Why Dems Are Going Down in November

[PJABBER]

We often concentrate on single issues in this forum, dwell on the detail and expound at length as to why an action or an event has meaning in a political sense, or not.

Most voters, however, are not single issue voters. They do not dwell on the day-to-day to and fro. But throughout their daily lives, along the way, they do absorb a significant amount of information. And, for many, it is this conglomeration which determines how they vote.

I am citing a long article here, so I will not offer more than this slight introduction -

No matter which side of the political fence you reside on, even if you make every effort to straddle it, the actions and consequences of four years of Democrat Party control of the U.S. Congress and now almost two years of control of the U.S. Presidency brings us to a decision point on Tuesday, November 2, 2010. We are not likely to see such total control extend past January 3, 2011, and this article by New York Post columnist Arnold Ahlert explains in detail why.

Why Dems Are Going Down in November

By Arnold Ahlert

September 30, 2010

Unless something totally unforeseen occurs, Democrats are poised to take a real beating in November. Their response to the impending disaster has run the gamut.

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is in denial: "One thing I know for sure is that Democrats will retain their majority in the House of Representatives."

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry is condescending: "We have an electorate that doesn't always pay that much attention to what's going on, so people are influenced by a simple slogan rather than the facts or the truth or what's happening."

President Obama is angry: "It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election."

Why is the electorate ready to kick Democrats to the curb? Here's why:

* An "unstimulated" economy. The original Mother of All Stimulus packages, $787 billion dollars, quickly grew to an astounding $865 billion. It wasn't enough. Congress pumped out another $26 billion in "supplemental" stimulus in August. The results? Unemployment in the private sector remains well above the eight percent Democrats promised, even as public sector workers who support Democrats were rewarded; our Democratically-controlled Congress has amassed more debt in the last four years than nearly the previous two hundred and thirty combined; the Keynesian economic model Democrats stand by is a colossal failure; the Summer of Recovery was a propaganda fiasco.

* The health care bill. The absolute epitome of ideological, public-be-damned arrogance. A horrendous compendium of bribes, exploding bureaucracy, runaway costs, written in secret and unread by those who passed it. It includes a mandate, likely un-Constitutional, forcing people to buy health insurance or pay a fine. The same administration which originally claimed the commerce clause of the Constitution made such a fine possible is now saying that the federal governments's "power to tax" justifies it. Irrelevant. 60% of Americans want this monstrosity repealed, ASAP.

* The federal lawsuit against the state of Arizona. Again, it's the arrogance, stupid. Despite all the hectoring from Democrats and the Obama administration about racist this, and xenophobic that, fair-minded Americans recognized four things: people have a right to protect their life and property, and if the federal government can't or won't do it, they have a right to do it themselves; the idea that anyone opposing the "rights" of illegal aliens is a bigot is nonsense on stilts; the ruling class in Washington, D.C. is holding genuine border control hostage to "comprehensive reform;" the glaring double-standard of suing Arizona for violating federal immigration statues, even as the feds turn a blind eye to hundreds of "sanctuary cities" with illegal protection directives unquestionably in conflict with federal law.

* The demonization of the Tea Party movement. Take your pick: teabaggers, racists, angry white men, fringe elements, bigots, Astro-turfers, etc. etc. Democrats and the media have tried every one, and every one has been a miserable failure for one overwhelmingly simple reason: decent Americans know they're decent, and getting insulted by Democrats running the country into the ground has only stiffened their resolve. Progressives want to demonize people who believe in smaller government, fiscal responsibility and a desire to return to Constitutional principles? Why not attack people who believe in guns, and religion too? Oh wait. The president already did that as well.

* A hopelessly compromised media. Air America tanked, CNN is tanking, and ABC, NBC and CBS news programs have been shedding viewers at historically unprecedented rates-even as Fox and the Wall Street Journal prosper. Americans don't mind people in the media expressing their opinions, as long as they're characterized as opinions, but they seethe when such opinions are portrayed as "hard news." They get even angrier when certain stories are "omitted" by those same organizations, especially when Americans recognize such omissions are calculated to protect the progressive agenda. I wonder if it occurs to either Democrats or their media water-carriers that a majority Americans may savor whacking both groups in November. Depressed looks on the faces of Nancy Pelosi and Katie Couric? In theater circles, that's known as a "two-fer."

* The Ground Zero mosque. Yet another reminder of the contempt progressives and their media enablers have for ordinary Americans who had the "temerity" to allow their feelings to be known. Despite every attempt to characterize these Americans as Islamo-phobic bigots, the public wasn't buying, again for one overwhelmingly simple reason: decent Americans once again demonstrated their decency by separating the legality of the project from the appropriateness of it.

* The complete disconnect between the First Family and ordinary Americans. The golfing, the soirees, and the high-priced vacations have created the perception that we are living through another "let them eat cake" moment in history. On Tuesday, the president called the public schools in Washington, D.C. a "'struggling' system that doesn't measure up to the needs of first daughters, Sasha and Malia." Those would be the same public schools Congressional Democrats tossed 3,300 low-income kids back into when they killed funding for vouchers that had freed those kids from D.C.'s educational ghetto. The First Lady is hectoring Americans to eat healthier. Perhaps more Americans would if they could afford to: the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) stated in their Producer Price Index that the price of food increased 2.4% for March 2010. That's the biggest increase in almost 30 years.

* The war on terror. A politically correct contingency operation against unnamed insurgents with a specific draw-down date? Democrats once again prove that all the talk about Afghanistan being the "good war" was complete rubbish. They want out, and victory - along with the heroic efforts of our men and women in harm's way - be damned. Once again: has America ever fought another war where they knew the exact location of the enemy, had the ability to inflict possibly irreparable damage on them - and decided to split the difference instead? If you answered "Vietnam," another progressively-instigated catastrophe resulting in the deaths of fifty-eight thousand American soldiers and three million innocent Asians, go to the head of the class. And when is that civilian trial of the 9/11 perpetrators scheduled to begin?

* Czars and nationalization. The Obama administration and Congressional Democrats may bristle when Americans call them socialists, but the nationalization of banks, car and insurance companies, student loans and healthcare sure isn't free-market capitalism. Neither is wiping out oil jobs in Louisiana with a government-mandated ban on offshore drilling - after the feds completely bungled their role in cleaning up the spill which engendered it. Unelected czars who answer to no one but the president, along with out-of-control government agencies such as the EPA have made it clear to many Americans that this administration often considers Congress a completely unnecessary component of governance, especially if they don't kowtow to the president's agenda.

* "Unexceptional" America. Progressive contempt for the values and traditions which make this the greatest country on earth can no longer be disguised. An American president who "believe(s) in American exceptionalism, just as I suspect that the Brits believe in British exceptionalism and the Greeks believe in Greek exceptionalism" has made it plain that this is not a great nation which needs tweaking, but a fundamentally flawed one needing a complete progressive make-over. Once one understands this basic premise, everything this administration and Democratically-controlled Congress does makes sense. All of it centers around the ridiculous premise that America owes the world an apology for any number of shortcomings, many of which can only be alleviated by government-mandated "social justice." That would be the same social justice which demanded - and still demands - that Americans manifestly unqualified to own homes be given mortgages, regardless.

Unknown to the majority of Americans, this precise mindset was part of the financial "reform" bill which also requires banks to lend a certain percentage of capital to minority-owned businesses, even if it means lowering their lending standards. Apparently progressives won't be satisfied with their odious social-engineering schemes until every sector of the American economy bears a striking resemblance to the housing sector. So far, Americans support financial reform because it's been framed as "Main Street versus "Wall Street." It's not. Like every other initiative undertaken by this Congress and this administration, it's the elevation of irresponsible and dishonest Americans over those willing to accept the consequences of their own behavior.

There you have it. Democratic control for four years in Congress, and two in the White House has been exactly what many predicted: an ideologically-driven disaster of epic proportions. For years, progressives obfuscated their true intentions, because even they knew most Americans couldn't stomach them. The elections of 2006 and 2008 changed everything. Progressives bought into their own hype, believing they had pulled off a multi-generational transformation of the American mindset. As a result, they showed Americans their true colors: unbridled arrogance, utter contempt for the average citizen's intellect, and a ham-fisted, never let a crisis go to waste determination to bend the electorate to their will, using government as a club.

That's why they're going down in November. And the most satisfying aspect of the whole scenario is this: despite every attempt they've made to blame anyone and everyone else for their problems, they brought it on themselves.

 

[colonel]

Rules for a happy life:
1. Free your heart from Obama
2. Free your mind from Brush-Cheney past.
3. Live rich
4. Exploit more. Care less.

 

[spidey07]

The fact that none of them are running on their "accomplishments" says it all. It's going to be brutal.

Excellent article and spot on every point. This point really nails it home, dems keep calling ordinary americans concerned about their country racist, bigot, etc.

Take your pick: teabaggers, racists, angry white men, fringe elements, bigots, Astro-turfers, etc. etc. Democrats and the media have tried every one, and every one has been a miserable failure for one overwhelmingly simple reason: decent Americans know they're decent, and getting insulted by Democrats running the country into the ground has only stiffened their resolve.

 

[Craig234]

Another pjabber joke as pretty much always, a right-wing propagandist who writes for 'Frontpagenews' and Murdoch's Post.

Just looking at his close suggests his lies:

"And the most satisfying aspect of the whole scenario is this: despite every attempt they've made to blame anyone and everyone else for their problems, they brought it on themselves. "

The number 1 thing hurting Democrats is the economy - which is going through a crash brought on by policies primarily Republican, and it'd be a lot worse with R's in power.

And the Dems have passed hundreds of things the Republicans have blocked with abuse of the filibuster - the opposite of 'the Democrats doing it themselves'.

A scumbag liar who creates snacks for the right-wing idiotlogues.

 

[PJABBER]

A scumbag liar who creates snacks for the right-wing idiotlogues.

I am sure the "progressive" Left has its own reasons for the upcoming massacree but I would hazard these reasons can likely be summarized by something on the order of, "Comrade Obama did not completely nationalize the entire economy, so you mindless and unappreciative idiots have not yet had the chance to experience REAL socialism/communism and fall in love with socialism/communism like we have!"

While you were writing your rant I was reading a piece by George Will. I know, another non-progressive, non-communist, comrade. But there are so MANY of them!

In the piece I'll quote below, Will does point out that a certain type of Republican is also going down.

Speaking just for myself, it's about time the country cleaned House. LOL!

Without a defendable record, Democrats try pounding the table

By George F. Will
The Washington Post
Thursday, September 30, 2010

It is a lawyers' adage: If you have the law on your side, argue the law; if you have the facts, argue the facts; if you have neither, pound the table. Forgive the Democrats for their current table-pounding.

They cannot run on their record, which has two pillars.

One is the stimulus that did not stimulate as they said it would (or else unemployment would not be above 8 percent). The report that the recession ended in June 2009 means the feeble recovery began before stimulus spending really started.

The second pillar is the health-care legislation. This may not be (as suggested by Michael Barone, author of the Almanac of American Politics) the most unpopular major legislation since the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854. But it remains as unpopular as it was when the administration told Americans to pipe down and eat their broccoli.

Unable to campaign retrospectively, Democrats also cannot campaign prospectively - "Elect us and get more broccoli!" Hence the table-pounding: The Tea Party is a death panel for America's happiness.

As the year began, we were warned that Tea Partyers would not play nicely with others - would not abide by the mores and outcomes of the two-party competition. It is, however, some anti-Tea Party "moderates" who exemplify repulsive politics this year.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist wanted the Republican Senate nomination. So did Marco Rubio, a Tea Party favorite. When Rubio went from 30 points behind Crist to 30 points ahead, Crist discovered that he is not a Republican. Promptly reversing his beliefs on various policy questions, he embarked on a run as an independent.

It is unfairly said that Crist's versatility of conviction proves that he has no convictions. He has one. It is that he should be a senator. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski is similarly a conviction politician.

She became a senator by nepotism (her father appointed her to his Senate seat when he resigned to become Alaska's governor). Since losing her renomination bid -- defeated by Tea Party-backed Joe Miller - she has behaved as though voters have violated her property right to her seat. She is running a write-in campaign. (To hear an amusing radio ad against this, visit http://www.ItsNotYourSeatLisa.com.)

When Mike Lee, supported by Tea Party types, defeated Utah Republican Sen. Bob Bennett's bid to be renominated for a fourth term, Bennett contemplated a write-in campaign. In Delaware, where Christine O'Donnell defeated Rep. Mike Castle for the Republican Senate nomination, Castle entertained but then ruled out a write-in candidacy Wednesday evening.

Democrats, unable to run on their policies, will try to demonize the opponents with Tea Party support as unstable extremists with personality disorders. They have ridden this hobby horse before.

In 1964, the slogan of the Republican presidential nominee, Barry Goldwater, was "A choice, not an echo." Forty-six years on, the Tea Party is a loud echo of his attempt to reconnect American politics with the tradition of limited government.

In response to a questionnaire from a magazine, 1,189 psychiatrists, none of whom had ever met Goldwater, declared him unfit for office - "emotionally unstable," "immature," "cowardly," "grossly psychotic," "paranoid," "chronic schizophrenic" and "dangerous lunatic" were some judgments from the psychiatrists who believed that extremism in pursuit of Goldwater was no vice.

Shortly before the election, Columbia University historian Richard Hofstadter published in Harper's an essay (later expanded into a book with the same title), "The Paranoid Style in American Politics," that encouraged the idea that Goldwater's kind of conservatism was a mental disorder.

On the eve of the convention that nominated Goldwater, Daniel Schorr of CBS, "reporting" from Germany, said: "It looks as though Sen. Goldwater, if nominated, will be starting his campaign here in Bavaria, center of Germany's right wing" and "Hitler's one-time stomping ground."

Goldwater, said Schorr, would be vacationing near Hitler's villa at Berchtesgaden. Schorr further noted that Goldwater had given an interview to Der Spiegel "appealing to right-wing elements in Germany" and had agreed to speak to a gathering of "right-wing Germans." So, "there are signs that the American and German right wings are joining up."

But as Andrew Ferguson of the Weekly Standard has reported, although Goldwater had spoken vaguely about a European vacation (he did not take one), he had not mentioned Germany, and there were no plans to address any German group. Der Spiegel had reprinted an interview that had appeared elsewhere.

The relevance of this for 2010? There is precedent for the mainstream media being megaphones for Democratic-manufactured hysteria.

 

[Craig234]

I am sure the "progressive" Left has its own reasons for the upcoming massacree but I would hazard these reasons can likely be summarized by something on the order of, "Comrade Obama did not completely nationalize the entire economy, so you mindless and unappreciative idiots have not yet had the chance to experience REAL socialism/communism and fall in love with socialism/communism like we have!"

While you were writing your rant I was reading a piece by George Will. I know, another non-progressive, non-communist, comrade. But there are so MANY of them!

In the piece I'll quote below, Will does point out that a certain type of Republican is also going down.

Every time you open your mouth, you just say how ignorant you are, it seems.

As I've said, 95% of the attacks on the left here are based on lies and/or ignorance, and I can't remember the other 5%.

It's funny that I list the #1 reason the Democrats are not doing better in the ratings, and yet you ignore that to make up what you think liberals say about the issue.

Yes, Will is another paid propagandist - albeit not quite the usual bought and paid for type, more than most he's 'his own man' spouting ideology.

He gets it wrong all the time - as here with his wrong thesis not argued, but put in his piece as an assumption where it's not to be questioned, that 'the Democrats can't run on their policies'. Quit the opposite - the Democrats can easily run on their policies, it's the Republicans who have no policies to run on as they do almost nothing more than obstruct any bills by the Democrats and hope voters don't look at the alternative as they try to get them angry at the incumbents to blindly vote in disaster.

The Democrats also face the problem of a well-funded corporatocracy political movement, with its propagandists, media (which you regurgitate here) and more.

(A movement I've noted, now that it's taken over the Republican Party, is trying to take over more and more of the Democrats).

 

[Bateluer]

Arnold Ahlert hit the nails on the heads perfectly. I wish the GOP would gain enough seats to repeal the health care farse, but even optimistically, I don't think it'll happen.

 

[ProfJohn]

Let's just pray that our new Republican overlords learned the lessons taught to them by Newt and Bush.

Act like a conservative and rule like one and things go good, start acting like a progressive Democrat (aka compassionate conservative) and things go to hell.

Also, balance the damn budget and keep it balanced.

 

[Zebo]

Pretty much fail except parts of # 1, it's the economy.

That may be authors modivation but guys like that would never vote Democrat anyway so it's irrelevant. Border sitters OTOH vote their wallet.

 

[jonks]

(psssst! the same reason the gop went out in 06/08). b/c ppl can't vote for none of the above so they vote for the party out of power hoping things will change at least somewhat, regardless of the policies being offered. tada.

 

[PJABBER]

Quit the opposite - the Democrats can easily run on their policies

Riiiiight. I believe one of them is. I just can't remember which one. The rest are running far, far away.

 

[Double Trouble]

Interesting article, but I think the author, much like many on the right, is reading too much into things. All the points he made are valid: this administration and the democrat congress have made misstep after misstep, gaffe after gaffe, and forced legislation on the public that the public did not want. They've been on the wrong side of each issue in the public eye (Arizona and illegal immigrants, the mosque, health care disaster etc etc).

However, the underlying truth is this: if the economy was not in horrible shape like it is now, we're not having this discussion. All those things are true, but not nearly enough to create the groundswell of anger. The problem for the democrats is that those issues are on top of the horrible economy. If the economy was humming along, all the lousy things this congress and white house have done would not matter and they'd get voted right back.

 

[Double Trouble]

Quit the opposite - the Democrats can easily run on their policies

Hmmm... funny, I've heard and seen tons of ads over here on TV by the dems ramping up for November, and I don't think I've heard a single one tout any of the supposed major "accomplishments" of this congress. Instead, they are essentially doing their best to say "yeah, I'm a democrat, but I'm not like all those other democrats in DC, I want to do good things". They are getting as far away as possible from Obama and the establishment, except of course when they need money, then they want Obama to attend a big fund raising dinner

 

[thegimp03]

Another pjabber joke as pretty much always, a right-wing propagandist who writes for 'Frontpagenews' and Murdoch's Post.

Just looking at his close suggests his lies:

"And the most satisfying aspect of the whole scenario is this: despite every attempt they've made to blame anyone and everyone else for their problems, they brought it on themselves. "

The number 1 thing hurting Democrats is the economy - which is going through a crash brought on by policies primarily Republican, and it'd be a lot worse with R's in power.

And the Dems have passed hundreds of things the Republicans have blocked with abuse of the filibuster - the opposite of 'the Democrats doing it themselves'.

A scumbag liar who creates snacks for the right-wing idiotlogues.

He's right about one thing - the house gets cleaned in November. Have a nice day!

 

[EagleKeeper]

The Dems painted themselves into a corner by hitching their future to Obama and his vision. When he did not fully explain his vision, nor was able to lead; he passed the batton to Congress. The lack of leadership from Obama along with the pork attitude and elite attitude of "we know better for you" of Congress has backfired. Now can the Dems dig themselves out of their hole. While Obama may have been able to accomplish somethings; what the American voter expected and what is being seen are miles apart.
Blaming the Republicans for his inability to close the gap smacks of desperation on his part. Voters can smell fear and insecurity. Perception matters more than actual accomplishments.

Obama promised change and to the voters, "the moon". The Dems stood right besided him. Now voters are seeing that the emperor has no clothes and his buddies are stealing from the public.

 

[Amused]

Another pjabber joke as pretty much always, a right-wing propagandist who writes for 'Frontpagenews' and Murdoch's Post.

Just looking at his close suggests his lies:

"And the most satisfying aspect of the whole scenario is this: despite every attempt they've made to blame anyone and everyone else for their problems, they brought it on themselves. "

The number 1 thing hurting Democrats is the economy - which is going through a crash brought on by policies primarily Republican, and it'd be a lot worse with R's in power.

And the Dems have passed hundreds of things the Republicans have blocked with abuse of the filibuster - the opposite of 'the Democrats doing it themselves'.

A scumbag liar who creates snacks for the right-wing idiotlogues.

Craig, you, and your attitude, is EXACTLY why the Dems are going to lose control of both houses.

The "we know better than you" "you're too ignorant" elitism doesn't sit well with people. Top that off with "if I/we fail, it's THEIR fault" passing of the buck and you've doomed yourself.

One day, hopefully the left will realize that your brand of elitist authoritarianism does NOT work and will return to real liberalism.

Craig, the people aren't ignorant. You are. And your first ignorant mistake is calling the masses ignorant, insulting them, and trying to impose your will on them "for their own good."

 

[HomerJS]

Damn, and we were doing so well before Obama got elected.

 

[lothar]

It's the economy, stupid.
The author of that article goes through a bunch of stupid ideas that are completely irrelevant.

 

[Bateluer]

It's the economy, stupid.
The author of that article goes through a bunch of stupid ideas that are completely irrelevant.

Check the list again, the first thing on it is the economy. Rest of the items on it are very important.

 

[NeoV]

Actually Amused - the vast majority of Americans are quite ignorant - they listen to and hang on the words of morons like Rush, Hannity, etc, and repeat them as if they are fact.

How many Americans still think Obama:

is not an American Citizen
is a Muslim

How many Americans still think Iraq had anything at all to do with 9/11?

There is a HUGE gap in this country in the have and have-nots, and the level of education among adults in this country is sad.

There should really be a test given to anyone who wants to vote - and then the already-pathetic number of voters we get would be further reduced..

Our entire political system is horribly broken. I feel it's going to take a complete outsider to the process - like Bill Gates - to be a president that can actually make a difference, and until we get rid of the career politicians in Washington, nothing is going to change.

 

[lothar]

Check the list again, the first thing on it is the economy. Rest of the items on it are very important.

Democrats are being kicked to the curb because they demonized the "Tea Party"?
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

 

[cubby1223]

Actually Amused - the vast majority of Americans are quite ignorant - they listen to and hang on the words of morons like Rush, Hannity, etc, and repeat them as if they are fact.

*sigh*

The "vast majority of Americans" do not listen to Rush, Hannity, etc.

The "vast majority of Americans" get on with their lives and not sink into the bottomless void that is political talk.

 

[SammyJr]

So the Democrats are going down because they pissed off the radical right?

 

[SammyJr]

Act like a conservative and rule like one and things go good, start acting like a progressive Democrat (aka compassionate conservative) and things go to hell.

Which Republican acted like a progressive Democrat?

 

[Bateluer]

So the Democrats are going down because they pissed off the radical right?

Regular people are hardly radicals.