[mobespierre]

anyone keep tabs on the elections??
thoughts?

[discobay]

I hear that the Democrats have taken control of the House of Representatives. What does that mean for Bush's Administration and what does that mean for the average American person?

[Sleuth]

I think they are also going to take the Senate, but only if you give them the 2 Independents.
I think it means we are going to spend the next 2 years watching the Dems try to impeach Bush.
Not sure it wil make any difference to the average American.

[KnowItAll]

I personally don't think they need to, or should impeach Bush, if they want to control the White House.

[Max]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

I personally don't think they need to, or should impeach Bush, if they want to control the White House.

True...they should be setting the stage for a successful Democrat run at the Presidency in 2008.

[Krad]

Dems in the House!

Dems in the House!

Dems in the House!

Pretty good night for the Democrats. At last count, the Democrats took 26 seats away from the Republicans for the House of Representatives, giving them a majority. They so far have taken 4 Senate seats away from the Republicans, including ousting Rick Santorum, 3rd most powerful Republican in Congress.

So far, they have a chance of ousting Republican Senate seats in Virginia and Montana as well. Webb is leading Allen in Virginia by about 8 - 11 thousand votes, likely to be recounted, but pretty much decided. In Montana, Tester (D) is fighting it out with Burns (R), and it looks like it could go either way right now. If both candidates win, it gives the Dems a decided majority in Senate. That said, even if Tester loses, the Dems end up tied with the Republicans in Senate, with two "Independent" senators (read: Democrat).

Democrats also cleaned up the gubernatorial races, taking 6 governor spots away from the Pubs.

Nancy Pelosi is in prime position to be Speaker of the House, first woman Speaker in history. That also means that she would be #3 in line for the presidency.

A 26 seat swing in the House is huge, and this pretty much puts the Republicans in the same spot the Democrats have been in for the last 6 years. It means no more unilateral law changes from Bush. It means things like the Military Commissions Act don't get passed without some pretty severe opposition. Bush is looking at two years of a lame duck presidency, for better or worse.

With a House majority, a vote can be made to impeach Bush. With a Senate majority, Bush can be convicted. That said, don't expect it anytime soon. Even so, altogether a *very* good night for Democrats.

[mobespierre]

1. nancy pelosi has already said they would not impeach bush. what would be the point? he's only got 2 years left, and i think the country is sending a Very Clear Message that we are dissatisfied with how things are being run. speaking of pelosi, i sincerely doubt she will go for pres. not that red america is ready for a woman or anything, but if that were the case, it would surely be hillary.

2. i'm not sure if the dems will take the senate, but even if they don't today saw enough MAJOR change for the whole thing to be considered a victory anyway.

3. i'm most recently from connecticut and can i just say... joe lieberman independent? tss. he's quite the fighter. he lost the primary and changed from dem to ind... and now won! good for him.

4. re: allen/webb, i believe anything under a 10,000 vote difference has a mandatory recount. i learned that from fark.com, so i don't know if that is accurate.

5. the impact on the american people? i think whereas most won't be very affected in the more-money-in-the-pocket or safer-streets-at-night sense, there will be a change in morale, as people will see that 1. others share their dissatisfaction, 2. the election of these new officials is an indication that there could be change, and 3. (and i think this is the most significant) that *voting actually does something*

(this is one of my biggest gripes-- people who bitch about policy and government and how terrible it is blah blah, but don't...actually...vote.......... i used to not vote, but i didn't care about the govt. for shame, mobespierre... for shame.)


eric where did you live again?

[mobespierre]

Originally Posted by KnowItAll

I personally don't think they need to, or should impeach Bush, if they want to control the White House.

btw to further address this, an impeachment would be totally stupid, take lots of time and money, and distract the er edited government from the task of trying to clean up current messes. i think most people recognize what an exercise in futility this would be- just more waste.

[Krad]

Originally Posted by mobespierre

1. nancy pelosi has already said they would not impeach bush. what would be the point? he's only got 2 years left, and i think the country is sending a Very Clear Message that we are dissatisfied with how things are being run. speaking of pelosi, i sincerely doubt she will go for pres. not that red america is ready for a woman or anything, but if that were the case, it would surely be hillary.

2. i'm not sure if the dems will take the senate, but even if they don't today saw enough MAJOR change for the whole thing to be considered a victory anyway.

3. i'm most recently from connecticut and can i just say... joe lieberman independent? tss. he's quite the fighter. he lost the primary and changed from dem to ind... and now won! good for him.

4. re: allen/webb, i believe anything under a 10,000 vote difference has a mandatory recount. i learned that from fark.com, so i don't know if that is accurate.

5. the impact on the american people? i think whereas most won't be very affected in the more-money-in-the-pocket or safer-streets-at-night sense, there will be a change in morale, as people will see that 1. others share their dissatisfaction, 2. the election of these new officials is an indication that there could be change, and 3. (and i think this is the most significant) that *voting actually does something*

(this is one of my biggest gripes-- people who bitch about policy and government and how terrible it is blah blah, but don't...actually...vote.......... i used to not vote, but i didn't care about the govt. for shame, mobespierre... for shame.)


eric where did you live again?

Yeah, Lieberman's victory was a little FU to both the Democrats and Republicans....to the Democrats for not making him the nominee and to the Republicans for thinking he wasn't a democrat anymore.

I agree Pelosi's not going to run in 2008, just saying that if something...unfortunate happened to Bush and Cheney, Pelosi would be the next Madam President.

Webb looks like he might clear the 10,000 mark for a mandatory recount. Couple of democrat precincts still to be counted and he's really close to that boundary.

And I think this will already have an immediate impact on the American people. Just this year, Bush passed two new laws allowing for domestic wiretapping without a warrant, and approval of CIA "interrogation" methods. With a Democratic House and/or Senate, these things can be stopped.

And Moby, I've lived most recently in Ohio. I was there in 2004 when Ohio became the key state in the election. You want to feel alienated, try voting Democrat in a precinct that was 98% republican. Looking at the numbers for my county, I was one of 12 democratic voters. I think that was when I really started to look for ways out of the country...

[mobespierre]

Originally Posted by Krad

Yeah, Lieberman's victory was a little FU to both the Democrats and Republicans....to the Democrats for not making him the nominee and to the Republicans for thinking he wasn't a democrat anymore.

I agree Pelosi's not going to run in 2008, just saying that if something...unfortunate happened to Bush and Cheney, Pelosi would be the next Madam President.

Webb looks like he might clear the 10,000 mark for a mandatory recount. Couple of democrat precincts still to be counted and he's really close to that boundary.

And I think this will already have an immediate impact on the American people. Just this year, Bush passed two new laws allowing for domestic wiretapping without a warrant, and approval of CIA "interrogation" methods. With a Democratic House and/or Senate, these things can be stopped.

And Moby, I've lived most recently in Ohio. I was there in 2004 when Ohio became the key state in the election. You want to feel alienated, try voting Democrat in a precinct that was 98% republican. Looking at the numbers for my county, I was one of 12 democratic voters. I think that was when I really started to look for ways out of the country...

one of 12!! wow. that is practically a claim to fame!!

yknow... i will surely get flamed to no end for this, but i am actually not too ashamed to admit i voted bush in 04. i have a justification for this:
1. i lived in ct. my non-kerry vote never would have made an ounce of a difference anyway.
2. john kerry is a douchebag.
3. since my vote wouldn't count i figured i'd pat my anti-abortion self on the back by being a single-platform voter...
4. john kerry is a douchebag.