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Subscribe to RSSThe election may have been Tuesday, but that doesn't mean all the races are settled. There are still at least 10 House races that are still in question (though NBC and other news outlets have projected winners in a few of them.) Three of the races -- NC-7, CA-7 and CA-52 -- are within 1,000 votes and likely headed for recounts. The majority of the outstanding races are Republican-held seats, and if the current leads hold Democrats stand to pick up a half dozen more seats.
CALIFORNIA 7TH CD (R): This is one of the closest races in the country. Rep. Dan Lungren (R), a three-term incumbent and chair of the House Administration Committee trails by 184 votes. The Democratic challenger, physician Ami Bera, lost to Lungren handily two years ago, but the surge of Obama voters helped him this year. Sacramento County officials are going thru nearly 200,000 mail-in and provisional ballots, and say it could be early December before they finish counting. By law, officials have 28 days to certify the results.
CALIFORNIA 52nd CD (R): This is another very close race, with incumbent Rep. Brian Bilbray (R) trailing Scott Peters (D) by 685 votes. Bilbray has served nearly six terms in Congress in two different stints. After redistricting added a large number of new voters east of San Diego to this district, Peters got a boost from nearly $4 million in spending from outside groups seeking to unseat Bilbray. There are still about 475,000 absentee and provisional ballots left to be tallied, and counting began today in San Diego County.
NORTH CAROLINA 7th CD (D): Incumbent "Blue Dog" Mike McIntyre (D) leads David Douzer by only 411 votes, out of more than 334,000 votes cast. McIntyre has represented this southern North Carolina district for 18 years. The North Carolina Board of Elections says there are about 10,0000 provisional ballots yet to be counted in the dozen counties that make up the 7th CD, but some of those ballots may not apply to this race. November 16 is the deadline for certifying the election results. Right now, the margin is close enough to trigger a mandatory recount under state law if requested by Rouzer.
CALIFORNIA 26TH CD (R): This southern California district in Ventura County opened up when longtime Republican Elton Gallegly retired after 26 years. Two state legislators waged an expensive campaign, with Democrat Julia Brownley now holding a fairly significant 7,000-vote lead over Republican Tony Strickland. NBC has projected Brownley as the winner.
But election officials say there are still upwards of 40,000 mail in ballots yet to be counted, and it will be several days before they even begin tabulating. Most of the yet to be counted ballots are mail-in ballots that arrived on Election Day, or were dropped off at polling places, as permitted under California law.
CALIFORNIA 36th CD (R): Incumbent Mary Bono Mack (R) trails her re-election race by over 4,500 votes to Democratic challenger Raul Ruiz. Bono Mack won the seat 14 years ago in a special election to fill the seat of her husband Sonny Bono, who died in a skiing accident. With Democrats sensing an upset, Ruiz got a lot of national help for his race, including an endorsement from Bill Clinton.
Bono Mack has not yet conceded because there are still more than 180,000 mail-in, provisional, and damaged ballots that still need to be processed (though not all of those ballots may apply to this race). The Riverside County registrar plans to update results by the end of the week. NBC has projected Ruiz as the winner.
ARIZONA 1st CD (New): Former congressman Ann Kirkpatrick (D) leads by more than 7,100 votes in her effort to win back the seat she lost two years ago. Arizona's 1st CD covers about half the state, running from the top of the state in Flagstaff, all the way down to areas near Tucson. The district covers parts of nine counties, which makes final vote assessment more difficult.
Republican Jonathan Paton refuses to concede because there are more than 10,000 provisional and absentee ballots still uncounted. However, a large chunk of the uncounted vote comes from Kirkpatrick strongholds in the northern part of the state, while there are fewer uncounteds left in Paton strongholds like Pima and Pinal counties. NBC has projected Kirkpatrick as the winner.
ARIZONA 2nd CD (D): Incumbent Ron Barber (D), a former aide to Gabby Giffords who won a special election to her seat earlier this year, currently trails by 426 votes. The Republican challenger is retired Air Force fighter pilot Martha McSally, who is vying to win this moderate district in southeastern Arizona near Tucson. Barber believes he has the votes since there are an estimated 70,000 absentee and provisional ballots still uncounted in Pima County, where he won a slight majority on Election Day. If the final margin is within 200 votes, Arizona law mandates a recount.
ARIZONA 9th CD (New): Democrat Kyrsten Sinema leads by just over 2,700 votes in this new district in the eastern suburbs of Phoenix. Republican Vernon Parker is a former White House aide to Bush 41 who used to be the mayor of Paradise Valley. There are more than 400,000 ballots left to be counted in Maricopa County, but not all of those ballots may apply to this race. Election officials hope to have a final result before Thanksgiving. A wildcard in the race turned out to be a Libertarian candidate, who won more than 6% of the vote and who urged voters to stay home on election Day to protest the political system.
FLORIDA 18th CD (R) -- Though he has yet to concede, Tea Party darling Rep. Allen West (R) appears to have lost his seat to Democrat businessman Patrick Murphy. This was the single-most expensive House race in the nation, with more than $23 million was spent by the candidates and outside groups, most of it on behalf of West.
West trails by more than 2,400 votes, with all precincts having reported. On Wednesday, West said he would request a hearing into alleged voting irregulars in St. Lucie county, but no paperwork has been filed yet. here are still about 1,000 ballots uncounted in St. Lucie county, and perhaps a few thousand more in Palm Beach and Martin counties. Florida state law requires a recount if the vote is closer than .05%, but West trails by more than that.
MICHIGAN 1st CD (R): In a rematch of the 2010 race in this northern Michigan Upper Peninsula district, incumbent Republican Dan Benishek holds a 2,300 vote lead over Democratic challenger Gary McDowell. It is the second squeaker in a row for Tea Party-supported Benishek, who beat McDowell in 2010 by a scant 15 votes in what his supporters coined a "Danslide." Michigan's 1st CD covers more than 30 counties, and given his experience two years ago, McDowell says he'll wait until all the provisional and military ballots are counted. NBC has projected Benishek as the winner.
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I hope the Lefty Liberals grab each and every seat possible. We have some making up to do in the house, to go along with the gains in the Senate and keeping the White House! Progressives Forward!
A Republic works best when there are lots opinions and views that are different, not when most see things the exact same way. That is why it is important to have variety. It prevents abuse and tyranny from entering into the political arena. So balance, fairness and representation really exists for all those who reside across the nation, as their concerns, needs and inputs get represented.
It is like the company one keeps. I would be deeply concerned if I suddenly only made friends with those who think like myself. For how else could I discover the wonderful lives of so many other people. With their insights, experiences and views which so enrich my life and help shift my paradigm on the universe. Especially because they are so different. It would be like planning a garden, but only planting sunflowers.Thank goodness I know of so many other types and what they need to grow beautifully. Patience and caring go so far in life. Even, I dare say, in politics.
HolyHangrenade
I hope the Lefty Liberals grab each and every seat possible. We have some making up to do in the house, to go along with the gains in the Senate and keeping the White House! Progressives Forward!
HolyHangrenade,
The GOPher/Tea Baggers lost/ are losing the demographic war, their pet issues are old and tired. Their intransigence will prove a House of Representative takeover by Democrats in the next midterm election. We are on the precipice of a Democratic renaissance; because of their extreme ideology if the GOPher/Tea Baggers don't learn to compromise.
Forward is the way of the future; not the backwards agenda of the GOPher/Tea Baggers.
My first, first post! WooHoo!
Keep 'em coming; HolyHangrenade.
FORWARD
Hey Bev -
I wonder if Mitt will try again in 2016. Why not? Afterall, he's one of history's most experienced Candidates. I just wonder whether the Koch's, Adelson, and the rest of the fat cats will be so easily ready to throw up the bucks they got snookered for in this campaign...
O&Joe (Hey Bev, We did it!)
HI GT-2021701
Hey Bev -
I wonder if Mitt will try again in 2016. Why not? Afterall, he's one of history's most experienced Candidates. I just wonder whether the Koch's, Adelson, and the rest of the fat cats will be so easily ready to throw up the bucks they got snookered for in this campaign...
O&Joe (Hey Bev, We did it!)
GT,
MYTH Will continue being a hedge fund manger and shipping jobs overseas rather than putting in a another serious bid as Commander-in-Chief. Should that fail he'll probable wind up like Bob Dole doing Viagra commercials.
With Citizens United it's really hard to say if the fat cats will take a chance on him delivering them their mecca.
Yes we did and I'm so excited.
FORWARD
Should that fail he'll probable wind up like Bob Dole doing Viagra commericals.
!!!LOL!!!
Bev-
He'll need some Viagra. After Tuesday night, I'll betcha he has one limp pecker! !!LOL!!
GT-2021701
Bev-
He'll need some Viagra. After Tuesday night, I'll betcha he has one limp pecker! !!LOL!!
GT,
Queen Ann won't be able to say stop it either. But, she can always ride her horse. LOL!!!
Democratic House of Representatives candidates across the U.S. received more total votes than Republican candidates did. 53,952,240 votes were cast for Democratic candidates, while Republican candidates received 53,402,643. However, thanks in part to redistricting, the state's congressional districts have been gerrymandered to keep suburban and rural areas red. Republicans will hold more than half the seats in the House while receiving less than half of overall votes.
Democrats have to pay more attention to the Governor races and stop this GOP rigging.
cpaul22.newsvine.com/_news/2012/11/09/15040521-democratic-house-candidates-received-more-votes-than-republicans
Ha, Goodbye Alan West.
Mitt promised he would never run again, GT. Ann went on The View and swore that this was it. I never want to see them again, hear from them again, or even think about them again. Mitt was good for this: he proved that average Americans are a hell of a lot smarter than he gave us credit for. He proved that billiions of dirty dollars can't buy the White House, and he inspired us to work harder for our president than we ever thought we could. We citizens will fight tooth and nail to hold on to our democratic way of life.
Mitt would have been a crap president. The way he ran his campaign was proof. It was nothing but lies, flip-flops and attacks. He didn't have the backbone to stand up against Limbaugh, or Trump, or any of the racist, sexist loons in the GOP. He insulted our allies overseas and tried to insinuate himself into our dealings with Israel and the Arab Middle East, with disastrous results. He called Americans moochers. He refused to be open and honest about his personal financial affairs.
A Romney presidency would have been as hollow, as useless and as damaging as the Bush/ Cheney administration.
We dodged a bullet, folks!
Keep celebrating! FOUR MORE YEARS!! :)
Just to add that Mitt's campaign strategy was based on inaccurate internal polling that showed them way ahead when they weren't.
This is the famous businessman? The guy who paid attention to every detail, crunched all the numbers? BAH! His campaign was so out of touch with reality that they wouldn't even concede defeat. Mitt hadn't even written a concession speech, so we all had to wait up late for him to grow a set and face reality for once.
Romney was NEVER presidential material! There are many, many good Democrats in every office in the country, many potential future national office holders. But I cannot for the life of me think of a single good GOP in office.
The GOP had better get their house in order, or the elephant will be going the way of the dinosaur.
Absolutely puzzling, kaybeetoys, and the more I read about the protective little bubble that Mitty was ensconced in, the more I shudder.
It does sound like Mittens and Queen Ann threw out ANY information that was not pleasing to them, and that it simply did not exist. Numbers were made up that DID please them, and they could not recognize the discrepancy.
Is that what he would have done as President, because the thought of it is truly frightening.
We now need to develop just as good a ground game to get the message out to our representatives that gamesmanship will not be tolerated on the important issues before the country. Express your ideals, but compromise, come to an agreement, and let's move this country forward.
Everybody must have skin in the game - volunteer if that's all you can do. Take responsibility - no more blame game. Expect that you will have to do your fair share for the good of all Americans and our country. Extremism will not be tolerated.
newday (and kaybeetoys),
I couldn't agree more. But it fits with what we know about the man. He's so out of touch with the ordinary American that he's living--as you say--in a "protective little bubble" that has no connection with reality. One of the things I'm still angry about is that he wanted to do away with Pell grants, and when asked how Americans would then be able to shoulder the cost of higher education, he said they should "shop around". Indeed!
My first copy and paste on FR; hope it works. Sorry, It was nice.
Cliff Notes
Cliff Hanger – will the two sides work together and will the President not overplay his strong hand and Boehner not over bluff his weak hand?
Fiscal Cliff – a horrible visual metaphor that implies doom when it is more likely a stepping off the curb and the need to avoid some heavy equipment chugging slowly down the road but still several blocks away. Fiscal Swamp would have been a better descriptive as gloom is the more likely result.
Cliff or Bluff Poker- Boehner has shuffled his stack of chips and tossed a couple into the pot. Obama will ante up and bet around noon today. Will America eventually be happy with the size of the pot come the end of the year?
These disputed races point to the future doom of the G.O.P. The main reason they held the House
was due to the 2010 census and the redistricting that occurred. With the shifting demographics
everyone has noticed, soon it will be very difficult to gerrymander Republican majority districts.
The task for the Democrats after retaking control, that they don't become complacent as
they did from the post war era to the Reagan presidency. There never seems to be a shortage
of Lee Atwaters, Ralph Reeds and Karl Roves to exploit complacency with deception.
2014 Democratic House and Senate, Forward in High Gear!
In our audience this evening …
So yesterday the media gave us a glimpse into the world of Romney the day after. And we learn that the Romney campaign was planning a fireworks display here on the Boston Harbor if he won. Considering how poorly Romney KNEW he was going to do here on Election Day, considering how he wasn’t even going to win one of his home states, one can’t help wondering if his fireworks display was an #@!!% you to us here in MA if he beat President Obama.
Many people have talked about the strange way Romney walks and his strange facial expressions. Like everyone else, I noticed it as well, and it was driving me crazy because I just couldn’t nail down who he reminded me of. It was the stiffness.
Then it came to me the other night – sometimes he reminds me of Richard Nixon, and other times he reminds me of Ed Sullivan. In mannerisms only.
btw, Ed Sullivan was an active civil rights activist. He was asked by his sponsors not to hug black guests on stage. He ignored their requests. He was born in Harlem and loved to take cabs to the studio because he loved talking to people. He often carried his suits himself on hangers from home to the studio. He offered a rare venue for African-American acts, presenting such performers as Ray Charles, Eartha Kitt, Nat King Cole, James Brown, The Harlem Globetrotters, Ethel Waters, Jackie Robinson, The Supremes,
"Little" Stevie Wonder, Sam and Dave, The Platters, Gladys Knight andThe Pips, The Four Tops, Sammy Davis Jr., The Jackson 5, Ike and Tina Turner, and so many more.
Say goodnite Mitt Romney. It was a really big shoe.
_________________________
Charles Pierce/The Obama Diary:
There is a story that they tell in Georgia politics about the first time that Barack Obama was inaugurated as this most improbable president of the United States. Shortly before the ceremony, they say, he met
with John Lewis, the congressman and American hero who was nearly beaten to death on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Alabama as he marched to demand the right simply to vote. The two huddled in the corner and the president-elect wrote something on Lewis’s inaugural program. He walked away, and Lewis showed the program to the friends who had come with him.
“Because of you,” it said. “Barack Obama.”
"I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and
we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America." Barack Obama, Election Night November 2012
Good Morning Pat,
You NAILED it! lol
MSNBC is floating the idea of President Obama chosing a Republican to fill the SOS position. The names being mentioned are, John Huntsman, Colin Powell or my fave Chuck Hagle.
Each man is more than qualified, I think it would go along way in reaching across the aisle in extending an olive branch to bring this country back together...
Just my 0.02 on a Friday morning while I'm still walking on sunshine!
Feisty, I don't want John Kerry to be SOS. I don't want to go through another Senate election.
The possible choices you have named are all excellent.
Pat, Feisty,
IMO our President always does what is in the best interest of our country = Kerry for SoS
I can't say I blame you!
Dennis,
I'm not so sure...
Why not Bill Clinton as SOS?
SL,
You must be reading my mind, I have been pondering that since my last comment! ☺
Good Morning Feisty, Pat and Dennis.
I believe that the premise of appointing someone from the other side of the aisle is not a bad idea. Our government could work miracles for everyone in this country if it truly worked together.
Everyone keeps talking about our country as being divided. Well, it doesn't have to be. If our elected officials did what was right rather than what is in the interest of their party or the interest of the people who spent millions to help them get elected, we could once again stand unified and stronger than ever.
Americans will be keeping a close eye on each of our elected officials and those who refuse to compromise will be ousted in the coming elections.
Good morning Pat and Feisty
I would go for Colin Powell because of his understanding of foreign affairs and his political analysis in Wars; apart from the blunder he made at the UN which he regretted. Gen Powell said: "At the time that I made the presentation, it reflected the collective judgment, the sound judgment of the intelligence community. But it turned out that the sourcing was inaccurate and wrong and, in some cases, deliberately misleading."
"Powell doctrine" -- the use of overwhelming force at the outset of a war in order to minimize casualties,
I remember Gen Colin Powell told Gen Swartkof not to
Radical Republicans should be afraid ....very afraid. We are going after each and every one of the traitors who signed loyalty oaths to Grover Norquist and will take you out - by votes, nothing violent. But you are the Dinosaurs of our country and there is no place for you in "public" service - since you don't believe in the public that voted you in.
Either the Republican party steps up and into the 21st century or we can all do without you! There will be another group to take your place - one that represents a diverse group of people who actually believe in the country.
So, Radical Republicans - either join with us all in helping our country recover and get stronger or get the Hell out of the way!
I remember Gen Colin Powell told Gen Schwarzkopf not to start a conflict during Operation DESERT SHIELD/DESERT STORM . They agreed to disagree.
Pat I see your point.
FORWARD
Seems like President Obama has a few good choices for SOS. Glad I dont have to make the choice.
My wish is that the president holds a summit with the 80 Wall Street CEOs who have called for a tax increase along with revenue cuts and invites McConnel and Boehner and get this fiscal cliff behind us.
Compromise is NOT a bad word...Talking to you Teabaggers; and Norquist in paticular
MYTH Romney's Concession Speech
I never really wanted that low wage ‘president’ job to taint my career. Besides, who on Earth could possibly get on by on $400,000 a year?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0q2eGAjyGg&feature=player_embedded
Beverly in Chicago
"Presidency? what race? I never ran for president...
The 6 Best Overreactions To Obama’s Win
1. Neal Boortz compares Obama to a natural disaster. Obama a bigger disaster than Sandy. But media didn't create Sandy as they did Obama, so they feel free to report the destruction.
2. Victoria Jackson cries, says “America died.” The Saturday Night Live star who turned into an anti-gay right winger took Romney’s loss very, very seriously
3. The Cincinnati Tea Party declares the death of America. Ohio was the state that pushed Obama over the 270 electoral vote threshold. For Tea Partiers in the state, that was hard to handle. One Cincinnati group’s website claimed America had committed suicide
4. Rush Limbaugh blames women. Limbaugh, the conservative radio host who seems unable to stop himself from spewing misogny at every opportunity, blamed the gender gap for Obama’s victory, and women for falling into Obama’s trap: “He treats them like vaginas and they say he’s my man,” Limbaugh said on his show.
5. Donald Trump calls for revolution. Trump, whose role in the election has largely been scare-mongering on Twitter, tweeted out this call to arms, but deleted the tweet — and others — later. Perhaps he realized that Obama had in fact won the popular vote
6. Glenn Beck tells people to buy guns. On his radio show, former Fox host Glenn Beck lamented the downgrade of the country, but promised “I won’t make a deal with the devil… I will tell you last week we purchased more farmland as a family. May I recommend if you have a chance to buy farmland, you buy farmland. If you live in the east may I recommend get the hell out of the east. Find a place where you are surrounded by like-minded people and the best way to find those people is, you should probably look at the maps on how counties voted… May I highly suggest you get grandfathered in to the second amendment today. Oh and don’t forget the ammunition.”
http://thinkprogress.org/election/2012/11/08/1162601/obama-win-freakouts/
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Donald Chump and Beck, the "Profit of Doom and Gloom" are dangerous to society. They should be charged with treason.
sreeeeminglib
Beverly in Chicago
"Presidency? what race? I never ran for president...
LOL, sreeeeminglib
That certainly does describe MYTH's trended memory loss and LIES!!!
Mornin' Beverly,
Easy solution to the problem of loudmouth media extremists of all colors - the off button. Works great.
Beverly - great post but you forgot Ann Coulter who I understand was totally overwhelmed and kept crying that America is doomed. Ann, we're only doomed if ignorant, racist, filth like you stays here!
Secretary of State may well go to someone who Hillary would like to share the 2016 ticket with ... former Gov. Bill Richardson would be a good choice.
I am happy to see Mr. Huntsman being considered for SOS. I believe he would fit the position well, as he posesses fine credentials already has a good working relationship with the President. A nice bi-partisan move. Also, sets him up for a 2016 run. Hopefully over the next four years reason can at least start to percolate back into the GOP.
In my opinion the point many conservatives miss (especially those on the lunatic fringe) is a particular piece of irony - that being the more successful Mr. Obama's presidency is, the more the country recovers, the better off the Republican Party will be. Why? Good, or improving times tend to dilute or negate the extremists, and the present fringe elements are killing the GOP.
Said it before and I'll say it again - a healthy democracy depends upon diverse viewpoints, discussion, and beneficial compromise. No one party can provide that.
Poor Rove.....
For him to even let some words escape his mouth, is sad and equally disgusting:....Accusing the President of "Voter Suppression"........
Get a grip Carl!.......Let's move forward!
I was told yesterday that people who voted for Obama are people who want free stuff. I asked if he watches Fox News, and he got defensive and would not answer (SHAME?)...but this morning, by coincidence, I clicked on a clip of Jon Steward makig fun of Bill O'Reilly saying: people who voted for Obama are people who want free stuff...
You can spot the Fox News viewers from... 1 sentence...
chilled
as punishment he should be waterboarded by Trump, Adelson, and Koch brothers...and we should be able to watch it on youtube
Bill O'Reilly tied free stuff to Blacks and Latinos the other night ... the Foxes just don't get it.
Mornin SeekingSanity
Beverly - great post but you forgot Ann Coulter who I understand was totally overwhelmed and kept crying that America is doomed. Ann, we're only doomed if ignorant, racist, filth like you stays here!
MYTH lost because he could not touch President Obama's base!!!!
Ann Coulter probably saw this video and started crying
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLIJc7YE_jw&feature=player_embedded
Cool>>>FORWARD
Yup bayllie.....I'm sure they all want their money back...... since he did not deliver as promised.
I doubt that Rove knows the truth anymore......
blackcatwhitecat
so I guess according to Bill, no whites voted for President O? Or is it that just the minorities who want free stuff...
They don't get it...in their tiny little brains, they feel justified to say stupid crap...you can't cure ignorance, I guess, they don't make pills for that.
chilled
not a good ROI, was it?
bayllie - clearly they didn't watch Obama's victory speech. If they had, they would have seen a diverse crowd - with as many whites as minorities!
The GOP/TP will not tolerate diversity on any level...they try to 'say' they want a 'big tent', but their rhetoric and policies say something completely different.
Group think only!.....individual or different thoughts/ideas, absolutely NOT!
People must realize that there are both pros and cons in the event that Congress does not act on extending the Tax Cuts just as there are both pros and cons with extending the Tax Cuts. For example with not extending:
1. Taxes will go up for the Middle and Upper Class. However, those within the Upper (2%) will merely take advantage of more loop-holes which will result in cutting back their share. This will leave the Middle Class with the majority of the Taxes because they are not privy to those loop-holes. Not a good thing.
2. Defense will suffer with less money to purchase and run the Military Forces. With less money, Defense Contractors will have less money received from the Military for new purchases. Not a bad thing.
3. All other Government Departments and Agencies will receive less money to operate. Included within this list, for example, will be the FDA, CDC, and EPA which will received less money to operate. The FDA will not be able to test new and old drugs and respond as effectively; the CDC can not respond to Disease Outbreaks as rapidly; The EPA will not be able to operate as effectively. With the recent increase in the number of contaminated foods and medicines, not a very good thing.
For continuation of the Tax Breaks:
1. Both the Middle Class and Upper Class will continue to enjoy the reduction in taxes paid. A good thing for the Middle Class. For the Upper 2% and Corporations it will mean that they pay less in Taxes while still enjoying the same Loop-holes.
2. All Government Departments and Agencies will not see the reduction in funding as drastically as they would if the Tax Reduction's were let to expire but would still be under-funded in most cases.
In total, whether or not the Tax Breaks expire, the Middle Class will always bear the blunt of Taxes and Most Federal Departments and Agencies will be still under-funded when they are needed the most.
SC Guardian,
You are so right. This is why the Republicans and their corporate handlers and benefactors want tax cuts. They hate poor and old people. If you keep people poorly educated they are more easily controlled. So cutting funding for schools appeals to them. They believe that regulations hurt their business. They can't afford to be less greedy so they see benefit in tax cuts because that gives them an advantage with regards to being allowed to pollute the air, water and land because of lack of funding for the EPA. If food or drugs are tainted, oh well their attitude is that someone shouldn't have eaten that or taken that drug in the first place. Being wealthy they can afford to get better food and drugs accross the border where things are safer. And diseases are a simple matter of nature and we should learn to live with them. Their attitude is that the plague culled out Europe meaning only the strongest survived to fight their wars for them. It also meant more food and land etc for the wealthy who, in their palaces and castles were snug and away from the filth in the streets.
When the middle class prospers the nation prospers. There will always be some poor people and some rich people. The ratiio of each is important to the success of the country.
I don't know about other parts of the country but from what I saw on the news it is like our area where the precinct was 3 times the normal size because it is cheaper to run one large precinct than 3 smaller ones. They have to pay fewer poll workers and for venues. They don't have enough for convenience. This may well have prevented some folks from voting because of their inability to stand in long lines or to go so far to vote. When more people turn out to vote Democrats do much better than when people don't turn out in large numbers to vote. Democrats turned out in larger than expected numbers in this election and more Democrats are winning. With the extremists running the Republican party their numbers are dwindeling. Center leaning Republicans have left and become independants or Democrats. If and when the Republican party moves back toward the center their numbers will grow and they will do better in elections. If they don't reform they are likely to lose to the Democrats again in 2016. The harbinger will be in the midterms in 2014.
It is clear now that unless the Republicans in Congress start compromising they will be blamed, and rightfully, for the economic cliff that The President and Speaker Boehner are talking about. Can Boehner tame the Tea and get cooperation from his troops or will he fail. Will Obama best him like Clinton did to Gingrich? We all know how that worked out for the Newt, don't we? Carpe momentum.
My first, first post! WooHoo!
Welcome!! Great to see a newcomer.
Steeler Fan-380417
Holy is happy to have beaten Feisty to the #1 spot which is impossible since Feisty like OWNS this site ;)
May Bono-Mack go down in flames.
They both lost, RedDev!
YAY!!
If only Bachmann and Ryan had lost, my joy would be complete... next time!! :)
Congratulations Holy!
"The count shall be three; It shall not be four, nor shall it be two"
Except sometimes when it is one.
Well played, HHG
SamNETN - Good to find another Monty Python fan! Remember that "every sperm is precious" SNARK
Holy --- It looks like the democrats will pick up a few more seats in the House. Personly , I'd rather have a fairly even seating in both the House and the Senate,we've seen what happens when it's lop-sided. It should be compromse not dictating.Hopefully the Republicans learned a lesson and step on the Tea Party members and something will get done.
congras on the first post.
There can never be compromises as long as one side refuses to compromise whatever the ratio there is between the Parties. Remember the Filibuster provision!
Old man-numbers - Thanks! It is a rarity when I am on line and have the opportunity to make the first post. As a progressive, I would prefer to see the Democrats with a super majority in both houses. I've had enough of the filibusters in the Senate and the anti-ACA and anti-women bills in the house! It is time to get some work done for the good of the people and the infrastructure.
Understand this about compromise:
Each side gives and each side receives, telling us who won the election and who can sit in the back of the bus will not create compromise.
Gee Fat Man .. last week, compromise wasn't even in your vocabulary. Now, after receiving a shellacking, you are just full of words of wisdom on the art of compromise. Losers usually arrive at that conclusion when they have no bargaining chips.
oldfat,
Isn't that what the republicans say and do? After all, the Republican MEME over @ the FOX NOISE bubble is now that President Obama has been chosen by Americans to lead the nation, he must bow down to the Republicans in Congress and do the things that they want to prove that he is “bipartisan”.
Excuse me, the President has a mandate from the 47%.
There is a difference between winning an election and having a mandate for the agenda you put forth during the campaign, and telling who sits in the back of the bus or dictating an agenda.
The issue is, for a long time now, republicans have had the idea that compromise is the democrats coming around to their viewpoint. That is not compromise, that is dictating an agenda as the losing side in the election.
Historically, republicans have had a good moderating influence on the government. Many of our best statesmen have been republicans, and i recall the days when i happily named myself a republican. However, the anti-gay, anti-abortion, anti-tax, personhood amendment promoting wing of the republican party has gone so far away from my beliefs that i can't support anything associated with the modern republican party.
Liberty and justice for all should be the guiding principle when it comes to American governance. Government can not solve all our problems, but it is not the source of all problems either. The ideological purity that seems to be the focus of the modern republican party is a massive problem that prevents the possibility of compromise. The historical facts and the numbers in recent history show massive flaws in the economic model that the republicans have put forth, and as such, they must come to the realization that moving the tax rates back to the Clinton levels combined with targeted cuts to the budget are the fastest way to address the largest issues we face. Once that is accomplished, we can start focusing on the entitlement solvency issues and other problems without the executioners axe of the larger deficit issues hanging over entitlement reform.
We can do this if we make a compromise here and there and don't just expect everyone else to come to our perspective.
A must read, and it's only the beginning..
money.msn.com/investment-advice/warren-win-has-wall-street-worried
Warren win has Wall Street worried
After campaigning on a vow to 'hold the big guys accountable,' Elizabeth Warren heads to Washington as Massachusetts' first female senator.
One of Wall Street's worst nightmares has come true. No, not the re-election of President Barack Obama. What has the financial community exasperated is Elizabeth Warren's victory in Massachusetts. In toppling incumbent Republican Scott Brown, Warren recaptured for the Democrats the seat that until 2010 had been held for more than four decades by Ted Kennedy.
Warren is a former Harvard Law School professor and former special adviser to the secretary of the Treasury, where she helped create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
In doing so, Warren had plenty of adversaries, particularly within the Republican Party, which tends to view the CFPB as a burdensome regulator of Wall Street.
Executives at Wall Street's biggest banks likely haven't forgotten a suggestion Warren made in September 2011, when the newly created CFPB produced a seven-page report for the 50 state attorneys general investigating improper foreclosure procedures by Bank of America (BAC), JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC),Citigroup (C) and Ally Financial. In the report, the CFPB said banks dodged more than $20 billion in expenses between 2007 and 2010 by taking shortcuts in servicing troubled home loans.
The report was presented as the banks and the states were engaged in settlement talks, and there was speculation that the financial firms would cough up somewhere between $5 billion and $30 billion to put the issue behind them.
But Warren balked at the $5 billion figure, saying it "would seem too low" considering that "rough estimates suggest the largest servicers may have saved more than $20 billion through under-investment in proper servicing during the crisis."
In the end, banks ended up settling for a whopping $25 billion.
Oh, and don't forget Warren's calls for a breakup of big banks by reinstating a modern version of the Glass-Steagall Act, a Depression-era law that separated investment and commercial banks. That's not winning her any love from the big banks, either.
Now, just a year later, Warren claims victory over a moderate Republican in a hard-fought Senate race. She's likely to get a seat on the Banking Committee.
As the Los Angeles Times points out, with Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., retiring, Warren becomes Capitol Hill's chief defender of the Wall Street reforms passed during Obama's first term.
We all understand the definition of conpromise, ofg. Too bad the GOP congresspeople don't seem to have learned what that word means.
Let's give them a chance to prove they can do something useful this time. We might have to lean hard on them for every vote. The only way that works is if their constituents and supporters are willing to do that.
Are you willing to contact your representatives in congress and tell them to get to work for the American people?
Er, that should have been spelled compromise! Note to self: next time, use spell check. :)
Still celebrating here! FOUR MORE YEARS!!
GOP does in fact have bargaining chips it is called control of the House of Representatives where all spending bills are initiated.
Any contact I have with my congress lady will be about not funding the Un-Affordable Care Act just like Pelossi pulled every other day on Iraq war funding just to irritate Bush
old fat guy - too bad Pelosi didn't stick to her guns since Iraq was a totally unnecessay war that took a horrible toll on our military and our country. If you're old and fat you might want to rethink ACA since you'll undoubtedly need it!
old fat guy-1144960
GOP does in fact have bargaining chips it is called control of the House of Representatives where all spending bills are initiated.
Any contact I have with my congress lady will be about not funding the Un-Affordable Care Act just like Pelossi pulled every other day on Iraq war funding just to irritate Bush
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz, old fat guy is yelling at clouds.
The GOPhers/Teabaggers have tried to repeal the ACA 33 times. How many times will these
antidisestablishmentarianism morons waste $50 million?
President Obama has a mandate by the 47%.
FORWARD>>> if the GOPhers/Teabaggers want to survive.
*OUCH*
chill - my bad! :-(
SeekingSanity
You good :o).....really good!
One thing about Politics at the Federal Level and at the top State Levels:
1. Only Millionaires or those that have "Sponsors (AKA the Rich and Corporations)" in seeking Top Levels in Government whether at the National Level or at State Levels.
2. For those seeking high Level Offices, there is always a Covert reason such as amassing even more assets and prestige while in Office and after they leave Office. They don't elect to run for Office to aid and assist and protect those that voted for them and those that voted against them equally. They do so, solely for themselves, their ilk, and for those that primarily funded their Candidacy.
3. Most Candidates and those Elected are two-faced. They promise then break their promise for their benefit or under pressure from their real source of funding (actually the same thing as to their benefit).
Now for the shocker: They more often call themselves Christians and tout that to the World, yet they fail to realize that they are committing themselves to you-know-where if they don't use their wealth or power to assist those less fortunate. Within the New Testament, what awaits them has been foretold by Jesus and His Disciples. This applies to all who are much more fortunate than their neighbors.
Seeking...
I am old, probably not as fat as the name implies and because of hard work, saving for my old age and a few strokes of luck I will not need Unaffordable Care Act.
I am concerned with how to pay any more in taxes.
FYI I inherited nothing, never had a government contract and dropped out of school in the 6th week of 10th grade.
LOL, compromised is the favorite word of GOP, after that wake up call of 322 vs 206 electoral votes,
55 vs 45 senators and + 6 to 8 House seats, who would not cry uncle??
LOL, compromised is the favorite word of GOP, after that wake up call of 322 vs 206 electoral votes,
CPAUL -
Yeah, the baggers are a little more humble than they were in 2010. They do have one sure fire strategy. They guarenteed there constituents that they will suceed in keeping "O" from being re-elected to a third term. LOL
GT-2021701
Yeah, the baggers are a little more humble than they were in 2010. They do have one sure fire strategy. They guarentee that they will suceed in keeping "O" from being re-elected to a third term. LOL
It's funny you should say that; GT
Some yahoo from Rego Park said: President Obama now has four more years to finish what he could not during his first term. If he can’t, maybe he can pull a Bloomberg and change the law to allow a third term.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/nov-8-president-obama-reelection-hurricane-sandy-article-1.1198341#ixzz2BiB0UUVT
The Dem's are strong nationally....we now have to work at winning back state and local positions....Got to get rid of some of the R governors (Walker - WI and Scott Fl come to mind)....we have to make sure that come 2020 when the next census is done the Dems hold the power to create election districts....Either that...or create a national bi-partisan / neutral body to create "fair" voting districts and not gerrymandered districts in each state.
CPAUL
LOL, compromised is the favorite word of GOP,
CPAUL I think the favorite word of the GOPhers/Tea Baggers is tax cuts for the rich
I'd be fine with that, actually! :)
Not gonna happen though, and there are several fine Democrats who could run in 2016 and win big.
.. just hope they do "compromise" ... hope the GOP doesn't thump their chests and block all attempts to better this great country ... it didn't work for them last time ... and the whole USA is watching for them to do what's in the best interest of county as a whole .... so happy i found First Read .... thanks to all those who post ... very educational and inspirational .... i may not write so eloquently as most but i try to contribute ... i so enjoyed the light-hearted banter (hehehehe) in the weeks prior to the election ... thank all those who posted truth with conviction during times when i was doubtful of the outcome ... we did it ! OBAMA !
Off topic, but I can't stop thinking about Karl Rove and his epic fund raising failure. We all know how much Karl loved the White House - you know, give some guys a little power and it goes straight to their heads. But all the money in the world didn't buy him a seat at Romney's table....
Get a clue Karl then pass it along to your antiquated, out of step party.
Obama! Obama! Obama!
I wish I could go back to election night and watch Carl sh'it his pants on Fox. Ohh the grimace on his face and the desperation in his voice, it was like a drug to me.
I wish I could go back to election night and watch Carl sh'it his pants on Fox
Mocking - Next to O's victory, that was the highlight of the night. I also wish I was a fly on the wall when Carl has to explain to the Fat-cats how he blew a billion dollars of their money....LOL...
Mockinbyrd ... just google the Daily Show ... John Stewart had a field day with it on Wednesday's show!
Karl took a page from his own playbook and blamed the election loss on voter suppression. Really?
All those years when he was called "Bush's brain"---maybe he only seemed to smart when it was next to Bush. Maybe in the real world he isn't that smart.
Agree Steeler!
Kinda' like Ryan being the wonk/'math genius' in the GOP/TP House......It doesn't say much about the intelligence of GOP/TP House.......
chilled - I think it is inappropriate to say the words intelligence and GOP in the same sentence! Just sayin....
Seeking ... or Intelligence Committee and Bachmann - that one positively HURTS to type!
Steeler Fan-380417
Karl took a page from his own playbook and blamed the election loss on voter suppression. Really?
Steeler Fan, now we know why had Bush a turd in his brain.
Is it true that Honey Boo Boo is considered to be in the Mensa category when compared to Bush/Rove?
The GOP/TP points of reference leave them with little or no choices...they've managed to dumb down!
Boy! The righties on FR sure have thinned out since Tuesday.....
Quite a few of them hit the banned list ... they just couldn't contain their nastiness after the President was re-elected . . .
Layton - oh my! Totally banned?? oh well.......
A few got time outs but Brain1956, Will Haas, and that horrible Kate Anderson ... (who was Nobozospeak in disguise) . . .banned.
TeaParty loser, West (FL), refuses to accept defeat!
its not over for mitt. now that he lost there will be much to do about his financial dealings. stay tune!
kr- methinks the IRS is tuning up as we speak!
SeekingSanity
kr- methinks the IRS is tuning up as we speak!
SeekingSanity, you took the words out of my mouth. Let's not forget MYTH's ethic investigation for auto bailout profiteering!!!
http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/13328725-mitt-romney-faces-ethics-charges-for-auto-bailout-profiteering
Unless Obama reates an economic miricle by 2016, any Republican running for President will be a shoe-in.
These next four years will be super critical for the Democrats to succeed, especially in the area of jobs.
Maybe this coming summer will be the "summer of recovery", then again, maybe not.
Joseph,you mean like according to the GOP Romney was a shoe in. The shoe endend up on Obama's foot.
Hey America! Ask the GOP/Tea Beggers about their 'conspiracy' at the Caucus Steakhouse Restaurant? On Janruary 20, 2009 the "Fourteen Felon's" of the GOP/RNC decided to 'conspire' to destroy the people of America. Get angry America! Start demanding answers America!