant and uninformed will be easily fooled to vote for dems again, right? I mean, Democrats ALWAYS count on the uneducated, young, poor to get elected. Unfortunately, those people you depend on feel let down by the lack of hope provided by Obama and his minions.

100 respondents???....and from that you get "the tide is changing"?

Not if you look at some of the larger polls.

Ivan,
Don't waste your keystrokes. That's all they have.

I believe the sample size was 1,000. That sounds like a reasonable number assuming the rest of the methodology was in keeping with sound statistical principles.

it was 100 respondents with cell phones. That 1000 was just the base number for calculating the margin of error

It would be foolhardy for the Democrats to be complacent. If the Democrats don't get out to vote, it is their own fault. In case they missed it, the following are just some of the promises made by the Republicans if they get control:

1) Repeal the first substantive health care package to be passed in the 40 years of trying

2) Deny any and all science

3) Eliminate the Department of Education

4) Expand tax breaks to the rich, thereby putting more of the tax burden on the middle class

etc.

There are more.

It's up to the Democrats to get out to vote.

I should add

5) Defund the EPA so that it cannot do anything it is mandated to do by Congress

6) Expand the Cuccinnelli-style anti-science witch hunts to harass all scientists, not just the climate scientists. Consider who would be in charge of key committees:

- James Inhofe
- David Vitter

and add in the entire student class of House and Senate hopefuls that have already pandered to the lunatic denialist fringe by denying the science behind climate change

We'll be lucky if rivers don't start catching fire again.

1) they can't repeal ObamaCare but they can defund it. The President won't sign any bill that eliminates his program. That at least half the nation wants it to go has nothing to do with political reality.

2) ? Because in some areas they disagree with you, they want to do what?

3) What does it do? Does it actually teach a single student? How much funding does it consume that could go directly to the states for use in education? Never mind why should the Feds be involved in education.

4) Add to the middle class tax burden? If spending is frozen or goes down, at least until (if) the economy gets fired up again why would anyone's tax burdens go up?

5) The EPA continues to grow regs that Congress has little or no say on. It like many other Federal bureaucracies create regs with the forceof law, supposedly that is or was Congress's job.

6) Where does one find that in any Repub platform?

Right. Many if not most non Dems, do not believe in man caused global warming and even fewer believe anything we would do would offset the far worse Indian/Chinese/3d world activities.

A Repub majority in the House and a slimming of Dem control in the Senate gives us divided government. Haven't you seen with both this Administration and the Bush one what happens with single party control? I'm under no illusion that the Repubs will be the saviors many think they will be but at least we'll have an end to single party rule.

1) they can't repeal ObamaCare but they can defund it. The President won't sign any bill that eliminates his program. That at least half the nation wants it to go has nothing to do with political reality.

Yes, I agree that the claims that they will repeal it are merely political propaganda to rile up the far right. And more than half of the nation wants the components of the law; what they don't want is the falsehoods that the Republican party has sold them about it (e.g., death panels that don't exist; government takeover of health care which is also completely false; even the things that the Republicans put into the bill that they are now blaming on Obama). In short, when people are told the truth the support is strong for it.

2) ? Because in some areas they disagree with you, they want to do what?

The Republican party has demonstrated time and time again that they simply deny any science that they find inconvenient. Just look at the Republican candidates lining up to deny climate change. Every single one of them. Even the ones that believed we must do something before are now running against it. Why? Because their base is staunchly anti-science when it is inconvenient.

3) What does it do? Does it actually teach a single student? How much funding does it consume that could go directly to the states for use in education? Never mind why should the Feds be involved in education.

The rhetoric about eliminating the Dept of Education is dishonest. Virtually every cent would be transferred into another agency. The reason we have it in the first place was so kids growing up in Arkansas weren't destined to be stupid just because the state is one of the poorest in the country, while kids growing up in Connecticut got great education. It's a false argument designed to, again, rile up the most uniformed part of the party electorate.

4) Add to the middle class tax burden? If spending is frozen or goes down, at least until (if) the economy gets fired up again why would anyone's tax burdens go up?

Freezing spending is a cop out. Especially since Republican history has shown that it spends like a drunken sailor. The only difference is that it spends on things like the military and giving rich people more loopholes to hide their money offshore. Democrats spend it on helping to give the middle class a chance to compete, on the poor who otherwise would not get by, and the society, which otherwise would have to live with burning rivers, child labor, etc.

5) The EPA continues to grow regs that Congress has little or no say on. It like many other Federal bureaucracies create regs with the forceof law, supposedly that is or was Congress's job.

Absolutely false. The EPA is bound by the laws that Congress passes. Congress gives them the authority to develop methods and mechanisms for regulation. It also provides a rather cumbersome process that inhibits EPA from doing anything substantive without a major battle. So your statement is unequivocally false.

6) Where does one find that in any Repub platform?

Read the press releases from both incumbent Republicans and candidates. They are falling over each other trying to show the most partisan of their constituents that they will feed their denial of all things science by having hearing after hearing (aka "witch hunts"). Inhofe, Vitter, Issa, and a half dozen others have already promised to do nothing but harass for the next two years.

Right. Many if not most non Dems, do not believe in man caused global warming and even fewer believe anything we would do would offset the far worse Indian/Chinese/3d world activities.

Agreed. See a pattern? Republicans have decided that it is a political calculus to cater to the paranoid and the uninformed. Meanwhile, scientists almost all agree that the science is overwhelming. Scientists.

A Repub majority in the House and a slimming of Dem control in the Senate gives us divided government. Haven't you seen with both this Administration and the Bush one what happens with single party control? I'm under no illusion that the Repubs will be the saviors many think they will be but at least we'll have an end to single party rule.

Sorry, that's also a cop out. The problem is not split rule. Just look at what the Republicans have done. They have stood in the way of any substantive action. If they regain control we can pretty much count on absolutely zero happening in the next two years. And while you may say that is a good thing, it is actually amazingly irresponsible. There are real issues that need real solutions. Ignoring them, or worse, backtracking on them, will just delay the inevitable and make it more expensive and more difficult to deal with.

And it will give China a nice little boost to beat our pants off. I'm surprised you would support that.

You forgot repealing (oh, excuse me, "revisiting") the minimum wage. This in the face of rising poverty rates. But to the GOP-on -U party, no one making less than $100K a year counts anyway.

David,

What parts of ObamaCare do you say that half the country DOES want? The truth you say that causes people to want it, now does that include the ever increasing costs coming with it? Anyway, the only thing the Repubs can do if they get control of the House is defund it. Defunding it though would send a sign the Repubs are serious about reining in both government and spending. At least a baby step anyway. We both understand that until the President changes (even then) this is the law.

So every Repub is a scientific denier? Quite a blanket statement.

Ok, so the DepEd doesn't teach a single student. We are on the same sheet there. The money would be transferred to other depts if DepEd was eliminated, others that already exist. So are you saying that DepEd is duplicated effort? As for equalizing standards between states, little evidence that mandate has advanced much. No matter the state, inner city schools fail miserably, something that has become common only in the last 40 odd years despite trillions in state/federal funding. There is no quantifiable proof of accomplishment to justify DepEd's existence.

Absolutely false that EPA regs have the force of laws and that Congress has abdicated THAT responsibility to the EPA? It isn't Congress who decides carbon dioxide is a pollutant nor is it Congress who sets particulate levels in air. Congress gave the EPA a broad statement of responsibility and has in turn gave them the power to do as they will. How often does Congress tell them they've gone too far?

Of course freezing spending is a cop out. The Repubs went a tad better in demanding a roll back 2 years but I agree that its too little. Of course that isn't what you are saying. The Administration has far overtaken the former one in spending but the only period that you say was a problem was the Repub period. Dems aren't even talking about FREEZING current rates of spending, never mind a roll back anywhere but maybe DOD. Of course Dems only spend on the poor so its all justified.

Ok you named a handful of Repubs you claim are "anti science". What is the common thread with them tho? They are all anti man caused global warming. There is no point in us debating THAT given our respective stands as I stated some time ago.

Another cop out on divided rule? Both this and the last administration had one party rule and both have screwed the pooch. The last administration any Dem crows about is Clinton and the only time he got a budget surplus was with a Repub congress. Dem support for those budgets was divided at best. Blaming it endlessly only on Repubs is the cop out.

The Repubs have screwed up a lot, no denying it. But the Dems have proved they are at least as bad. There has been no reversal on anything of substance from Bush policies and we all know the last 2 years of fiscal record. There remains no Dem plans to change direction at all other than another presidential commission which will come up with a list of tax increases and MAYBE some departmental spending cuts.

Chance for the Chinese to beat our pants off? China's ignored problems are worse than ours. Despite the dire strait the US is in, the public isn't as sharply divided socially, fiscally, or politically. China is a slowly ticking bomb held in place by armed force.

Devin,

The argument about the "positive" effects of the minimum wage is pretty heated to put it mildly. Given what a price floor for labor accomplishes among minorities, single women, and the young; its hard to argue substantially its overall effect is positive. Look at their unemployment rates-especially for the young, few businesses want to hire and then train if trained labor is available at the same price.

What parts of ObamaCare do you say that half the country DOES want?

Coverage, protection from being dropped by insurance companies just for using the insurance they've been paying for all these years, ridiculous pre-existing conditions exclusions, rate hikes at up to 10 times the inflation rate, lack of choice, etc., etc., etc.

The truth you say that causes people to want it, now does that include the ever increasing costs coming with it?

The costs are less than has been falsely claimed by the Republicans, and they will eventually result in lower costs as competition increases. Of course, the Republicans fought against inclusion of more competition. Meanwhile, the costs of health care have been skyrocketing for years, so the suggestion that the new health care law is worse than doing nothing is intellectually untenable.

Defunding it though would send a sign the Repubs are serious about reining in both government and spending.

False. Republicans have not been serious about taking responsibility for doing their jobs for many years. They are simply playing politics and working hard to protect big corporations while sacrificing the common man. To suggest that they are serious about reining in government and spending is to be completely oblivious to reality - Reagan, Bush (and even Lincoln) oversaw the biggest increases in government size and spending in history (with the exception of FDR). But all their spending and government expansions were 1) favoring the military, the rich, and the corporations, and 2) on borrowed money. In short, Republicans are good at increasing spending but terrible on paying for it.

So every Repub is a scientific denier? Quite a blanket statement.

Name one that isn't and is willing to come out and say it. Even John McCain is denying climate change, one of his previous pet projects. The political denial of reality is a Republican hallmark.

So are you saying that DepEd is duplicated effort? As for equalizing standards between states, little evidence that mandate has advanced much. No matter the state, inner city schools fail miserably, something that has become common only in the last 40 odd years despite trillions in state/federal funding. There is no quantifiable proof of accomplishment to justify DepEd's existence.

You've avoided the actual issue. I have no problem whatsoever revisiting the Dept of Education and chopping programs that don't work redistributing programs of value to make them more efficient. Maybe if that is done honestly and seriously there won't be a Dept any more. Or maybe it will be bigger. But the issue is not being done seriously. The Republican party is simply saying "off with its head" without making any effort to take responsibility for making the tough decisions to reevaluate and realign the goals of the Dept with present day conditions. It's one thing to honestly assess, another to pander to the most uninformed and unthinking parts of the electorate purely for political expediency. Again, that is irresponsible and they have no business being in Congress.

Of course freezing spending is a cop out.

Yes it is a cop out. Because it is irresponsible. It is like sending an entire school to detention because someone threw an egg at the principal. It lets the people we elected avoid taking any responsibility for doing their jobs and making the tough decisions we elect them to make.

Another cop out on divided rule?

Yes, and I already explained why. It lets us avoid taking responsibility.

The last administration any Dem crows about is Clinton

And? Clinton was the last Democratic president.

and the only time he got a budget surplus was with a Repub congress. Dem support for those budgets was divided at best. Blaming it endlessly only on Repubs is the cop out.

Clinton had a Republican congress for the last 6 years of his two terms. And he only got a budget surplus in the last 2 of those years. Why is that? Well, obviously it takes a while for budgets to stabilize and Clinton took office at a time when the previous president (Republican Bush I) had a recession for the last 2 years of his term (see a pattern here?). So Clinton and the Democratic congress passed the "Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993," which I'm sure you'll be shocked to know was passed without a single Republican vote. Not one. The Republicans voted against an act to balance the budget. But what did this Act accomplish? Well, besides cutting taxes for low-income families and making tax cuts available to 90% of small businesses,it raised taxes on the wealthiest 1% of taxpayers. It also implemented spending restraints and mandated the budget be balanced over a number of years. Remember, the Republicans voted against this balanced budget Act. Not one Republican voted against it. They voted as a block. Just like they do now. And once the Republicans got control of Congress under Gingrich, they shut down the government.

Are you sure you want to use that in the Republican advertising this fall?

By the way, the budget reconciliation act expired during Bush II's presidency. Which is one of the reasons why he turned the surplus immediately into a deficit.

Chance for the Chinese to beat our pants off? China's ignored problems are worse than ours. Despite the dire strait the US is in, the public isn't as sharply divided socially, fiscally, or politically. China is a slowly ticking bomb held in place by armed force.

China is putting tons of money into developing wind energy, both from the technology point of view and the manufacturing point of view. Guess where the wind turbines in Texas come from? Mostly China. There is no question that China walks a tricky tightrope of political suppression while developing a capitalist economy. Thomas Friedman once described China as driving the bus from the movie Speed - they have to keep the bus (economy) moving above a certain speed or it (society) will blow up. So far they've managed to do it. Will it last? I don't know, especially since they are the new "Made in USA" and Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Bhutan are the new "Made in China." But that isn't really that relevant. What is relevant is that the science denialism, the regressive and irresponsible attitude, and the political calculus of lying about everything to cater to the worst xenophobes and last century wannabes in the country by the Republican party are pushing more and more jobs overseas, giving China more and more time to build their 21st Century infrastructure, and convince more and more of our allies that the US is just too stupid to continue to do business with.

The Republican party is the party of the past, both in aspiration and thinking. The only problem with that is that the world keeps moving forward. Picture the bandleader walking in place while the band keeps marching.

The US is that bandleader. And the band has is now marching double time.

And when the former bandleader is looking at the butts of the band members that have passed him by, it will be the Republican party - and especially its most reactionary tea party wing tip - that is to blame.

So the things that people want from ObamaCare are things that force private firms to suck up costs but then despite the plan's claims, still increase cost and reduce choice? Premiums are going up. Child only plans have stopped being offered. No bars to people with pre existing conditions, medicare could have done that and supposedly cheaper.

The costs have been by any measure more than the supporters of the plan admitted to and are much more on line with opponents claims during the debate. Obviously there is and will be no premium cuts with the additional cost on the insurance companies from the mandates laid on them. Neither will there be any cuts in Medicare/Aid through efficiency or doctor payments to offset even the costs predicted by the Administration. Yes costs were going up and they still are which was NOT supposed to have happened.

If the criteria of science denial is simply being anti global warming (man caused), then you are correct about the majority of Repubs being "anti science". That is a very narrow (personal) criteria in order to make such a claim however. LOL, as for damning McCain, damn away-I likely have little more use for him than you do.

I won't disagree that the Repubs haven't been serious about their jobs for years. Of course I'd add which you will deny that Dems have been at least as bad. The nation has been poorly served by its "public servants" for decades. The handful of fiscal people there have been overwhelmed by the spend crowd and now like it or not the bite is coming. The Repubs are making noises like they have a clue about that anyway, the Dems are still in denial.

Right, denying we have a problem is better than even agreeing to a spending freeze.

The last administration any Dem crows about is Clinton Screwed up, meant to write the ONLY one.

Hmm, Dems put through the Budget Reconciliation Act and Repubs voted against it. Then Dems failed to get the budgets balanced until control changed over. Repubs forced the welfare restructuring (against Dem opposition) and largely went along with Clinton's DOD cuts which gave the 2 years of budget surpluses. We both agree the Repubs failed miserably there but why didn't the Dems do any different at least the last 4 years?

Actually I do want the Repubs to talk of budget gridlock. People are not happy about the Obama deficits nor implications-short or long. Gridlock at least forces Congress to stand for continuing budget resolutions, a more or less freezing at 2010 levels. I'd prefer much lower but I don't see this Administration doing anything like that without being dragged kicking and screaming.

China's problems are not relevant? A nation whose policy on one matter you admire, whose entire existence is underlaid by force, subjugation of its satelliates part and parcel of it's energy policies is a nation you think is going to drive any train for long? That is a helluva narrow focus to not see any of that.

Yes the world keeps moving forward, maybe lurching at times but some elements are moving. China is much like the Soviet Union in that regard, you see one thing you like and let that stand for the entire monolith. Even so it's far, far from First World status and the paper covering the cracks won't last forever.

Repubs are the past? Yep to some degree that is true. So are the Dems. Both parties think they can ignore problems until some one else deals with them. So the musical chairs continue, the Dems failed as predicted the last 4 years to do a single thing to halt the worst problem we have and now the Repubs will get another chance.

The TEA party is reacting to both parties failures, we'll see if they can continue to have any influence after 2010. Since the Dems so far don't see the problem as anything more than a lack of government control, they haven't even shown any sign they are flexible enough to change we'll have to wait to see if there is such a thing as fiscally concerned Dems.

You're right, David, and lots of people are talking about it - Dennis Knight, Joe Conason and Bill Clinton, to name just a few.

GOTV efforts will mean more than ever this year.

Thanks for the links, Diana. Haven't seen you around much.

Devin,

I'm a fan of races. They're thrilling. Sometimes I just watch upset horseraces on youtube for the excitement and ingenuity (I love watching Calvin Borel).

President Obama seems to have a sense of timing that is not to be dismissed. I thought when Palin entered the race in the primaries that it was GREAT, because it was time enough to let Obama get off the center stage and avoid the fatigue of any overexposure plus give Palin's carbonation time to fizz away and reveal a flat nothingness underneath. Republicans have played all their cards. They have been in a constant state of carbonation. Nothing new is to be heard. A constant state of carbonation is no carbonation. I think President Obama has timed this better than many may understand. Yesterday in Wisconsin he had on his arse kicking boots. Clearly. Maybe he really knows when to shift into what gear.

> President Obama seems to have a sense of timing that is not to be dismissed.

That is sort of true on some respects, but the one thing that Obama did not impress people with is his urgent reaction to jobs and energy.

When people are hurting, and being kicked out of their houses they want action immediately, not to mention the CEOs are still getting more bonuses, too big to fail is even bigger, health care is not understood even though there are some really good things in the program.

Obama has been very soft-spoken in his reaction to the Republicans outrages as well ... why do Democrats not stand up for themselves to those blatantly asinine Republicans.

I got my first poll call today. I will be interested to see the results. As I was talking to the pollster she indicated that according to what she is hearing more and more people are leaning left. I guess we will see what November brings.

Who will go to Lori's poll? Liberals who like we've seen here, are self-deceived. November will tell the tale. What fun.

It was Gallop Doug.

I don't mean to be flippant but your title was so funny in a desperate sort of way. Self deception is grand isn't it?

And yet you achieved such nonetheless... congratulations. You've managed to be rude and irrelevent.

Doug - I said the same thing... just now reading your comment. Credit to Devin though -- he does come up with some doozies.

Lincoln said it best with "You can fool some of the people most of the time and most of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time."

It seems that the "some" is about 30% of the people--not enough for the Republicans to achieve all their goals, which is getting back to looting America of a future.

We shall see which way the vote goes.

R.F., I was a "heavy" chapter about the evolution of religions this morning and the author made a strong point that said the same thing and this book I'm reading backs up everything with loads of evidence.

I think the Democrats didn't really start campaigning till after Labor Day. In California Fiorina and Whitman have been campaigning heavily since the primary. Both are about even with their Democratic opponents and haven't gained ground since their first attack ads hit TV.

But that says little about the incumbent Boxer, especially when local media will not even endorse her.

As for California, I think Whitman is insane to even want the job. California is not governable. It's simply lurching on, almost dead but not quite. No one can save it though I think she'd try harder than Brown. The fiscal problems have that state can only be resolved if the unions cooperate and they will not-for Brown AND especially for Whitman.

All California needs is to get rid of the 2/3 majority requirement for passing a budget. That will free up the legislature and governor for an additional three to six months. There's no telling what they could accomplish.

The other problem is one that all states are facing, no taxes coming in.

I dunno, some local media endorses Boxer. As a rule newspapers tend to endorse Republican candidates even when the paper seems to be liberal. The endorsements come from the publisher and the board of directors. It's not as obvious as it used to be. Newspaper candidate endorsements used to be straight Republican ticket.

Brown did a lot when he was governor before ... it was pretty good times. I'm skeptical, but I'm willing to give Brown a chance.

if Whitman had ever done anything or been willing to do something to prove herself besides spend her money, and if Whitman had the same drive to lose a bunch of weight and get in shape like Brown did.

In the first debate Whitman seemed awfully canned.

2/3ds for a budget is a good idea actually. If we had that at Federal level we'd be sitting at a much better place. California's problems won't be solved by passing budgets that only increase though, they have to face those pension and other government costs.

Some states have accomplished the budget cuts and gone black. Rhode Island, Texas, and Virginia have all done without raising taxes. Its difficult but the way is there if the politicians started getting serious. Waiting for revenue to increase in such times of uncertainty is just another way of kicking the can down the road...an American political specialty.

I think the TEA Party movement is running out of gas. The more America sees of folks like Wrangle, Paul, and O'Donnell, the more they realize just how far from reason their positions are.

I see many of the Democratic candidates are running a "keep your hands off my Social Security and Medicare" campaign in response to calls from TEA Party candidates to cut and/or eliminate these programs. Seems a huge segment of the Republican base, older voters, aren't to keen on politicians messing with these programs.

Devin, the Tea Party may have overreached, but their momentum continues to build.

By overreached, I (too) would point to declaring open season on Entitlements. However, that's a may have, at best.

Support for Tea Party candidates, I believe, comes not from a careful weighing of all the issue-positions & aspirant-qualities, but from a short-short list of mutually-compatible priorities.

This is a 'punishment vote', and TPers know that.

Tea Party candidates are supported as "messengers", and long as they can belt out a hearty rendition of the main chorus, then all the other oddities & indiscretions are waived.

There is time yet before the vote, for a change of fortunes, but thus far the GOP & Tea Party continue to enjoy a bull market.

The TEA party has one thing going for it ... it is not the Republicans and it is not the Democrats. For a lot of people its just not clear who is the greater danger. I cannot understand why the Democrats just cannot seem to connect with the heart of America like say Franklin Roosevelt, and the only reason I can come up with is that they are nothing like Franklin Roosevelt used to be. FDR used to be able to connect with the country, no Democrat seems to be able to do that, and it is very easy for the Republicans to make up the right attack to cut Democrats off at the knees.

Bruce,

You made a good point about the TEA party (so far anyway) in that they are staying clear of either party except to work with them. I hope they can stay clear of the Repubs attempts to fold them in, they can accomplish much more outside of the duopoly then in it.

if they become a "official" party you are likely right Lea...sadly that's the reason why we are likely to be stuck with this malfunctioning duopoly until things finally collapse

I haven't had this good of a laugh in quite a while....lol....lol...lol

Hey libs..this is a perfect example of how so out of touch with reality you guys are. Do you really believe that the american people are as fickle as this....go ahead and believe it.... Your waterloo is coming in November....and its not even going to be close...lol

Reality is the fact that a worker's paycheck just got shipped offshore. Realiity is working harder and harder for less and less -- and then having some clueless GOP-on-u pundit call you "lazy". Reality is your kids going hungry and you losing your home.

Reality is not "America despises liberals". Only the America you see -- the ones with the big bucks.

In Massachusetts, the Republican candidate for governor is actually promising to cut 5,000 state employees. Just what we need around here - more unemployed people!

What truly baffles me is that people seem to believe that the unemployment was caused by the federal deficit! That makes things much more pleasant for the real estate speculators, mortgage con artists and Wall Street liars that really caused the problem.

Did anyone see on the news that the world's fastest train is now in China? This country is getting more stupid by the minute and the more stupid a politician seems to be, the more the right loves him.

You mean like Alan Greyson?

yes heaven forbid that government ever get trimmed. Better you Massachusetts types keep paying for those so efficient surly tax suckers, its the private sectors job to support them.

HAHAHAHAAHAHAH.

Are you for real?

If this is an attempt at rallying the troops, it is pitiful.

Ill be glad to come back on Nov 3 when the Republicans have easily won the house and are within spitting distance (in 2012) of takin back the senate and and the whitehouse to repeal Obamacare.

that is the same type of over confidence that Alan writes about that put the Dems into the position they are in now, Repubs need to think about that.

Charles you are exactly right. Look at what happened to MA with Kennedy's old seat.

And it’s even dumber to change mechanics in the middle of a repair.

Unless, of course, your mechanic has never worked on a car before.
And none of his coworkers have either.
And they hate your car.
And, in the end, they just want to be the ones that drive you around - on thier schedule and their terms.

LOL... perfect rebuke.

some of the mechanics also happen to be manufacturers of the parts they think need replacing...

And, they spend two years worrying about other things and dont so much as look at your car while you desperately need it fixed ASAP.

Yes, Devin, you are 100% correct: Republicans have, ever since the days of U.S. Grant, represented the greedy barons of our society and not the people; we do not want them in office -- ever. However, I have been voting for nearly 60 years, and it seems that every election it has been "We've got to vote for ________ so we can keep _______ from getting in (or so we can boot ________ out of office)." I don't believe I have EVER been given a real choice in an election. When I HAVE been given a choice in primary elections, invariably the good guy loses because he's an outsider who "can't get elected." I see no way of getting out of this situation without going to proportional voting.

"I see no way of getting out of this situation without going to proportional voting." [emph. added]

But, but - what about the Two Party System?!

By the way, Devin, I'm pretty sure that Kentucky will be one state that's a slam dunk for the Repugnacans. This is the state where voters were dumb enough to put Jim Bunning and Mitch McConnell into office. To them, Paul looks like the greatest brain since Alben Barkley. Their unfortunate form of beauty is only skin deep, but their dumbness goes clear to the bone.

One state? Hell even taxachusetts booted Dems recently. That's akin to Saudi Arabia asking for an American ambassador of Jewish faith.

Love the one photo. It just screams "I'm constipated." lmao

It sort of comes down to how dumb and ignorant the public really is. The Republicans are the party of the dumb and ignorant, or rather; the party that takes advantage of the dumb and ignorant with simplistic slogans, symbols, and propaganda. In the last decade they did it over and over again with their little American flag lapel pins, their claim to be the party of God, and manipulation by using fear; especially with exploitation of 9/11. They got midwest farmers to vote for Republicans and in reward those Republicans sold out the farmers by legislating them out of business in favor of Big-Agri. They got many old and poor people to vote them in so they could deny the sick lower cost imported pharmaceuticals; in favor of Big-Pharma. Near the end of the last Bush term they voted unanimously to support the Iraq war in which we had spent over $200,000 per minute for more than six years; in favor of the military industrial complex. During their last period in power, with a R Congress and R President, they sent spending bill after spending bill to that president, and for more than five years running, that R president signed every single one of them, as we doubled our national debt while selling out the country in the form of bonds, to support that debt, to countries such as China.

...And some American people still think the Republicans are on their side? Like I said: The party of the dumb and ignorant.

... having said that, I'll also say that Democrats are about 80% of all the grotesque character the Republicans display. But when it comes down to it 80% of something severely damaging is a lot better than 100%.

I think your republican comments are perfect. I also think you have to have a fundamental proneness to an anxiety disorder and paranoia to be one.

I see the parties as hired help: if they do what they advertise for the effect they advertise, they're worth hiring (given I want that effect). If they do the exact opposite of what their brand asserts, they aren't.

Republicans do absolutely nothing that represents the promised effect they market: Taxes don't go down, because the debt goes up and because anything extra that you have to pay is a tax whether you call it that or not--and paying extra for less healthcare is a big one. Government doesn't get smaller, it gets (a) a lot larger and (b) reallocated to defense at the expense of other investments that more serve our global interests. They don't "rein in spending" but take write downs on the backs of taxpayers by sweeping redistributions and give-aways of unneeded profits to the most profitable industries in free market history--big pharma and oil.

You're dead right, Robert and talking plain about it at every level is overdue.

"Republicans are the party of the dumb and ignorant, or rather; the party that takes advantage of the dumb and ignorant with simplistic slogans, symbols, and propaganda."

Really? Hope? Change You Can Believe In? Obama logos and branding, the likes we've never seen? The numerous videos of kids singing about Obama.

You can't be serious? Oh, that's right, you're a lib... of course your serious. Seriously disillusioned. Enjoy November... just a few more weeks to your demise.

Democrats have made the Republican's poor driving skills look good. There's only a handful of decent candidates this year, I will be happy if they get elected, but whoever holds the majority in the house or Senate won't make much difference.

If Democrats hold their majority, they will be in worse shape in 2012.

You may be right Alan. Look at what overconfidence did to your party the last couple of years.

Political parties though pay attention to polls ONLY when they support them. Remember the ObamaCare debate? Dems spouted polls daily until the numbers went south and then they said they don't mean anything anymore because THEY knew the country supported their efforts. Dems ignored polls showing how badly the President and his party stood in the country except to make excuses. Now some polls are showing what they like and they tout them.

Given political reality in this country, once Repubs start ignoring polls will be the confirmation what you say is correct. So far they are still crowing.

A Pew Poll shows that Independent voters largely support Republicans this year. I am not sure if they remember the 92 election when Clinton alienated the electorate after trying to gay up the military and force through gun control, yet the results of the huge Republican takeover of congress put some discipline on the Clinton administration and the federal budget moved toward being balanced.

President Obama's administration has many of the same challenges as the Clinton administration did in 1992. The remedy is likely to be the same.

http://pewresearch.org/pubs/1739/independent-voters-typology-2010-midterms-favor-republicans-conservative

That point of similarity is being debated already Gary. It will be interesting to see how the President adjusts if the Repubs take over one or both Houses of Congress.

It will be interesting to see Obama become the 'party of no' when Republicans are sending their bills to the White House. He really can't do that if he wants a snowballs chance in hell to get a second term. He probably doesn't even care -- he had his moment and will go down in the history books and enjoy all the benefits of being a former POTUS at a very young age.

If he becomes a veto tosser then we get a form of gridlock, that's not a bad place to be if we keep getting gutless politicians unwilling to face the deficit problem.

I just love reading the comments from you libs, you guys can look at yourself in the mirror as the reason the dems are going to get cleaned out this November.

Just think in the short span of 2 years a huge majority of american voters have completely rejected your hidden agenda...the one that Obama couldn't let on what he was all about.....he sold him on that he was middle of the road... a moderate.....lol...yes the joke was on us.

You may as well as dispel any thoughts you have on turning this around before November, if anything it is getting worse for the Dems....there are some predictions of 60-70 seat change in the house and of the repubs taking the senate......so hows that hopey changy thing working for you now....lol

So true. I am no longer surprised at what the disillusioned libs on Gather have to say about politics.

I am very critical of the Democrats, but they are the best bet right now, there is no doubt about it. We are seeing in California - I hope - the two billionaire bitches trying to buy office self-destructing .. which still leaves us with the old style status quo Democrats.

Obama made a lot of mistakes. One of the best and softest critiques I have seen and dead on about the mistakes he made and what he could have done better is from Conservative PBS commentator David Brooks when he was interviewd on Charlie Rose a little over a week ago. The important part of the interview is at about 11 minutes 45 seconds Brooks is one of just a handful of Conservatives that I can respect and has credibility.

Of course hindsight is 20/20, but Brooks said that the urgent problem has been energy and jobs all along, and Obama made a mistake sidetracking with health care ... especially since what he accomplished, which was good, but not great and not well understood, and has been turned against him.

With a success on the job or energy front he would have had some capital to ram health care down the Republican's throats. Obama does not have the poliitical savvy in other words, despite being a very nice, bright guy with his heart apparently in the right place.

Also ... he is aloof. Obama never slaps people on the back, he never hugs or kisses and he just rarely shows any emotion. He is not hooking Americans into his vision.

I hope Americans are just having a tantrum and are not going to put Republicans back into office. What kind of idiotic thing would that be to do now?

Bruce..You don't get to decide who our conservative speakers are in the media.....I can tell you this...there isn't a well respected conservative on PBS and they wouldn't be caught dead hosting a Charlie Rose show.

I also disagree with your statement that the health care bill is not well understood. Obama's problem is that the american people have picked it apart and are not liking what they see. Obama's lack of any real world experience is starting to turn americans against him as well against all his pointy headed book smart but work dumb experts.

Lea, how can you keep saying that capitalism only benefits bankers/banks and not the people? Only nations with capitalism in some degree have prospered, look around you. The Western world still has a lifestyle the likes of which much of the world can only envy.

Nation of slaves to enrich the few? The rich don't take almost 35% of my income, that's the government.

R.F,

and how many Europeans and Canadians come to the US for much of their medical needs?

Both Europe and Canada with such universal care as some want here are having to make changes to that system. Europe especially seems to be having major budget problems because of that

The USA is the worlds wealthiest country primarily because of capitalism, if we followed Lea's idea in a short number of years we would cascade into utter ruin.

Maybe you can give us your example of any socialist ran country has risen to the level of what we have here in the US.....just 1?

All this so called profits that would then be put into the better good, is a total dream. The money would be wasted, stolen, miss-used and flat out diasppear and you still wouldn't have any for the school, hospitals or the needy.

Devin, you sure have a knack for coming up with funny titles. Literally LMAO.

Three words: REPEAL THE BILL.

You know what I'm talking about too... that's how bad it is.

We're gonna spread happiness, we're gonna spread freedom..... Yeah, right. Poor kid's future is already screwed before she even finishes high school.

You're using a poll as a source? BAAAAAHAHAHAAAAAA! I can word a poll so that you agree with BOTH sides of any issue I question you about. Polls are only for manipulating suckers!