Now We're in Trouble!
- Thread starter Keith1
- Start date
Pete McCluskey.
Lifetime Supporter
Well it's Obama's fault......or climate change .....or a Prius driver.
Well, mid-term elections are over and it appears that the Republicans have taken control of the Senate and increased their majority in he House.
Although it is a disappointment to me, I am a big believer in "majority rule" and it appears that the majority has spoken.
I have high hopes that this does not increase the gridlock...with the Republicans controlling both houses of congress and a Democrat in the White House, it could. We shall see if B.O. is serious about his previously stated intentions to work with both parties...for our country's sake, I hope so.
Your thoughts??
Cheers!
Doug
Although it is a disappointment to me, I am a big believer in "majority rule" and it appears that the majority has spoken.
I have high hopes that this does not increase the gridlock...with the Republicans controlling both houses of congress and a Democrat in the White House, it could. We shall see if B.O. is serious about his previously stated intentions to work with both parties...for our country's sake, I hope so.
Your thoughts??
Cheers!
Doug
No worries, Keith! I had not taken time to read your thread or I would have posted here.
Thanks for the courtesy of giving me notice!
Cheers!
Doug
I can't imagine they could impeach him...but they can try. if they do, I think it will push B.O. to the point that he becomes more resistant rather than more cooperative. A move to impeach could easily be counterproductive to the Republican agenda.
...but, then, when have they ever cared about productivity?? Boehner and his partners in crime are responsible for the current non-productive status of our government....IMHO, of course!!
Doug
PeteB
GT40s Supporter
You really need to get out more :lipsrsealed:
PeteB
GT40s Supporter
Right, because the GOP is totally responsible for Mr Reid's refusal to bring anything the house has passed to an actual vote.
Now that the bills passed in the house (and there's been many) can actually get voted on, there's going to be a lot productivity in congress. B.O. will get to be the "President of No" if he tries to veto everything. Maybe we'll finally get a budget :shocked:
Why impeach him, he's a lame duck, now he'll actually have a reason for getting nothing done. Golf, golf, and more golf, and vacations! Move over Jimmy C., this place is mine.
You guys act as if this is something limited to the current SOTH...Mr. Reid can't hold a candle to the dilatory antics of Tom Delay when he was SOTH.
Oh...wait, Reid's not the SOTH, he's in the Senate...but that's not important for the purposes of this discussion...both parties are/have been as guilty as the other...well, maybe the Dem's have not been as guilty as the Repubs, but you get the idea.
Standard Operational Procedure...isn't the military term "SOP"?
Nothing new....
But, I do agree...it will be interesting to see if Obama has the guts to stick to his guns in the face of such adversity. There are many who would label him the "President of NO"...but there are many who have already labeled the Republicans the "Party of NO"...so, again, nothing new.
I fear that the same gridlock will occur...I can't recall, which legislative body is responsible for deciding whether or not to over-ride a presidential veto? I heard on the news the other day that B.O. has used the Presidential Veto powers only twice...and that in 6 years in office, doesn't sound like much to me...but it'll be interesting to find out if he's going to start. I, for one, hope he has the guts to stick to his agenda (which was overwhelmingly approved at the last election for POTUS) and make the Republicans see if they can gather the necessary votes (is it 60%...again, I can't recall) to over-ride his vetoes.
To quite Laurel and Hardy..."Well...this is a fine mess you've gotten us into this time!". What were the voters thinking? (that was a rhetorical question, guys).
Cheers...let the fun begin!
Doug
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Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
I voted for a Republican governor in Maryland for the first time ever. I didn't think he would win, and I was surprised when he did.
It seems to me that the results of last night's election are essentially referenda on two things: first, a clear statement of the unpopularity of the President. Second, an indication that the GOP was successful in getting candidates nominated who were not as extreme as those that they ran in 2010 and 2012. There were a number of loose cannons (McDaniel comes to mind) that they cleared off the deck. Most of the Republicans that won were moderate by their party's standards. I am not speaking of Ernst and Tillis, but folks like Hogan, who won in MD.
The Republicans were helped a lot by the fact that Democrats who would have won reelection races chose not to run- Tom Harken, for example, would have won. They were fortunate in matters of geography and timing. But they also deserve credit for realizing that running candidates who did not appear as extreme was a winning strategy, and capitalizing on that idea.
For me, the decision to not vote for a Democratic candidate for governor came down to two things- the first was the terrible performance on Brown's watch with the Maryland rollout of the ACA. You may argue that the ACA is bullshit etc etc, but that is beside the point. The point to me is that he was given a job to do and he fucked it up. I fail to see why he should have been rewarded with the highest office in this state after such a monumental failure.
The second is that a study was published that showed that the two states that people most want to leave- in other words, move out of- are Illinois and Maryland. I have lived in both of those states for decades at different times in my life. Maryland has a great deal to offer- it is scenic, it has varied geography, a number of interesting cities, a nice climate, excellent universities and medical care. As a matter of fact, there is so much going for this state that it is hard to believe so many people want to leave it.
The reason that they do is that taxes are so high here. Evidently Maryland is to say the least not a business friendly state.
Well, if the current and former administrations have achieved that sort of dubious distinction, it is time for a change. And we have one. We will see what kind of joy we have of our bargain over the next four years.
It seems to me that the results of last night's election are essentially referenda on two things: first, a clear statement of the unpopularity of the President. Second, an indication that the GOP was successful in getting candidates nominated who were not as extreme as those that they ran in 2010 and 2012. There were a number of loose cannons (McDaniel comes to mind) that they cleared off the deck. Most of the Republicans that won were moderate by their party's standards. I am not speaking of Ernst and Tillis, but folks like Hogan, who won in MD.
The Republicans were helped a lot by the fact that Democrats who would have won reelection races chose not to run- Tom Harken, for example, would have won. They were fortunate in matters of geography and timing. But they also deserve credit for realizing that running candidates who did not appear as extreme was a winning strategy, and capitalizing on that idea.
For me, the decision to not vote for a Democratic candidate for governor came down to two things- the first was the terrible performance on Brown's watch with the Maryland rollout of the ACA. You may argue that the ACA is bullshit etc etc, but that is beside the point. The point to me is that he was given a job to do and he fucked it up. I fail to see why he should have been rewarded with the highest office in this state after such a monumental failure.
The second is that a study was published that showed that the two states that people most want to leave- in other words, move out of- are Illinois and Maryland. I have lived in both of those states for decades at different times in my life. Maryland has a great deal to offer- it is scenic, it has varied geography, a number of interesting cities, a nice climate, excellent universities and medical care. As a matter of fact, there is so much going for this state that it is hard to believe so many people want to leave it.
The reason that they do is that taxes are so high here. Evidently Maryland is to say the least not a business friendly state.
Well, if the current and former administrations have achieved that sort of dubious distinction, it is time for a change. And we have one. We will see what kind of joy we have of our bargain over the next four years.
Jim Rosenthal
Supporter
I want to add that both parties have blamed the other for the lack of any progress on just about anything in Washington. Well, the GOP now have a clear majority in the legislature. Paradoxically enough, such a situation- the legislative branch belonging to one party and the WH to another- has resulted in the past in a level of function that was surprisingly high. It may be that having proved their points, the GOP will get to work and actually allow some bills to pass. Or it may be that they will continue to bring things to the President's desk that he will veto. The gridlock may continue, or it may not. We'll see.
Pat
Supporter
Doug, given last night's results, I don't think Mr. Obama enjoys whatever the "overwhelming approval" may be that you suggest. In fact his approval was so low, his own party's candidates actively distancing themselves from him. The senate candidate in Kentucky, an Obama electoral delegate, refused to publicly say whether she even voted for him.
He hasn't needed to veto much of anything as Mr. Reid insured that things his party found unpleasant never reached the senate floor, much less an opportunity for veto. I suspect that will change. Several Democrat candidates have put their recent demise at the feet of Mr. Reid's leadership.
As for impeachment, that simply is rhetorical nonsense. It will never happen and Mr. Obama has gold plated insurance against it as his alternative would be Joe Biden.
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Terry Oxandale
Skinny Man
Interesting as I was listening to Mitch McConnell this afternoon, passionately describe how the "Senate is broken" and must be fixed (he never once placed any blame on some of the irresponsible legislation out of the House). I interpret that to mean that the Senate will now get "fixed" and try to rubber stamp anything that the House sends its way.
Perhaps the gridlock may finally end. I'll be curious to see if big-government now gets even more intrusive in my life with all the new anti-big-government members.
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Pat
Supporter
How do you come to that conclusion? Was every one of the 420 house bills Mr. Reid refused to allow reach the senate floor "irresponsible"?
I sincerely doubt that they were all "irresponsible", Pat...
...any more than I doubt that all those bills the Republicans in the House refused to pass through when all the votes were solidly along party lines were "irresponsible", either.
Here's hoping that we all realize both parties have been to blame. IMHO the Repubs may have bitten off more than they can chew. I get the impression (from having heard some of the hard-liners here in TX say so) that the Repubs believe this election is a mandate to get things moving in our government again...if they cannot do that, what does that say about the Republicans as a party? Does it say the same thing that has been said about Obama and the Democrats?
What goes for one, goes for the other if things don't change.
I"m just curious...Jim posted a fantastic analysis, IMHO, in which he really nailed the issue of extremism as it relates to the Republicans...were ANY of the Republicans who were elected considered to be TEA Party members?
I am hoping things work out for the Republicans...if they do, perhaps that means things will work out for our country. We really need some good news about our leadership, and I don't mean just the POTUS. I, for one, will hold the Republicans' feet to the fire regarding their promises to get things fixed...I just hope the rest of the country does the same.
Cheers!
Doug
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