TheHill.com: Pelosi-says-dems-aim-to-win-majority-35-house-seats

[Burgold]

Somewhere in this list of what they did or didn't do is the historical first dropping of the U.S. credit rating. Turned out not to have a huge impact (mainly because Europe is doing even worse and China is slowing down), but that was a big deal and if you read the rationale of the companies doing the lowering... they said the drop was done not because of the debt but because of the belief that the government was completely incapable of working together to come to a solution. In other words, the Republican/Tea Party game of chicken caused it. To me, that's a big thing with broad and long term implications... and the inability to do the work of the country has carried over in countless issues where the lack of an ability to debate or compromise or call a vote has been an albatross.

There's a reason that this week polls show that Congress broke the record for poorest favorability. Now, I don't know how that plays out in the elections, but the last four years of Congress has been unacceptable... Frankly, what I think I'd like best is if both sides of the leadership lost and a Dem majority was built (mainly because I want fresh minds) Regardless, when the Speaker's primary agenda is to make sure the sitting President serves only one term and the needs of the country are last on his agenda... it's just a bad mix.

Finally, for those who love gridlock, the Dems proved they don't need Republicans for that. They had a supermajority and gridlock. So, what value does the Republican party really offer?

[Thiebear]

So you prefer the Jets Head coaching/Pelosi method of absurdity : We will crush our enemies by 35 no matter what the past has shown.

vs.

Normal Coach/Sane people:

The other side seems to be showing some cracks in their secondary, we will work on momentum and if we can get our message out i believe we can be successful.

[Burgold]

So you prefer the Jets Head coaching/Pelosi method of absurdity : We will crush our enemies by 35 no matter what the past has shown.

vs.

Normal Coach/Sane people:

The other side seems to be showing some cracks in their secondary, we will work on momentum and if we can get our message out i believe we can be successful.

The last thing I want in Congress is business as normal. Normal has become about as non-adaptive and destructive as one might fear. Dystopia writers are committing suicide because they can't compete in their fictional wanderings with the reality of Congress' reality.

[Thiebear]

You'd prefer: I created the bill to push this into their face, I had no intention of actually passing it... Duh!, From their homestate as they are not in session during the worst recession in modern history.

[Burgold]

You'd prefer: I created the bill to push this into their face, I had no intention of actually passing it... Duh!, From their homestate as they are not in session during the worst recession in modern history.

You mean the Rand Paul strategy

[Thiebear]

You mean the Rand Paul strategy

What good about that post "pats self on back' is that there are 20 different ways from both sides to point out Congress-people that have done this.

[Burgold]

Exactly

Which is why in my opening slavo I hoped that the leadership of both parties got the boot.

[skinsmarydu]

Actually, I think I saw on fivethirtyeight.com that the odds were better than 50%. That was a little while ago, but I can't imagine its gotten worse for dems over the last few months, only better.

Tea Partiers are now wallowing in their buyer's remorse. Wisconsin is on the way to recalling the nutbag governor they elected just 14 months ago. It's going to be a crazy year, gang.

[Kilmer17]

Tea Partiers are now wallowing in their buyer's remorse. Wisconsin is on the way to recalling the nutbag governor they elected just 14 months ago. It's going to be a crazy year, gang.

Kind of a threadjack, but why is Walker a nutbag? His reforms arent just working, their exceeding expectations. He may still get recalled, but it will be because of the nutbags on the other side, not him.

[GibbsFactor]

Here's a question.

Where's the bleeding heart left wing politician or really any politician that believes so deeply in American Exceptionalism that he/she is willing to stump for raising taxes to meet all the programs we citizens wish to employ and live under? Because this moderate view that has dominated the scene over the past 40 years isn't working. We all want these programs and to help the rest of the world and to fight the "war on poverty" but no one is advocating to do what it takes to make it happen, which is raise taxes.

The GOP has their idealogue that gets 20% of the vote. He's a realist that believes in lower taxes. He also understands that to have lower taxes you must cut spending dramatically. Where's the Democrat's version? Where's the guy that wants to do what we all want to do realistically and raise taxes by 100%?

The way I see it, everyone from "conservatives" to "progressives" and the moderates in between want to continue with American Exceptionalism but no one seems willing to pay for it. Help me understand that.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Here's a question.

Where's the bleeding heart left wing politician or really any politician that believes so deeply in American Exceptionalism that he/she is willing to stump for raising taxes to meet all the programs we citizens wish to employ and live under? Because this moderate view that has dominated the scene over the past 40 years isn't working. We all want these programs and to help the rest of the world and to fight the "war on poverty" but no one is advocating to do what it takes to make it happen, which is raise taxes.

The GOP has their idealogue that gets 20% of the vote. He's a realist that believes in lower taxes. He also understands that to have lower taxes you must cut spending dramatically. Where's the Democrat's version? Where's the guy that wants to do what we all want to do realistically and raise taxes by 100%?

The way I see it, everyone from "conservatives" to "progressives" and the moderates in between want to continue with American Exceptionalism but no one seems willing to pay for it. Help me understand that.

I think you've totally not been paying attention. Numerous democrats have proposed cutting programs and raising taxes to balance the budget. Those are the people that the right wing media calls "tax and spend" liberals. For the last 12 years the GOP has not been run by people trying to balance the budget with funding cuts. They hvae been spend and borrow conservatives.

I don't know what to say though because so many democrats have proposed raising taxes to balance the budget.

[The Sisko]

You want Eric Ratface to stay though?

I don't want him going anywhere before we all get to enjoy seeing yet another "family values" Republican outed in a homosexual scandal of some sort.

[GibbsFactor]

I think you've totally not been paying attention. Numerous democrats have proposed cutting programs and raising taxes to balance the budget. Those are the people that the right wing media calls "tax and spend" liberals. For the last 12 years the GOP has not been run by people trying to balance the budget with funding cuts. They hvae been spend and borrow conservatives.

I don't know what to say though because so many democrats have proposed raising taxes to balance the budget.

Will Obama?

My point is that we have to either do away with a lot of it or raise taxes. Raising taxes is political suicide. Cutting entitlements is political suicide.

I want the politician that's willing to play some Russian Roulette. I'm done with the Bush/Obama/Romney/McCains of the world that seem to be very easily bought.

Bleeding heart liberals is great and all as long as you stand by your principles realistically and raise taxes to match the programs you wish to create and run.

[Tulane Skins Fan]

Will Obama?

My point is that we have to either do away with a lot of it or raise taxes. Raising taxes is political suicide. Cutting entitlements is political suicide.

I want the politician that's willing to play some Russian Roulette. I'm done with the Bush/Obama/Romney/McCains of the world that seem to be very easily bought.

Bleeding heart liberals is great and all as long as you stand by your principles realistically and raise taxes to match the programs you wish to create and run.

Again, Obama has proposed raising taxes for the last year. I'm not sure what you've been watching. He proposed the so-called grand bargain that cut a ton out of the federal budget, including some painful cuts to medicare and social security, and also had tax increases.

So, yes, Obama like a lot of democats has proposed cutting spending and increasing taxes to balance the budget. If that's what you want, you've got your man. Seriously.

[NoVaO]

Kind of a threadjack, but why is Walker a nutbag? His reforms arent just working, their exceeding expectations. He may still get recalled, but it will be because of the nutbags on the other side, not him.

I don't see him as a nutbag. I do think he overreached. The right likes to talk about health care being shoved down their throat. We debated health care for over a year before it was finally passed. You want to know what shoving something down the throats of whoever looks like? Look no further than what Walker did in Wisconsin. He pushed through a hugely divisive and controversial bill just two months after entering office.

Also, no governor should ever get to brag about balancing the budget. I hate when governors do that. All 50 states balanced their budgets last year. 49 states are constitutionally required to balance their budgets. So it's not an accomplishment to do something you are constitutionally required to do. As for exceeding expectations, Wisconsin has lost jobs for 6 consecutive months, at a time when the country is actually adding jobs, and at a time when the states surrounding Wisconsin are also adding jobs.

Now, all that being said, Walker is still the favorite here. He has a huge war chest. And unlike Kasich in Ohio, and Scott in Florida, his approval-disapproval rating is on fairly even ground, or at most a couple of points down. Republicans are enthusiastic almost as much as Democrats are, perhaps even matching the Democratic intensity. I think it will be a close race, but Walker is the slight favorite. I do think Democrats will do well in the Senate recall elections. Those districts are being fought on friendlier territory than the last set of recalls.

[RedskinsFan44]

Here's a question.

Where's the bleeding heart left wing politician or really any politician that believes so deeply in American Exceptionalism that he/she is willing to stump for raising taxes to meet all the programs we citizens wish to employ and live under? Because this moderate view that has dominated the scene over the past 40 years isn't working. We all want these programs and to help the rest of the world and to fight the "war on poverty" but no one is advocating to do what it takes to make it happen, which is raise taxes.

The GOP has their idealogue that gets 20% of the vote. He's a realist that believes in lower taxes. He also understands that to have lower taxes you must cut spending dramatically. Where's the Democrat's version? Where's the guy that wants to do what we all want to do realistically and raise taxes by 100%?

The way I see it, everyone from "conservatives" to "progressives" and the moderates in between want to continue with American Exceptionalism but no one seems willing to pay for it. Help me understand that.

The equivalent of Ron Paul's proposal to cut taxes and spending would be a Democrat proposing increases in both spending and taxes. This is where Paul Ryan lost me, he proposes spending cuts but could not resist the compulsion to throw in tax cuts. We have had tax cuts to the point that they are sold as temporary only to become permanent. Cut spending, raise

taxes, or both (I prefer both). No more stoking the economy with red ink. Problem is selling that to voters.