Will 2010 Be Another 1994?

[blastoff]

Even Dims have to know it's going to be bad, just a question of to what degree they get scorched.

Team Barry in consort with many congressional Dims has pissed folks off across the board. Many independents and crossover Republicans now know they bought a bunch of hot air in '08, as do some Dims as well.

The backlash will be there. All that's yet to be determined is whether they get hit by high waves or a full blown tsunami.

 

[Truthmatters]

Why would Americans hand the control back to the idiots who crashed the economy?

 

[Meister]

First of all as a Republican let me say that it would be nice to see a repeat of 1994 this year, but with Steele's leadership I somehow find that doubtful. What I do think you will see is the super-majority in both houses disappear and the House and Sentate over the next two years become basically stalemated. Further, it does not appear that Harry Reid is doing so well in Nv. at the moment and in that race especially it depends a lot on who the Republicans run against him. As for MA. even though it would a good change and I mean REAL change for that state to have a Senator that does not reflect the same old thing that has been in place for over 40 years, that is a large uphill climb and much depends on turnout. If the Democrats have an even close to medium turnout then I suspect that the seat will remian in Democrat hands. I have seen several posts now that are using the words, 1994 as the year the Republicans started to mess things up, would someone kindly tell me if this is the new talking point and if so, did the previous 2 years fall of the map and perhaps the 40 years prior to that? So then by that logic then can I credit the Republican party for being responsible for the economic boom for most of the Clinton years? All of those are kids of arguments do nothing and solve nothing other than to dismiss the obvious and that is, that both parties have a hand in the current disaster we are now faced with and no one hold the moral high ground on this issue. Now, as for 2010 compared to 1994, in 1994 the Republican party unified around a very focused message and focused person to take that message into the mid-terms thus resulting in sweeping changes. In 2010 while there is a great feeling for the need to sweep those in power out of office, there is so far as I can tell a lack of a unified message. Yes, I do believe there will be many swept from power, but it remains to be seen as of yet, just how many. A good place to start to see the difference is just to read about it would be here.

Republican Contract with America

Yep, what he said. It will be gridlock after the elections

 

[Meister]

Why would Americans hand the control back to the idiots who crashed the economy?

I know your going to find this hard to believe, but most Americans aren't as impressed with barry and his merry men as you are, truth.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Baruch,

Unemployment has almost doubled and the national deficit almost quadrupled on Obama's watch - in just one year.

Be specific with evidence.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Yes, the GOP needs a "coherent plan, message and strategy" Right now all it consists of Rush et al yelling "no" and wingnut anger. The rest of the country still dislikes the GOP more than it does the Dems. And Obama is still personally popular. Compare his ratings to the GOP and in most of them he will come off looking fine.

 

[Meister]

Yes, the GOP needs a "coherent plan, message and strategy" Right now all it consists of Rush et al yelling "no" and wingnut anger. The rest of the country still dislikes the GOP more than it does the Dems. And Obama is still personally popular. Compare his ratings to the GOP and in most of them he will come off looking fine.

Yes, obama is still popular....but he isn't running.
His policies aren't fairing as well as he is, and the democrats that are up for re election are very vulnerable to defeat.

 

[Conspiracist]

Gingrich had a coherent plan, message and strategy. Thus far, all there is is anger on the Right, and the Republicans don't seem to know how to capture and exploit it, at least not to the point of repeating 1994.

I think they know how, but their christian lobbyists keep it from happening

 

[Conspiracist]

Why would Americans hand the control back to the idiots who crashed the economy?

Both sides crashed the economy.

 

[Zander]

If Scott Brown wins the Senate seat in Massachusetts, the bluest of blue states, the Dems are in for a BLOOD BATH come November.


BTW - I just contributed to his campaign. https://www.icontribute.us/scottbrown/initiative/moneybomb

 

[Zander]

Yes, the GOP needs a "coherent plan, message and strategy" Right now all it consists of Rush et al yelling "no" and wingnut anger. The rest of the country still dislikes the GOP more than it does the Dems. And Obama is still personally popular. Compare his ratings to the GOP and in most of them he will come off looking fine.

Sorry Jake, Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, is not running. Democrat losses in Virginia and New Jersey have proven that he has no coattails.

 

[MaggieMae]

Do you remember election day 1994? Though I lived on Long Island (as I do now), I was in Oklahoma at the time to attend my grandmother’s funeral. It was almost as surreal as that Orson Wells hoax when there were alleged UFO sightings everywhere. When I turned on the radio, it was as if another Democrat had gone up in smoke and some rookie Republican was taking his place. Ted Kennedy won, but only after the political fight of his life to that point. The People had become sick and disillusioned by the Donkey Party and, as evidenced by the election results, were ready for something different. The GOP tsunami had rolled in and they had a glorious opportunity to hold and build power for a long time.

Of course, we know the rest of the story. Not unlike a playoff baseball game where the visiting team is leading five to one in the bottom of the ninth with nobody on base, the relief pitcher gets sloppy and throws a fastball down the middle of the plate, only to see it launched into the upper deck behind left field. Then, because the enemy has finally seen a weakness, this pitcher gives up three singles in a row. Now the manger has no choice but to pull him and bring in the relief pitcher he had hoped to save for the next night. This is so he can face the home team’s big gun who is now at the plate. It is already five to two and the bases are loaded. Lo and behold, the big gun does the expected and hits a four hundred and fifty foot grand slam homerun into the parking lot, cracking a couple of windshields in the process. However, the crowd is oblivious to the damaged cars and are screaming their guts out as their players round the bases and are met by their jubilant teammates while, at the same time, the players, who just a few minutes earlier seemed to have the game in the bag, walk off the field with their heads down in total shock.

The same thing happened within a short couple of years to the GOP. They had their boots firmly planted on the back of the Democrats necks and were seemingly cruising down the tracks in a power they had not experienced in decades. The only ones who could mess it up were themselves. And that is what they did.

Did they learn from their mistakes? That remains to be seen.

In 2010, we have an election year where, again, there are a lot of Democratic constituents who are displeased with their representatives. Their voices have been ignored regarding such important topics as gay rights, abortion, and health care. For gay rights and abortion, this is more serious since these are subjects where these supporters were made promises during the 2008 campaign but have been dissed to this point. Regarding health care, many Democrats – particularly senior citizens – loudly and clearly voiced their disapproval of a government-run program yet nary a compromise was struck by their votees.

Some people will undoubtedly vote for their party member regardless of how lame of a job that person has done on their behalf. But you can be assured that many place credence on actual issues as opposed to personalities. In this age of financial crisis, a mentality of “what have you done for me lately” is growing by leaps and bounds. What I plan to do personally (it’s called ‘putting my money where my mouth is’) is to start in my own neighborhood and inform as many people face to face as are willing to listen how their Congressperson or Senator has voted on key issues that directly affect them. For those whose minds are already made up, I likely won’t get in the door in the first place. But for those who are either on the fence, who don’t generally follow politics closely, or who aren’t aware of many of the issues, raised eyebrows are inevitable. And why wouldn’t they be? Politics are very important because they touch everyone’s lives in some capacity, whether that person gives a hoot or not.

It rarely ceases to amaze me how there are so many who can quote a one hundred year old baseball statistic or who knows every word of Oprah’s book but can not tell me who their Congressperson is. This is something that needs to change. And when it does, real change will follow.

Happy 2010

It will be interesting to see what kind of platform the Republicans will use to regain seats, and maybe even take control of the Senate, other than using negative ads. So far, I haven't seen anything even remotely resembling The Contract for America, nor anyone with as much sway as Newt Gingrich. So, as you suggest, if the Republicans do win seats it will be because people are just angry and will vote for, er, "change." Imagine that.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Yes, the GOP needs a "coherent plan, message and strategy" Right now all it consists of Rush et al yelling "no" and wingnut anger. The rest of the country still dislikes the GOP more than it does the Dems. And Obama is still personally popular. Compare his ratings to the GOP and in most of them he will come off looking fine.

Sorry Jake, Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, is not running. Democrat losses in Virginia and New Jersey have proven that he has no coattails.

Thank heavens for those victories against lightly regarded and poorly-run Democratic campaigns, without any wingnut intervention (remember that Palin et al cost us the NY 23rd District). We won in NY and Va because we did not have the wingnut involved.

If we want to win across the country in 2010, lose the wingnuts and come up with a coherent plan. If we don't, the Dems will annihilate us where they are well organized.

 

[JakeStarkey]

Do you remember election day 1994? Though I lived on Long Island (as I do now), I was in Oklahoma at the time to attend my grandmother’s funeral. It was almost as surreal as that Orson Wells hoax when there were alleged UFO sightings everywhere. When I turned on the radio, it was as if another Democrat had gone up in smoke and some rookie Republican was taking his place. Ted Kennedy won, but only after the political fight of his life to that point. The People had become sick and disillusioned by the Donkey Party and, as evidenced by the election results, were ready for something different. The GOP tsunami had rolled in and they had a glorious opportunity to hold and build power for a long time.

Of course, we know the rest of the story. Not unlike a playoff baseball game where the visiting team is leading five to one in the bottom of the ninth with nobody on base, the relief pitcher gets sloppy and throws a fastball down the middle of the plate, only to see it launched into the upper deck behind left field. Then, because the enemy has finally seen a weakness, this pitcher gives up three singles in a row. Now the manger has no choice but to pull him and bring in the relief pitcher he had hoped to save for the next night. This is so he can face the home team’s big gun who is now at the plate. It is already five to two and the bases are loaded. Lo and behold, the big gun does the expected and hits a four hundred and fifty foot grand slam homerun into the parking lot, cracking a couple of windshields in the process. However, the crowd is oblivious to the damaged cars and are screaming their guts out as their players round the bases and are met by their jubilant teammates while, at the same time, the players, who just a few minutes earlier seemed to have the game in the bag, walk off the field with their heads down in total shock.

The same thing happened within a short couple of years to the GOP. They had their boots firmly planted on the back of the Democrats necks and were seemingly cruising down the tracks in a power they had not experienced in decades. The only ones who could mess it up were themselves. And that is what they did.

Did they learn from their mistakes? That remains to be seen.

In 2010, we have an election year where, again, there are a lot of Democratic constituents who are displeased with their representatives. Their voices have been ignored regarding such important topics as gay rights, abortion, and health care. For gay rights and abortion, this is more serious since these are subjects where these supporters were made promises during the 2008 campaign but have been dissed to this point. Regarding health care, many Democrats – particularly senior citizens – loudly and clearly voiced their disapproval of a government-run program yet nary a compromise was struck by their votees.

Some people will undoubtedly vote for their party member regardless of how lame of a job that person has done on their behalf. But you can be assured that many place credence on actual issues as opposed to personalities. In this age of financial crisis, a mentality of “what have you done for me lately” is growing by leaps and bounds. What I plan to do personally (it’s called ‘putting my money where my mouth is’) is to start in my own neighborhood and inform as many people face to face as are willing to listen how their Congressperson or Senator has voted on key issues that directly affect them. For those whose minds are already made up, I likely won’t get in the door in the first place. But for those who are either on the fence, who don’t generally follow politics closely, or who aren’t aware of many of the issues, raised eyebrows are inevitable. And why wouldn’t they be? Politics are very important because they touch everyone’s lives in some capacity, whether that person gives a hoot or not.

It rarely ceases to amaze me how there are so many who can quote a one hundred year old baseball statistic or who knows every word of Oprah’s book but can not tell me who their Congressperson is. This is something that needs to change. And when it does, real change will follow.

Happy 2010

It will be interesting to see what kind of platform the Republicans will use to regain seats, and maybe even take control of the Senate, other than using negative ads. So far, I haven't seen anything even remotely resembling The Contract for America, nor anyone with as much sway as Newt Gingrich. So, as you suggest, if the Republicans do win seats it will be because people are just angry and will vote for, er, "change." Imagine that.

That is the point.

The people are still mad at the GOP. If we try to run without a coherent plan and still act as if we were right from 2001 to 2006, I really do think we will be trounced.

 

[MaggieMae]

-I'm betting Harry Reid will not be Senate Majority Leader in 2011.
-I'm betting the Missouri seat up for grabs that used to be republican will be taken by Carnahan the Democrat.
-I'm betting the Blanche Lincoln looses her seat to a republican.
-I'm betting that Dorgan's seat will go republican.
-I'm betting Dodd's seat will remain Democratic.
-I'm betting the seat in Ohio goes Democratic (hopefully Tim Ryan).

Harry Reid probably won't even win reelection. I'm betting the Senate Leader (assuming the Dems stay in control) will be between Chuck Schumer and Dick Durbin, and my money would be on Schumer.

As for Speaker Pelosi, she's not as popular as she was when elected to the position in 06, and other than the runnerups like Hoyer, I don't see anyone gearing up to replace her. Unfortunately.

I'm also betting that Rahm Emanuel is updating his resume, but his demise as Chief of Staff might not come until 2012. Rumor has it that he might run for Mayor of Chicago but those kinds of rumors are often intended to soften the blow.

I also see cabinet changes, the first of which will be Tim Geitner and I'd absolutely LOVE to see Elizabeth Warren replace him.

 

[MaggieMae]

First off gentlemen strictly speaking it isn't Republican anger. Not out here between the mountains anyway. Out here it is everybody anger. I've met more (D) here in Ok ready to vote (R) for the first time in their lives than I've ever seen before.

2nd it took a lot longer than two years for the Reps to screw up. It took about six for the big government republicans - the one's Newt Used to call the tax collector's for the Great Society - to regain control of the Republican party Under G W Bush and even then it took some real doing to finally piss the populous off enough to get them thrown out on there ear which frankly they deserved. Not because a couple of them got caught trying to get it on with the wrong sex but because we didn't elect them so we could have Democrat lite we elected them to mind the store and keep their hands out of the till and then they started to act like Democrats. More new social programs more new entitlements etc etc etc. And of course while out of power the Dems pretended to be something they'd never been since before the Great Depression - fiscally conservative and enough people now having only a public school education bought that lie and gave the power back to them and we are of course looking at even more new social programs than we got from Bush more new entitlements more new taxes more new spending and even more debt.

And all tose people that bought the lie about Democrats being fiscally responsible and voted for them are feeling like they've been had and they don't like it one damn bit. Can the REpublicans pick up a lot of seats? Hell yes but that's going to depend on what sort of candidates they run against the Dems. If we run more big government REps we'll get hammered and we will deserve it.

My dilemma with the spate of spending by the OA remains that the TARP loans and the stimulus bill were necessary to jump start the economy, and that no one ever promised smooth sailing in just a few months, or even a couple of years. The reality is, and it was stated over and over again, that it's going to be a long slog. Frankly, we'll never know what the economy would look like today if not for the infusion of government spending to upright the sinking boat.

The health care bill isn't some kind of frivolous additional "social" program; it is also tied into the overall economic health. But I doubt it can be accomplished without increasing the deficit, which also worries me. Cap & trade provisions are DOA, so I don't lose sleep over that. Unemployment in the manufacturing arena are from jobs that will never return, and therefore private investors need to get more rev'd up over creating those green jobs to replace them, so some sort of new energy bill IS required so that those investors feel more comfortable with the process.

 

[Zander]

Yes, the GOP needs a "coherent plan, message and strategy" Right now all it consists of Rush et al yelling "no" and wingnut anger. The rest of the country still dislikes the GOP more than it does the Dems. And Obama is still personally popular. Compare his ratings to the GOP and in most of them he will come off looking fine.

Sorry Jake, Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, is not running. Democrat losses in Virginia and New Jersey have proven that he has no coattails.

Thank heavens for those victories against lightly regarded and poorly-run Democratic campaigns, without any wingnut intervention (remember that Palin et al cost us the NY 23rd District). We won in NY and Va because we did not have the wingnut involved.

If we want to win across the country in 2010, lose the wingnuts and come up with a coherent plan. If we don't, the Dems will annihilate us where they are well organized.

The New Jersey Governors race was lightly regarded? The why did Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, personally campaign in New Jersey making 5 appearances and 3 separate visits? Why did he send his entire campaign team to work for Corzine?? You must live in an alternate reality.....

 

[JakeStarkey]

I don't know if you are racist or ironic with your language. I find it as distasteful here as I do about Harry Reid saying it. We don't need that crap in the party. You answered your own question: the answer is Corzine, and, yes, the campaign was poorly run.

How lucky do you think we will get with well organized, popular opponents who aren't the least afraid of the wingnuts, rather they welcome them because the Dems they can make them look like idiots to the electorate and tie that to our party.

 

[MaggieMae]

The anger is indeed there - fueled by widespread uncertainty as to what exaclty is coming.

If Brown wins the Mass. Senate race - watch out folks, the momentum is going to shift into ultra high gear - and 2010 could actually eclipse 1994.

While not yet likely - it remains possible...

While I would like to see Brown win--let's face it. Can we really give the citizens of Mass. that much credit for having any brains? I don't trust them. After all, over the past decades they could never get away from electing senators with last names starting with a K--& of course very liberal democrats at best. Kennedy & Kerry--that's what we get from Mass. I don't expect any different this time around.

As far as November 2010--no other state is like Mass--whom elect senators--(kind of the like the U.S. Supremes) & are cemented into those seats for life--no matter what they vote for--

Yes--in 1994 democrats lost 54 seats in the house. This while a popular President--Bill Clinton was President--& the economy was in good shape. Democrats in 2010 do not have a snow-balls chance in hell of surviving the overwhelming anger--coming from everywhere--that continues to build in this country.

Except that the economy WASN'T in good shape in 1994. The economy began turning around because of full cooperation between Clinton and his Republican Congress after 1994. (No gridlock. What a concept.)

 

[Sinatra]

Sorry Jake, Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, is not running. Democrat losses in Virginia and New Jersey have proven that he has no coattails.

Thank heavens for those victories against lightly regarded and poorly-run Democratic campaigns, without any wingnut intervention (remember that Palin et al cost us the NY 23rd District). We won in NY and Va because we did not have the wingnut involved.

If we want to win across the country in 2010, lose the wingnuts and come up with a coherent plan. If we don't, the Dems will annihilate us where they are well organized.

The New Jersey Governors race was lightly regarded? The why did Mr Obama, the light skinned Negro who is clean and only speaks in a Negro dialect when he wants to and a few years ago would have been fetching coffee for powerful White Senators, personally campaign in New Jersey making 5 appearances and 3 separate visits? Why did he send his entire campaign team to work for Corzine?? You must live in an alternate reality.....

___

No kidding!!! "Lightly Regarded"

Ah, I guess Obama's victory then was simply a "lightly regarded" race???


Oh these liberals are so amusing as they attempt to wrap their heads around what is going all about them now.

They are a wee bit frightened these days...