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Wednesday, 8 Nov 2006
So, the democrats won the house and might've won the senate, and the righ-wing bloggers are depressed over their first 12 year loss. Hmmm…..
My question is, what loss are you talking about?
The country is not veering to the left, the candidates who won aren't that different at all from their republican counterparts, and the country is still solidly republican as far as I can tell. Hell, the only reason the democrats won was because the republicans voted for their candidates, and they did that for 2 reasons:
1) They felt the need to get their party focused: The republican majority had no discipline at all. They controlled both House and senate and yet they couldn't pass any of their initiatives or approve judicial candidates that the President gave them. They were marred with in-fighting, corruption charges and inability to do the things they promised their electroate to do because of those things. By getting them to lose, they are sending a message to their party: get back in line, unify, or else!
2) They felt the need to get the country back together: Let's be honest, another democratic loss would've torn this country apart, and the democrats couldn't win on their own. They don't have the ideas or the plans to back them up. Hell, they ran as the "non-republican candidates". And it's the unrefutaeable truth that republicans are better when they are faced with a strong challenge from the democrats, something that the democrats couldn't do on their own for 12 years. Plus, voting for the democratic party candidates that the party fielded this time was an iffy, yet tolerable, compromise, because they were all conservative democrats. This way the democrats are happy cause they finally won something, and the republicans are ok with it because they are not voting for Pelosi-like candidates. Everybody wins in a way. Well, except Bush of course!
I gotta say that I am slightly dissapointed though, I wanted to see Karl Rove do one last miracle. It's like when you are watching a really good live performance, and you know it's over, but you just want one last encore, you know? But oh well, he is human after all.
On the long run, this is good for republicans, because it paves the way for a republican president in 08. It gives the democrats 2 years to prove themselves, in which they won't, and the republicans 2 years to get their act together, in which they will. The majorly conservative american public will be happy and satisfied that their party atoned for its naughty behavior, and will reward it with the Presidency again in 08. Sure, this will mean that Bush will have a shitty last 2 years in office, but he is a lame duck president anyway at this point. The man deliverd 3 consecutive winning elections, which is more than anyone on the right could've asked from him.
Of course there are people who are thinking that this means that the US will get out of Iraq by next weekend. Let me assure you, it won't. Iraq is currently a muddy water, and the democrats don't dare to move in any way out of fear of sinking further. Hell, they are screwed anyway: If they stay, they are accsued of being just like the republicans, and they don't want that; if they leave, and Iraq descends into chaos, they will be blamed for its failure, and they really don't want that. They are screwed either way and things are going to saty the same, despite all of that "change in direction" crap the dems keep talking about.
Oh well, the 06 elections is over, may the 08 campaigning begin! Please dear god, make it a Condi vs. Hillary election, cause that would be awesome!
November 8th, 2006 at 10:12 am
Now that’s a seriously interesting prospect.
November 8th, 2006 at 10:19 am
I dread the coming of “comprehensive immigration reform.” Most of the Dems in Congress, Bush, and many Republicans in the Senate will get behind it. It will be a disaster for our country.
November 8th, 2006 at 10:57 am
I like your assessment of the situation, SM. And Condi v Hilary would be cool and very telling in its outcome about the politics of race in this country.
November 8th, 2006 at 11:57 am
That might be why you would have voted for a democratic warning to the Republicans, but what if this is an actual shift to the left idealogically?
November 8th, 2006 at 12:30 pm
SM, It is nice that you are so sure that history will not repeat itself but I would not be all that surprised if the House stops funding the war in Iraq. The House controls spending bills. Nor will I be surprised if the stupid voters elect Hillary after Iraq just as they elected Carter after Vietnam. The American economy doesn’t turn on a dime. When the new Congress hikes the taxes, the effects will not be felt until after the next election. Of course the Democrats might learn from and not repeat history and pigs might learn to fly.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:25 pm
OMG Nancy Pelousy as Leader of the House !!
This should result in some bizarre and comedic moments in DC.
I take solace in your take on the results SM, I think for the most part you’re probably correct. But I still can’t believe that the American public has such a soft, pliable noodlely backbone and is so easily brainwashed by the party of wafflers who have no plan for strategy except San Francisco street polls and whose only real asset is “bitching with the advantage of hindsight”. Oh well, if it wasn’t for moments of insanity like this and what it’s bound to bring, how would we know what real leadership and good decisions are?
Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito
Carpe diem,
Tedders
November 8th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
If it weren’t for the fact that the U.S. is currently involved in Iraq and Afghanistan, I would welcome the prospect of a Demo House and a Reeper Senate. I’ve always been of the “a government that governs least governs best” school of thought, and having a split Congress means they will spend most of their time pissing in each others’ canteens and thus generally leave me the Hell alone.
I haven’t seen the actual numbers, but I am sure this will be touted as a “mandate from the people” (I remember Bill Clinton talking that way after one of the narrowest presidential elections in U.S. history back in 1992) by the Dems. I hope that will be hot air escaping from the less erudite members of the party and that some of the actual statesmen (and yes, I will admit the Dems do have some that qualify as statesmen) will ride herd on the yahoos.
But when you boil it all down to the bottom of the pot, ladies and gentlemen, we get the government we deserve in a democracy.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
Well, here’s the Raccoonish forecast, given the changed political map:
USA will leave Iraq soon. Millions will die. Within 5 years tops the Middle East will be one big radioactive wasteland. Within 10 years, so will be several major American cities. And when that happens, there will be whip-driven celebratory parades of dhimmi slaves all over the Eurabian Caliphate.
The ideology is irrelevant at this point - actions are.
Say goodbye to freedom, civilization, and prosperity. I hope you’re all ready to learn Newspeak, love Amsoc and report yourselves for thoughtcrimes.
Peace is war.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:43 pm
LOSERS! heheheeeeeeeeeeeee
November 8th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
I see that Twosret has been practicing. Cm’on, love, say it - unamsoc doubleplusungood.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
Pelosi will be calling Abu Ghraib for reservations for Dick, Bush and Rum soon
Can’t wait to see their ASSES grilled by Madam speaker.
November 8th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
The Raccoon,
The 18 Palestinians you killed this morning won’t depress you but the democrats will for sure. LOSERS!
November 8th, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Oh, and Amsoc have no choice but to leave Iraq. First of all, the popular support for these creeps is based on “BUSH LIED, PEOPLE DIED!” duckspeak. And second, the Amsoc proles have been whipped into a frothing-at-the-mouth frenzy about Iraq. The main reason Amsoc have defeated Unamsoc is because:
Peace is war.
Freedom is slavery.
Ignorance is strength.
Ergo, they MUST pull from Iraq, especially since things are muddy. Muddy is ungood. If things’ll remain muddy, Amsoc will be guilty of thoughtcrimes.
November 8th, 2006 at 2:11 pm
euh, at least we will be n° X as ennemies
Racoon, pessimist again ?
November 8th, 2006 at 2:26 pm
I understand that the Raccoon loves and enjoys bloodbaths like the ones that took place in Beit Hanoun this morning and he will support more killings of Iraqis to protect his terrorist state Israel interests but today is a new day for this country. A CHANGE WILL TAKE PLACE!
The American people has spoken and today is a good day for the DEMOCRATIC PARTY!
November 8th, 2006 at 3:00 pm
you seem to be forgetting that Bush presided over a debacle in Iraq, and btw the national deficit is at a record high in the US. Yeah, don’t worry, those were CONSERVATIVE democrats…ha
November 8th, 2006 at 3:09 pm
For a sandmonkey you’re pretty damn smart.
This should allow the Dems to really show their asses in a way that the media cannot hide, and give the GOP a chance to get their shize together. Repubs tend to clean house when it gets fouled, and we may see new blood in 2 years.
Meanwhile, pity the Iraqi’s, they will go to bed every night scared to death that we will pull out and they will see their families murdered by nutjobs.
November 8th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
One silver lining; maybe we will now find out what Presidental candidate John Kerry’s “secret plan for Iraq” was now that his party controls congress. Inquiring minds have been dying to know! Can you say “Vietnamization”?
November 8th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
I don’t think the republican voters were trying to get their party refocused. I think it was probably more a matter of dissatisfaction - with iraq progress, katrina, ‘corruption’, ‘ethics’, and so on. Faced with conservative democrat candidates as their alternatives, they voted ‘this guy couldn’t do much worse’.
While the democrat leadership is a bunch of lefties, the incoming democrat congressmen look pretty sane.
So I’m optimistic. I don’t think we’re leaving iraq anytime soon.
November 8th, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Condi vs Hillary would be great. We’d get our first black president and our first woman president all in one election.
November 8th, 2006 at 4:40 pm
Welcome to the new world order….
Now lets hurry up with those nukes , next stop: Israel
November 8th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
Apparently, feelings of joy are not only felt in this part of the world:
“End of a Six Year Nightmare”
Following the midterm slap in the face to the Bush Adminstration there has been little sympathy in Europe for the beleaguered White House. The day after the Republicans lost control of the House of Representatives, in much of Europe there is quiet satisfaction — and relief.
Europe has been increasingly skeptical of US foreign policy under President George W. Bush. While France and Germany led the opposition to the invasion of Iraq in 2003, even former allies in Spain and Italy have since been swept from power by parties opposing the war. And British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who led his country into the Iraq war despite widespread public opposition, is now all but a lame- duck leader, expected to stand down in May next year at the very latest.
Now the midterm elections in the United States have dealt a severe blow to the White House, it would seem the Europeans are relishing dealing with a weakened president. There is even a hint of schadenfreude on this side of the Atlantic — and some relief.
In Germany the former environment minister, Jürgen Tritten, now deputy head of the parliamentary Green Party, said “the Congressional elections will put a strong damper on the one-sided and dogmatic policies of George W. Bush.” He told Germany’s N24 news station, “This was the bill to the White House for their disaster in Iraq.”
In Britain, where any blow to Bush can be used to bash Prime Minister Tony Blair, John McDonnell a ruling Labour Party MP, said “The message of the American people is clear — there needs to be a major change of direction in Iraq. Just as in Britain, people in the US feel that they have been ill advised, misled and ignored.” McDonnell, a possible candidate for the Labour Party leadership when Blair steps down, said: “These election results have not only damaged Bush, they mean that Blair is now totally isolated in the international community.”
Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi said that he was convinced that the election defeat was a result of Bush’s Iraq policy. Speaking on Italian radio, he said that the president would now “have to negotiate with the opposition on all issues.” The Italian Defense Minister Arturo Parisi described the election defeat as “a political judgement which follows the administration’s political actions that we consider wrong.”In France Laurent Fabius, the former prime minister and possible Socialist Party candidate in the 2007 presidential elections, said: “A lot of Americans have realised that Mr. Bush has lied to them.” And Francois Fillon, a conservative politician close to Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy — the current frontrunner for the French presidency — said: “I am happy to see American foreign policy criticized by the American people because it is bad.”
In Denmark, one of America’s few remaining supporters in Europe, Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that he hoped the president and Congress would find a common line regarding Iraq and Afghanistan. “The world needs an active United States,” he said.
The ruling Socialist Party in Spain, which pulled troops out of Iraq after coming to power in the aftermath of the Madrid bombing in 2004, issued a statement saying it hoped the elections “would help to change the course of US foreign policy.”
The Socialist Group of parliamentarians in the European Parliament, the body’s second-largest group, hailed the results as “the beginning of the end of a six-year nightmare for the world.”
November 8th, 2006 at 5:28 pm
The French and the Islamist nutjobs are exuberant. That is a good sign.
November 8th, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Thank you SM for putting it in perspective. I didn’t sleep last night I was so embarrassed by my country men. Militant Islam is trying to destroy the USA (the whole world really) and half my country wants to submit immediately. I pray we don’t leave Iraq. Who knows though? We screwed the Vietnamese by abandoning them, we screwed the Iraqis once already. We are the world’s Super Pussy. Excellent. Great job. Twosret: It’s a shame when truly innocent people die. How bout they stop firing rockets into Israel? Gee, if that happened, maybe this would all end, but no, members of the death cult still hate the Jews more than they love their children. Haniyeh says, oh, the truce is over! What fucking truce? You never stopped trying to kill innocent Israelies. Are they firing their rockets into military basesa in Israel? No. THey are shelling residential neighborhoods. Payback is a bitch no?
November 8th, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Tommy, did you see some frenchs jumping with joy ?
the only thing meaning for us, it’s may be your government will start a more confident policy instead of that hate displayed on good or bad “subjects”, which we are not of course
November 8th, 2006 at 6:08 pm
From Yahoo! News:
One Frenchman, teacher Jean-Pierre Charpemtrat, 53, said it was about time U.S. voters figured out what much of the rest of the world already knew.
“Americans are realizing that you can’t found the politics of a country on patriotic passion and reflexes,” he said. “You can’t fool everybody all the time — and I think that’s what Bush and his administration are learning today.”
Hugo Chavez also chimes in…
Meanwhile, the French, who are dealing with an average 100+ cars being burned every night by Muslim youths and 16 police officers injured every day by those same youths, are really showing us how to do the job right in Lebanon.
November 8th, 2006 at 6:18 pm
I understand your upset, but it’s not a reason to throw bullshits about our suburbs which occured epiphenomily as you know, don’t notice what’s going on in your healthy suburbs
and Lebanon, is not our only matter, (Un and Bush policy too, I you followed your actualities)
that is right, it is not a holywood movie there, then what ? Lebanese at leat are safe to have fun in night clubs , OK amigo
November 8th, 2006 at 6:34 pm
Good news come in pair: Rumsfeld stepping down.
The neocon empire is crumbling down. Wawawiwa
November 8th, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Tommy
http://permanent.nouvelobs.com/etranger/20061108.OBS8641.html
Who is rejoycing ?
November 8th, 2006 at 6:46 pm
I understand your upset, but it’s not a reason to throw bullshits about our suburbs which occured epiphenomily as you know, don’t notice what’s going on in your healthy suburbs
100+ cars burn every single night in France. 16 police officers are injured by the “youths” every single day. It’s Frenchifada. You people have entirely lost control over parts of your own country.
and Lebanon, is not our only matter, (Un and Bush policy too, I you followed your actualities)
France is leading the force. It was the French who pushed for this “solution.” This is French policy.
that is right, it is not a holywood movie there, then what ? Lebanese at leat are safe to have fun in night clubs , OK amigo
It isn’t a getaway resort either. Oh wait! Apparently it is. Lol.
November 8th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
“Following the midterm slap in the face to the Bush Adminstration there has been little sympathy in Europe for the beleaguered White House.”
Yep, Now the Euroweenies can enjoy their coming Dhimmitude in peace and quiet without that mean old George Bush reminding them of the liberty they are loosing. Get ready to poney up that jizyah boys and girls! Move along now little doggies!
November 8th, 2006 at 6:52 pm
Tommy, have a nice time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3TvjXC_oMk
sorry it’s not the french one
November 8th, 2006 at 6:54 pm
Curt thank you, euh, our liberties are OK, dunno what happend to yours lately though !
November 8th, 2006 at 7:00 pm
Alot of the democrats are/ran to the right of me. hmmm?
November 8th, 2006 at 8:04 pm
I vote for the person that stands for what I believe in. Most of the Republicans this time didn’t stand for anything different than the Democrats! I voted for a few Rep. and voted for one in the Constitutional party…and didn’t vote for anyone in 3 races! C’mon Republicans….stop acting like Democrats…you can’t get votes that way!!
November 8th, 2006 at 8:18 pm
Twosret Says:
“The Raccoon,
The 18 Palestinians you killed this morning won’t depress you but the democrats will for sure. LOSERS! ”
I like how Twosret says “you killed”. Yes Racoon, you did it. How could you. To be fair however: Twosret, stop blowing up Iraqi civilians you murdering terrorist filth!! Just kidding about that douchebag.
While I used to think a Condi vs. Hillary run would be great, I am not into it anymore. She handled the Israeli-Hezbollah war like total shit, & I no longer think she’s got what it takes.
SM is pretty much right in his analysis btw. In many key races it was really close(within 1% & 3%) & it was agaist conservative/moderate Democrats, not left wing lefties. I’m not so sorry to see them lose, considering how lazy & sloppy they got. Never a dull moment I guess.
Look forward to 2 years of Iran & N.Korea trying to take advantage of the paralysis in Washington. WW3 by 2012, here we come!!! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
November 8th, 2006 at 10:56 pm
As much as I would love to see that matchup, it is not going to happen. More likely, McCain v. somone. Wes Clark perhaps?
As a resident of Arizona (who voted for McCain in in 2004), he has got to stop alientating his supporters though. Everyone here is getting pretty sick of him. The next election is going to be intense though. There really has not been a clear election since 1996 when Clinton beat Dole 379 to 159. Not really looking forwad to it.
November 8th, 2006 at 11:28 pm
Yeah, s’right, Twosret - I have just finished killing ‘em people, ate their corpses and had their children for dessert. You shameless psychopath terrorist supporter you.
Enjoy your Jihadi celebrations of the beginning of the end for USA and the West. Will you be out in the streets firing your AK47 in the air?
Oh, wait, you’re a woman… so it’s the kitchen for you.
*sigh*
I am, as always, amazed by your shining, glorious insanity. Well done.
November 9th, 2006 at 1:47 am
The Raccoon,
I’m enjoying the Democratic party celebration. Or is it because Mr. Bush who is pampering Israel the slut is going down you are so upset?
Oh well!
LOSERS
November 9th, 2006 at 2:43 am
nice touch my friend. ahoy from central texas
November 9th, 2006 at 2:39 pm
“I like how Twosret says “you killed”.”
The Raccoon and I go a long way he accuses me of killing children and being a terrorist and I accuse him to be an Israeli terrorist who kills Palestinians. All in good faith of course
So when an idiot like you get in the middle and comment with absolute stupidity and ignorance you make an ASS out of yourself.
November 9th, 2006 at 2:58 pm
Wow, twoeret, you are unhinged. Israel the slut?
The reason why we lost was media bias, a public education system that turns out morons like twosret, and a GOP majority that pissed off the base with cowardice towards democrats, overspending and pork.
If we bail out on Iraq, Democrats will have their goal of making us more like the dispicable French. The French who now are too cowardly to patrol Lebanon at night and have abandoned all pretense of honoring it’s responsibility.
November 9th, 2006 at 3:24 pm
Smarty - like the French, only a lot deader.
November 9th, 2006 at 5:01 pm
smarty is still acting
little one, get in the army now, the NEED you, you are such a brave jackass !
Racoon, wait and see
November 9th, 2006 at 6:06 pm
Remember the old saying, give a man enough rope and he will hang himself. Republicans’s didn’t vote for dems most sat this one out in protest. Most races weren’t landslides by far but in the 1-2% range. The great thing about America is that every 2-6 years we get to change our minds.
Oh and BTW this was a Rove plan to get the other side to trust the voting machines!
November 9th, 2006 at 6:13 pm
The left wing is going to be highly dissapointed since this morning their leadership said that the war would be funded and that impeachment was off the table. I hear Cindy was arrested again too and if the rumors are correct will be found soon in Fort Marcy Park.
November 9th, 2006 at 9:20 pm
“a public education system that turns out morons like twosret”
Wrong again I went to private education all the way loser LOL!
America has spoken idiot and the democrats won the HOUSE and the SENATE the wannabe civilized loser like you should just shut up and say congrats like decent people.
What can I say? you are a republican as a republican can be
Nomad is right go to the army they might teach you manners.