The official Election Day 2006 thread!

[Varitek]

The Dems were put out in 94 the same way the Rep were put out now, because the people were fed up and wanted 'change.' When will the American people ever learn there will be no 'change' with the stagnant two party system? In a year or two everyone will be fed up with the Dems again. The cycle never ends.

I'm not the biggest fan of only two choices, which can be very polarizing and very centrist at the same time, but I have to say, a parliamentary system with endless arguments over coalition rule, coalitions falling apart, etc isn't much better in terms of cycles and productivity. Nothing's perfect. I support (not with money, but I'm happy to see) all third party candidates running in elections, even the ones I see as wackos, because I think variety is good for the electorate.

 

[redhotswami]

I support (not with money, but I'm happy to see) all third party candidates running in elections, even the ones I see as wackos, because I think variety is good for the electorate.

Hehe, yeah I do too! I loved how on that one cartoon Eek!, Ross Perot was the president.

And this guy...

he is soooo nice. I met him years ago.

 

[trevster2k]

being somewhat of a political novice, can someone explain to me the house and senate can now prevent bush from doing in the final two years?

I'm not really affiliated with any party right now, but Its not hard to see that the Republicans turned our country into a terrible direction, so I'm glad the Dems won

I'm Just a Bill

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dVo3nbLYC0

This is all I know about it.

 

[U2democrat]

Schoolhouse rock

 

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Right, though money would be the main issue.

not if you're a multi-billionaire who can finance his own campaign, dollar for dollar with either the dems or the republicans, without need to take a single penny from special interest groups...

 

[U2democrat]

 

[U2democrat]

From MSNBC:
Report: GOP's George Allen to concede race for Senate seat from Virginia.

 

[redhotswami]

:high5: to all my fellow Webb supporters!!!

 

[U2democrat]

Bush is talking.


I don't think I've ever seen him wear a yellow tie before A nice change from the usual red or blue.


Ahem anyway...

 

[ntalwar]

The Dems were put out in 94 the same way the Rep were put out now, because the people were fed up and wanted 'change.' When will the American people ever learn there will be no 'change' with the stagnant two party system? In a year or two everyone will be fed up with the Dems again. The cycle never ends.

What issues are you referring to?
The 1964 Civil Rights Act and some other landmark legislation was passed under the two party system. That seems like a big change to me.

 

[U2democrat]

Allen to concede at 3:00

Webb press conference at 4:15

 

[Jeannieco]

Bush is talking.


I don't think I've ever seen him wear a yellow tie before A nice change from the usual red or blue.


Ahem anyway...

I was listening to Stephanie Miller on the radio when the press conference came on and she said Bush's cabinet behind him looked like "a satanic MT.Rushmore"

She is so funny! Love her

 

[U2democrat]

Allen's conceding now

 

[the rockin edge]

 

[U2democrat]

Did you catch him throwing the football before he started?

 

[the rockin edge]

no i'm not watching it.

 

[redhotswami]

Yeah what the hell?

 

[redhotswami]

well, I didn't hear him announce he will be running for president, so that is a relief.

 

[U2democrat]

Now I can keep my photos of Webb with Michael J. Fox up and not feel any sadness

 

[redhotswami]

^ yay me too!!

Also, I just went to Allen's website (allen.senate.gov) and it has not been updated since Oct 12! Why wasn't that used in a campaign ad?

 

[Varitek]

I was listening to Stephanie Miller on the radio when the press conference came on and she said Bush's cabinet behind him looked like "a satanic MT.Rushmore"

She is so funny! Love her

Um Cheney looked like he'd walked in on his lesbian daughter.

 

[Varitek]

oh and I forgot. It's official, have to throw my two cents out about that:




*licks the remaining icing and crumbs from the terrorist cake plate*

 

[redhotswami]

Why isn't the press conference on???

 

[dazzledbylight]

I agree, all anyone thought was we want 'change' but like you say they would have voted Pee Wee Herman just to get something different. But it is not different, it's the same old guard recycled again and again, it only depends on who's the pariah of the moment, then they vote the other way. In the end, nothing changes, and there is nothing to celebrate. We ALL lose. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss, and the ones before that, and back again, in circles, going nowhere.

ya know I just don't know how you can really say that.

here's some reasons why........

just what period of American political life are you talking about?

Surely NOT when FDR wrested Americaout of in Hooverville [previous president]and gave safety nets to the old with Social Securty.
It has raised 2/3rds of the previously poor elderly up into a deccent life.

ANd it has ALSO helped the disabled live better lives even have given many years of life to those whoes poverty and disability together might have furthuer hasrmed ot killed them outright way faster.

What about food stamps?

Then there's that mix of awful parinoia with some genuinely helpful prgrams from Nixon [which i didn't know about till after he died - the good stuff, this is]...Environmental Protection agency and OHSA [safety for workers]. Maye some part of his Quaker upbringing kicked in.

OHSA and the EPA started getting undermanned & underfunded so these laws weakend during Reagon's terms onward.till CLinton came in.
then the demoting of these laws started up again under team Bush.

Of course when THESE Neo-con Republicans started to cut funding.....programs for the Disabled, esp disabled poor, or those getting benifits just above the Medicaid cut-off, too. They have suffered over the last 6 years.

And how do you feel about the handling of Hurricane Katrina?

DO you know during President Clinton's presidency FEMA was considered one of the best working agancies. We would have seen alot quicker & more effective rescue/releif work down there in Lousiana, Missassippiu etc if THAT FEMAstill had been in place!

" '.....meet the new, same as the old boss...' ", Butterscotch??
:l
I believe there's a song line that goes " it t'aint necessarily so...."
Be
cause it suuuurree isn't, in many ways.

 

[dazzledbylight]

I share in your joy, U2Dem. Since you are still unable to talk in coherent syllables, how about another language? To wit, in Armenian (which I have been jumping around the house the past few hrs yelling) :

"ASDVADZ IM!!!!!!!!!!!!(OH MY GOD)!!!!!!!!"

i love learning bits of new lanuages!

 

[dazzledbylight]

Trust me I know...following 12 years of GOP control is never going to be easy. Hopefully people will be patient as the Dems get their bearings. They've got to get to know each other, too!

and look how much mess we have to clean up/reverse, as well!!!

 

[dazzledbylight]

I was listening to Stephanie Miller on the radio when the press conference came on and she said Bush's cabinet behind him looked like "a satanic MT.Rushmore"

She is so funny! Love her

 

[dazzledbylight]

sorry quote error

 

[I'm Ready]

What we have right now is a stalemate (a little better than a stalemate if the Democrats do get the Senate). In practical matters:

1. The House controls the money.
2. The Senate can block the confirmation of any nominee
that it finds inappropriate. (Justice Stevens is feeling
a little poorly) The President will find it a little more difficult
to get his way in his picks.
3. The President may be more cautious in pursuing heretofore
persidentially approved activity because the chance of
investigation has just gone up 100%.
4. The President, who does not like to compromise, will
have to compromise if he wants to get anything passed.
Although the President can veto (or get around a veto
by his infamous signing statements), injudicious use of
veto guarantees that he will not be able to work with
Congress to get anything he wants. If nothing else
(and I hope it's more than this), Congress can sit on its
tail and just block everything the President wants to do.
Having expended all his political capital (even with his
own party), the President is in for a very lonely two years
unless he is willing to work with the President.
5. It reduces the chance of the Republicans tacking on
dumbass political agenda codicils to bills the Democrats
want (ie, estate tax abolishment tacked on to minimum
wage increase) It also increases the chance of Democrats
doing the same.

All this, of course, is dependent on the respective new Majority Leader and Speaker being able to keep the Democrats in line, which is why you will be seeing these novice moderate and conservative Senators and Representatives being given plum committee assignments and pork to take home.

My guess is that the Democrats will run a very tight ship.

thanks

 

[80sU2isBest]

And how do you feel about the handling of Hurricane Katrina?

DO you know during President Clinton's presidency FEMA was considered one of the best working agancies. We would have seen alot quicker & more effective rescue/releif work down there in Lousiana, Missassippiu etc if THAT FEMAstill had been in place!

" '.....meet the new, same as the old boss...' ", Butterscotch??
:l
I believe there's a song line that goes " it t'aint necessarily so...."
Be
cause it suuuurree isn't, in many ways.

What? No mention of Clinton's ATF, which spear-headed the whole David Koresh fiasco, which ended in the deaths of dozens of innocent men, women and children?

Or how about Reno authorizing the feds' illegal armed entry of the house of Elian Gonzales on Easter weekend, pointing a gun in the child's face, and taking him crying and screaming away from the only people he knew in the entire USA - no mention of that?

Or how about Clinton sending troops to Somalia on a "peace-keeping" mission, not allowing them to fire back. How about those 12 soldiers that were killed there and dragged through the streets. How about the fact that Clinton did not retaliate for that?

You're looking at the Clinton Admin through Rose-colored glasses; there's no doubt about that.