Virginia turning red by a 2:1 margin

[00Syd]

We'll see in 2010 if the country survives that long.

You haven't been buying into this 2012 apocalypse stuff, have you?

I'm pretty sure the country will still be here in 2010. Supposedly its 2012 we've got to worry about.

 

[BiBunny]

But with states like Alaska and Oklahoma having the same representation in the US Senate as California and New York, the legislative process is just frustrating as hell.

Isn't that how the Senate is supposed to work?

 

[intothewoods]

McDonnell had history on his side in Virginia; It usually flips after a presidential election. He was able to hide his Pat Robertson roots and extreme past views (no birth control for married couples - WTF!!!? ) with a moderate veneer and great hair. He ran a disciplined campaign, and his opponent, an inept one. Plus, GOP base is just completely energized right now, and Dems kind of fat and happy.

Reasons for GOP to feel better, but longterm demographics of Virginia and the nation really favor the Democrats, especially if the social conservatives win the fight for control within the Republican party and kick out all the moderates. As has been happening for a decade.

With the clarification that you're talking VA GOP, that makes sense. That weird one term limit in VA also makes that state's politics a little nutty.

The media is trying it's damndest to turn this into some kind of Clinton Era Republican Revolution.

Seriously! What a joke.

 

[JMohegan]

You haven't buying into this 2012 apocalypse stuff, have you?

No, he's buying into Limbaugh's bull.

Isn't that how the Senate is supposed to work?

It's set up that way, sure.

 

[JMohegan]

Governors' races are always less party-focused, but regardless, I would like the Dems and Obama to be doing things differently. Still, the Republican party on the whole is still a disaster. I mean, really, I don't see how anyone can celebrate much of anything in politics these days, but whatever works for you.

I agree that there is little to celebrate right now. These are the slogging days, not pop-the-cork moments.

What would you like the Dems and Obama to be doing differently?

 

[intothewoods]

I agree that there is little to celebrate right now. These are the slogging days, not pop-the-cork moments.

What would you like the Dems and Obama to be doing differently?

I understand that the issues on the table are complicated and difficult, but Obama has a good understanding of these issues and he has smart people on his staff.

I wish that the financial bailout had been handled differently. I think there should have been more investigation into what regulatory oversight failed, with a real effort at reform. It seems that nothing has really changed on Wall Street. If we're going to bail out all of these financial firms, then there should be more accountability. Otherwise don't bail them out.

Health care - I understand health care is a minefield, but the dilly dallying over the public option was bullshit.

That stupid Fox News thing - why couldn't the administration handle this better, more directly? Just say, yes, Fox is biased, and so is MSNBC, but there are a few token conservatives on MSNBC and the non-opinion journalists on MSNBC are more credible and not complicit in reporting the crap made up by talking heads. Everybody has a bias, but Fox is more egregious in a few ways, and here's what they are. Or they could have ignored Fox all together. Either way would have been fine with me.

 

[Netzach]

First D for that district since the Civil Fucking War.

This could actually be bad news for Democrats, though, if it discourages the rabid right from viciously attacking and ousting more Republican moderates. But somehow I don't think they'll be deterred.

Reality and math do not matter in their dimension.

 

[Netzach]

That stupid Fox News thing - why couldn't the administration handle this better, more directly? Just say, yes, Fox is biased, and so is MSNBC, but there are a few token conservatives on MSNBC and the non-opinion journalists on MSNBC are more credible and not complicit in reporting the crap made up by talking heads. Everybody has a bias, but Fox is more egregious in a few ways, and here's what they are. Or they could have ignored Fox all together. Either way would have been fine with me.

That was a brililant political bit of puppet show while mountaintopping was being banned. Shhhh.

 

[Netzach]

Isn't that how the Senate is supposed to work?

Theoretically it was to keep population heavy areas from running everything. But I don't think the founders ever thought that 80 percent of us would live in cities and that the interests of rurals would ever form a kind of stranglehold on them. Look ME. I'd say about 90 percent of GLBT's in Maine over 18 live in Portland, where it would have passed. Outstate people who will never have to be confronted with the heinous sight of two women or two men raising children in their 12 person hamlet get to fuck them over.

 

[BiBunny]

Theoretically it was to keep population heavy areas from running everything. But I don't think the founders ever thought that 80 percent of us would live in cities and that the interests of rurals would ever form a kind of stranglehold on them. Look ME. I'd say about 90 percent of GLBT's in Maine over 18 live in Portland, where it would have passed. Outstate people who will never have to be confronted with the heinous sight of two women or two men raising children in their 12 person hamlet get to fuck them over.

Ok, that makes more sense now. Sorry, I'm kind of stupid about politics.

 

[JMohegan]

I understand that the issues on the table are complicated and difficult, but Obama has a good understanding of these issues and he has smart people on his staff.

I wish that the financial bailout had been handled differently. I think there should have been more investigation into what regulatory oversight failed, with a real effort at reform. It seems that nothing has really changed on Wall Street. If we're going to bail out all of these financial firms, then there should be more accountability. Otherwise don't bail them out.

Health care - I understand health care is a minefield, but the dilly dallying over the public option was bullshit.

I share your disgust on these issues.

If it were up to me, Glass-Steagall would be reinstated immediately, too big to fail would be too big to exist, and we'd have single payer for all.

The Presidential understanding and smart staff are present; the votes in the Senate are not.

 

[Etoile]

Don't blame me, I voted for Deeds. Really.

 

[intothewoods]

The Presidential understanding and smart staff are present; the votes in the Senate are not.

But I kept hearing that the Dems had enough votes on health care, but would say that they wanted a number that necessarily included Republican crossover. I understand the reasoning, but it seemed as though the Dems were hellbent on watering down the legislation to ridiculous extremes in order to reach for bipartisanship (which they weren't even getting).

And, I don't know, I just got the impression that there hasn't been much of an effort to rally the votes (except on health care). Hey, you're from Chicago. Get people in a room and negotiate. Be like LBJ. Get shit done.

 

[JMohegan]

But I kept hearing that the Dems had enough votes on health care, but would say that they wanted a number that necessarily included Republican crossover. I understand the reasoning, but it seemed as though the Dems were hellbent on watering down the legislation to ridiculous extremes in order to reach for bipartisanship (which they weren't even getting).

And, I don't know, I just got the impression that there hasn't been much of an effort to rally the votes (except on health care). Hey, you're from Chicago. Get people in a room and negotiate. Be like LBJ. Get shit done.

The Baucus Show this summer was a fucking nightmare.

Enough votes for what? It's still unclear that we'll even get Harry Reid's public option with the opt out provision (a.k.a. "throw BiBunny under the bus").

 

[ThorkelGriersen]

But I kept hearing that the Dems had enough votes on health care, but would say that they wanted a number that necessarily included Republican crossover. I understand the reasoning, but it seemed as though the Dems were hellbent on watering down the legislation to ridiculous extremes in order to reach for bipartisanship (which they weren't even getting).

And, I don't know, I just got the impression that there hasn't been much of an effort to rally the votes (except on health care). Hey, you're from Chicago. Get people in a room and negotiate. Be like LBJ. Get shit done

I'm old enough and ugly enough -- I've been in the room with LBJ, Mr Sam (Sam Rayburn) and John Connelly. They negotiated at the end of a barrel. Not a real gun but a political/economic one -- Or, "Do you really wanted to get re-elected?"

On Medicare, all the Republicans --100%-- were opposed. LBJ said, "Fine, I can pass it with Democrats only -- I know what each wants and needs, and I can take or give. I have control of this."

Funny damn thing. Suddenly most of the Republicans decided that they didn't want to go back to their districts and states and try to explain why they had opposed Medicare. A few did oppose and they became history.


Unfortunately, the public is like a baby. If it has never had a lolly-pop it doesn't know that it wants one. But once the baby has the lolly-pop, try to take it away.

Machiavelli said the same thing -- differently.

 

[Netzach]

The Baucus Show this summer was a fucking nightmare.

Enough votes for what? It's still unclear that we'll even get Harry Reid's public option with the opt out provision (a.k.a. "throw BiBunny under the bus").

Not gonna happen. The SAME people who "weren't gonna touch a single socialist stimulus dollar" will be FIRST at the teat. It's a chance to go suck your thumb and cry when the public gets what it does actually NEED even if it's too freaking stupid to point to Texas on a map and thinks it doesn't want it.

I know, I know the elitist assertion that there are people who do not know what is best for them blah etc. is offensive to out basic egalitariant instincts, but wide swaths of the people are the people we write helmet/motorcycle laws for. There are people who need to be looked after, it's a fact.

 

[Homburg]

McDonnell had a lot of things going for him in this election, at least locally. Politically speaking, he's considered local to my area, is a former Marine officer, and, wow, the ad that JM mentioned was killer. His daughter is really articulate and well-spoken, and that ad was strong. Anyway, McDonnell, by my guess, had this area pretty locked up. The VA vote is heavily located in NOVA, Here, and Richmond, so locking up Hampton Roads is a pretty good thing.

Then you had the fact that Deeds' campaign was pretty damned lame. Whoever they had pushing ads was off the ball, and McDonnell's response ads were just spot on. Deeds campaign pushed the issue hard on some negative comments regarding women in the workplace, so McDonnell's ran an ad chock full of women that McDonnell had hired putting forward their support of him. Effective. Whoever he had managing that is good stuff.

Personally, I voted for "NEITHER". Deeds failed to grab me, and I am still unhappy enough with Republicans in general to think about voting for one, especially when I expected him to win strongly anyway.

And, yes, the polls were dead. Utterly dead. There were the usual requisite one or two oldsters there, one guy in uniform picking up his kids, and two soccer mom types. And that was it for the whole time I was there. viv and I walked up, had no line at all, and went right to the booths. The other folks I mentioned were either walking away as we walked up, or arriving while we left.

 

[Netzach]

The Baucus Show this summer was a fucking nightmare.

Enough votes for what? It's still unclear that we'll even get Harry Reid's public option with the opt out provision (a.k.a. "throw BiBunny under the bus").

The longer I watch this all happen, the more I begin to think there are actually masterful political forces in play. I think maybe, maybe, theres' intent here, and that no one's happier to watch the internal "let's purge the RINO's" stuff happen as the GOP goes full on social conservative enough to become as relevant as "cows on the track." And this would never have had the chance to happen this long hot summer had the Pres. NOT sat back, let congress be fuck ups - I believe that heads are going to be knocked, majority is going to be forced. Rahm deployed.

It says "well we gave you every opportunity to get in line with the majority of Americans and their concerns, and you listened to the 5-30 percent of them who are not in the mainstream. Good luck, hope your district was full of them."

You don't really think Warren Buffett's BNSF stops for cows, do you?

 

[sb2009]

And, yes, the polls were dead. Utterly dead. There were the usual requisite one or two oldsters there, one guy in uniform picking up his kids, and two soccer mom types. And that was it for the whole time I was there. viv and I walked up, had no line at all, and went right to the booths. The other folks I mentioned were either walking away as we walked up, or arriving while we left.

I was one of the soccer moms ;-)

 

[Etoile]

McDonnell had a lot of things going for him in this election, at least locally. Politically speaking, he's considered local to my area, is a former Marine officer, and, wow, the ad that JM mentioned was killer. His daughter is really articulate and well-spoken, and that ad was strong. Anyway, McDonnell, by my guess, had this area pretty locked up. The VA vote is heavily located in NOVA, Here, and Richmond, so locking up Hampton Roads is a pretty good thing.

Holy shit...you're right, he IS associated with your area. When I first saw that comment, I was really confused, because up here (NOVA) they pushed him strongly as being a Fairfax County boy. But I just checked Wikipedia, and his residence is in VA Beach. He grew up here, but has lived in Newport News and VA Beach for 30 years. I had no idea...they just kept saying "Fairfax's Own Bob McDonnell" or whatever so I assumed he was local.

But yeah, the ad with his daughter ("when my dad was elected, I was in Iraq, blah blah") was pretty good. I can't think of a single good ad from Deeds. I voted for him for obvious reasons (he wasn't as pro-gay as Brian Moran, but way better than McDonnell) but he really didn't run a very good campaign.

And yeah, if you're not in Tidewater, Nova, or Richmond, you basically suck.

(You suck a little less than the rest if you're in Roanoke, but you still suck.)

 

[sb2009]

And yeah, if you're not in Tidewater, Nova, or Richmond, you basically suck.

(You suck a little less than the rest if you're in Roanoke, but you still suck.)

that is so NOT FAIR!!!

yeah, and I figured it was lost when I kept hearing everyone talk about how McDonnell "supports the military" which is always such a lame assed thrown together comment, it drives me nuts. "The military" is a huge diverse group of people, most of them making working class wages, not some collective hive=mind who thinks one way only.

 

[WriterDom]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OofKjVA-daw&feature=related

Seems like an up and comer. Hope he doesn't chase South American tail.

 

[intothewoods]

I'm old enough and ugly enough -- I've been in the room with LBJ, Mr Sam (Sam Rayburn) and John Connelly. They negotiated at the end of a barrel. Not a real gun but a political/economic one -- Or, "Do you really wanted to get re-elected?"

On Medicare, all the Republicans --100%-- were opposed. LBJ said, "Fine, I can pass it with Democrats only -- I know what each wants and needs, and I can take or give. I have control of this."

Funny damn thing. Suddenly most of the Republicans decided that they didn't want to go back to their districts and states and try to explain why they had opposed Medicare. A few did oppose and they became history.


Unfortunately, the public is like a baby. If it has never had a lolly-pop it doesn't know that it wants one. But once the baby has the lolly-pop, try to take it away.

Machiavelli said the same thing -- differently.

I love that shit.

The Baucus Show this summer was a fucking nightmare.

Enough votes for what? It's still unclear that we'll even get Harry Reid's public option with the opt out provision (a.k.a. "throw BiBunny under the bus").

I suppose at this point I'll take any public option. And it is unclear, I guess. I looked up Nate Silver's take on it. He says as much and he's usually got a good handle on these things. But I had heard that the Democrats had a majority to pass health care reform withe the public option, but wanted a wider margin than that, and so were willing to take out a lot to get that. I guess it was just speculation at that point.

 

[Etoile]

that is so NOT FAIR!!!

Wait, where are you? If you're anywhere but 276 you're okay. 276 is kind of scary though. It's like Tennessee, but not.

 

[Homburg]

Holy shit...you're right, he IS associated with your area. When I first saw that comment, I was really confused, because up here (NOVA) they pushed him strongly as being a Fairfax County boy. But I just checked Wikipedia, and his residence is in VA Beach. He grew up here, but has lived in Newport News and VA Beach for 30 years. I had no idea...they just kept saying "Fairfax's Own Bob McDonnell" or whatever so I assumed he was local.

Yup, that's why I said he was "politically" from here. Given that, his background, that killer ad with his daughter, etc, I knew he'd sewn this region up. And, honestly, he's not as bad as many are.

But yeah, the ad with his daughter ("when my dad was elected, I was in Iraq, blah blah") was pretty good. I can't think of a single good ad from Deeds. I voted for him for obvious reasons (he wasn't as pro-gay as Brian Moran, but way better than McDonnell) but he really didn't run a very good campaign.

To an extent, I think Deeds lost because, blue-wise, he was a wuss. He didn't hold to many strong democrat positions, and tried to play too middle of the road. Great way to energise your base, y'know?

And yeah, if you're not in Tidewater, Nova, or Richmond, you basically suck.

(You suck a little less than the rest if you're in Roanoke, but you still suck.)

Suck it, western VA. *he says knowing he has to drive out to BFE in Western VA tomorrow possibly. Fuck.*