"Another Democratic Congress? It could be awhile" Salon.com

[nick1985]

The main issue for dems right now is messaging.

Barry?

 

[Craig234]

The Republicans only gained the ability to filibuster after the election of Scott Brown in Massachusetts (of all places) who ran on being the 51st vote AGAINST health care.

That's wrong and has been repeated many times by the right.

It's too literal about the parties. When there's a Joe Liebermann in the Senate, when the two 'Democrats' from Arkansas vote with Republicans (not one Repuvlican breaking ranks to vote yes) against repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, when it only takes one Republican to vote with all or almost all Republicans to filibuster, that's the Republicans abusing the filibuster, and the fact a couple Senators who vote with the Republicans are 'Democrats' doesn't change that.

When you have all Republicans and two Democrats vote with them to abuse the filibuster, some Republicans love to say 'that's not the Republicans' fault! Blame Democrats!' Wrong.

 

[PJABBER]

That's wrong and has been repeated many times by the right.

It's too literal about the parties. When there's a Joe Liebermann in the Senate, when the two 'Democrats' from Arkansas vote with Republicans (not one Repuvlican breaking ranks to vote yes) against repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell, when it only takes one Republican to vote with all or almost all Republicans to filibuster, that's the Republicans abusing the filibuster, and the fact a couple Senators who vote with the Republicans are 'Democrats' doesn't change that.

When you have all Republicans and two Democrats vote with them to abuse the filibuster, some Republicans love to say 'that's not the Republicans' fault! Blame Democrats!' Wrong.

Craig, it's only going to get worse. Watch and see.

 

[Craig234]

Dude, with all due respect, stop blaming the Republicans and the "right-wing propaganda machine" for all that ails this country.

I appreciate the courtesy of 'with all due respect', but in the same tone, stop using straw men that misrepresent the issue, as 'all that ails'.

Neither side is doing a thing to help anyone but themselves, their party and those that funded their way to their positions.

You're wrongly implying 'they're exactly the same, neither better than the others'. Wrong.

Simple, and wrong.

Both sides have huge propaganda machines and both sides are completely beholden to corporate American and special interest groups.

The propaganda machine of the right is not comparable to that of the left. It's not 100 times more of a machine, it's more.

You should really get more informed and correct your errornoeous impressions. I could point out a book, which does no good it seems, but what else is there to do?

David Brock's book 'the vast right-wing noise machine' is dry, but a good background on the very unequal machines.

To keep denying that it is not just a one way street is the epitome of partisan blindness and is doing nothing but continuing the cycle of "it's not us, it's them!" bickering that not only allows them to keep this stupidity going, but makes it so that they have no real reason to stop doing it.

It's another strawman to say "just a one way" street, and it's ignorant and wrong for you to say it's not 'nearly a one-way street'.

The fact you have reached this opinion by not getting informed, but passionately spread it in your post, doesn't make it any less wrong.

The only blindness here is you forming the uninformed opinion - I don't call it partisan, because it's negligence, not partisan motives.

I don't think you're out to support any group with your error, it's simply well-intended but ignorant error.

This is very common among 'the middle' or 'the non-partisan', that they'll passionately hold views that have a bias for that middle, against the 'sides', even if they're very wrong.

 

[Craig234]

Craig, it's only going to get worse. Watch and see.

This is news, now that the Republicans have a larger minority?

 

[irishScott]

Hey, you remember that big-ass shift in congress that just happened a few days ago? Yeah, it's impossible for that to happen again over the next 10 years. And even if it did, no way it would ever work in favor of the Democrats. No way in hell.

Now we see if Obama actually knows how to lead and if the Republicans have gotten their heads snapped out of their asses. I'm doubtful on both fronts, but one can always hope.

 

[RightIsWrong]

Craig,

There is no straw man in saying that the right-wing propaganda machine is not to be blamed for all that ails the country, it is a very poignant and appropriate stance.

The Democrats had an almost stranglehold grip on both houses of Congress and the presidency and accomplished very little of any real substance. With the exception of healthcare reform, which was completely gutted of any real reform save the abolition of pre-existing conditions and extended age coverage for children, there was no reform.

While the Republicans did more than their fair share of stalling things, a group of "leaders" (god I hate calling Pelosi and Reed that because they are anything but) that couldn't push through meaningful Wall St. and/or financial reforms, shot their wad prematurely on health care and still tried to cater to everyone but the whole is not worthy of any praise.

While the Republicans are wrong to vote lock step on 99% of the issues, having your party vote in unison on such important issues as health care reform and Wall St reform should be no brainers and should be done....if the "leadership" could have put together a bill that was even remotely worthwhile.

For the record, I have read David Brock's book. The only real surprise in it is that he actually wrote it and told everyone what a fair amount of us already knew...politics is a dirty business. If you don't think that Carville's, Al Franken's or Daniel Kurtzman's books are anything more of an attempt to appeal to a base emotion of us against them, you are the one being uninformed.

Listening to one side isn't always a bad thing. Only being able to give one side credit or always assigning blame to the other side even when they are not at fault is a much more "uninformed" viewpoint than "the non-partisan". I have no problems stating when I think that the Republican are wrong (and it is a lot of the time) and I also have no problems stating when the Democrats are wrong (and it is a lot of the time). But here's the big difference between you and I, I also have no problem stating that either party is right when I feel that they are.

 

[jman19]

Yet more bad news for you Democrats.

Nothing says partisan hackery like PJ opening a post with his typical "us versus them" bullshit.

 

[BoberFett]

Dude, with all due respect, stop blaming the Republicans and the "right-wing propaganda machine" for all that ails this country. Neither side is doing a thing to help anyone but themselves, their party and those that funded their way to their positions.

Both sides have huge propaganda machines and both sides are completely beholden to corporate American and special interest groups. To keep denying that it is not just a one way street is the epitome of partisan blindness and is doing nothing but continuing the cycle of "it's not us, it's them!" bickering that not only allows them to keep this stupidity going, but makes it so that they have no real reason to stop doing it.

I may have misjudged you in the past. You do get it.

 

[JD50]

The premise of this thread is retarded. Go back two years, would anyone have believed at that time that the Republicans would do as well as they did in these elections?

 

[GroundedSailor]

it's only going to get worse. Watch and see.

Yup. See my post #15

..

 

[alphatarget1]

Lol, I voted against Chet Edwards.

I'm not a fan of gerrymandering though and I think that sh!t needs to be stopped in every state.

 

[jman19]

The premise of this thread is retarded. Go back two years, would anyone have believed at that time that the Republicans would do as well as they did in these elections?

It is amazing what short memories these partisan hacks have.