Tuesday's USA Election

[caeron]

Boehner's writing checks he can't cash.

He doesn't have the votes to repeal the healthcare legislation. He can keep up the congressional gridlock, but for now that ship has sailed.

[Guest Conway]

I won't get into it in this forum, but I think this is not true. The republican machine is much, much better than the democratic machine and they controlled the message. People were seriously talking about death panels when the proposal was just to give people a chance to honestly consult about the end of life wishes. I think that was symptomatic of the whole debate on healthcare.

No need to "get into it". We're just two people with very different opinions as to what drove the middle back over to the GOP in this election. Obama won the middle in 2008. He lost it by being exactly the kind of politician that he campaigned against being as a candidate.

[caeron]

No need to "get into it". We're just two people with very different opinions as to what drove the middle back over to the GOP in this election. Obama won the middle in 2008. He lost it by being exactly the kind of politician that he campaigned against being as a candidate.

I think he lost because the republicans controlled the messaging. A fiscal stimulus in a huge recession and requiring people to buy health care insurance from private companies is hardly radical. But the republicans very effectively painted it as radical, and the democrats couldn't message their way out of a wet paper bag.

I think Obama's problem was that he _was_ the type of politician that he said he would be. The Republicans beat him up, but he didn't return the favor soon enough and often enough. In our sharply partisan political world, he needed to deal with the world as it was, not as he wished it were.

The publically televised health care debate was moronic. The suggestion that all debates would be in the open was moronic. Deals get made behind closed doors.

I think he was naive. Time will tell if he learns his lessons.

I think the Republicans are in for a tough road. They've won enough that I think people will hold them accountable, but not enough that they can drive their agenda.

We'll see how it plays out.

Maybe someday we'll have a republican party that isn't thrall to the religious right and I'll be able to vote for one who actually believes in fiscal responsibility and individual liberties, including sexual ones.

[Guest zipperzone]

I think he was naive. Time will tell if he learns his lessons.

Maybe someday we'll have a republican party that isn't thrall to the religious right and I'll be able to vote for one who actually believes in fiscal responsibility and individual liberties, including sexual ones.

I think it will be a case of too little, too late. The only way he can win in '12 is if Palin is on the ballot as their Presidential candidate - very unlikely - otherwise he's dead meat.

As to your last paragraph - not in our lifetime, it just ain't gonna happen.

[RA1]

The result of the election will likely be a log jam until the next election. The R's cannot repeal the health bill or likely very much else. However, the House can defund the various agencies that operate it. Personally, I see little difference between the two parties. Pols cannot be trusted period. However, the one result I do see is if the Congress (and perhaps administration) does not pay attention to the discord prevalent in the nation, there WILL be a REAL re-shuffling in the next Congress as well as the White House.

Therefore, the voters HAVE to take responsiblity for their own welfare and benefit and MAKE the pols pay attention. I know, little hope.

Best regards,

RA1

[lookin]

Therefore, the voters HAVE to take responsiblity for their own welfare and benefit and MAKE the pols pay attention. I know, little hope.

I definitely agree with your first statement, but don't share your (perhaps temporary?) lack of hope.

For me, the only logical thing to do is shift some of my modest efforts from away from federal solutions and toward state and local solutions, where possible.

As a first step, I plan to get more involved in the campaign for single-payer health care in California. The state legislature has twice sent a single-payer bill to a Republican governor who, predictably, vetoed it. Our newly-elected Democratic governor has been non-committal on the issue throughout his campaign, saying he wants to see how it would be paid for. Fair enough. That's a place to start. The election of a progressive Lieutenant Governor who delivered increased health coverage in San Francisco should make the job easier, as will the shift to majority (rather than two-thirds) budget approval in the legislature.

I'm not at all averse to letting the states lead the feds whenever possible, nor to letting the county lead the state, nor to letting the community lead the county. To 'think globally and act locally' seems especially relevant now. The odds are better.

[Lucky]

That progressive newly elected Lieutenant Governor has been placed in a position where he can do the least harm. He lacks integrity and loyalty, and San Francisco is lucky to be rid of him! He is likely the one most responsible for the Prop 8 victory.

[caeron]

The result of the election will likely be a log jam until the next election. The R's cannot repeal the health bill or likely very much else. However, the House can defund the various agencies that operate it. Personally, I see little difference between the two parties. Pols cannot be trusted period. However, the one result I do see is if the Congress (and perhaps administration) does not pay attention to the discord prevalent in the nation, there WILL be a REAL re-shuffling in the next Congress as well as the White House.

Therefore, the voters HAVE to take responsiblity for their own welfare and benefit and MAKE the pols pay attention. I know, little hope.

Best regards,

RA1

No chance of that. The electorate has the memory of a gnat.

The only difference I see between the parties is one what they want to spend on, and that one of the parties wants to ensure we're second class citizens.

[Guest Matrix]

When the people of our land awaken some morning in the distant future and view ruin and carnage from their bedroom windows because the two political parties of our land viewed themselves more important than the land - We will look toward our coasts for new ships, carrying newer, braver and more deserving men and women to begin this land a new.

Oh wait, that's already been happening.

[BiBottomBoy]

I'm going to miss Christine O'Donnell being in the news.

[JKane]

That progressive newly elected Lieutenant Governor has been placed in a position where he can do the least harm. He lacks integrity and loyalty, and San Francisco is lucky to be rid of him! He is likely the one most responsible for the Prop 8 victory.

I was happy to vote for Newsome, sure his marriages may have been ill-timed, but bad timing hasn't stopped gay activists before.

Keep in mind that while Lt. Gov is a pretty worthless position it is under the oldest guy elected Governor in California's history. So maybe he gets a promotion...

I had really hoped Prop. 19 would bring out the youth vote in spades and Democrats would benefit on the side, decimating the Republican minority in the state government to the point they couldn't obstruct everything... but maybe the passage of the proposition that no longer requires 2/3rds to pass a budget will help... though it doesn't give them any way to raise much needed revenues without 2/3rds again.

Maybe they can cut back the prison-industrial complex, and free up some cash that way...

[JKane]

I'm going to miss Christine O'Donnell being in the news.

She has to fucking leave it first!!! I think it's pretty clear now she'll pull a Palin, and hang to her 15 minutes as long as she possibly can.

[TotallyOz]

She has to fucking leave it first!!! I think it's pretty clear now she'll pull a Palin, and hang to her 15 minutes as long as she possibly can.

Love her or hate her, Palin is not going away anytime soon!

[BiBottomBoy]

Palin bores me.

It's one thing to shoot bears from helicopters, it's far funnier when you want to get rid of male masturbation in America.

[TotallyOz]

Palin is no more of a joke to the American people than the American people are to the world. The world watches Fox and asks me, "why"?

[RA1]

I definitely agree with your first statement, but don't share your (perhaps temporary?) lack of hope.

For me, the only logical thing to do is shift some of my modest efforts from away from federal solutions and toward state and local solutions, where possible.

As a first step, I plan to get more involved in the campaign for single-payer health care in California. The state legislature has twice sent a single-payer bill to a Republican governor who, predictably, vetoed it. Our newly-elected Democratic governor has been non-committal on the issue throughout his campaign, saying he wants to see how it would be paid for. Fair enough. That's a place to start. The election of a progressive Lieutenant Governor who delivered increased health coverage in San Francisco should make the job easier, as will the shift to majority (rather than two-thirds) budget approval in the legislature.

I'm not at all averse to letting the states lead the feds whenever possible, nor to letting the county lead the state, nor to letting the community lead the county. To 'think globally and act locally' seems especially relevant now. The odds are better.

lookin-

You really know how to turn me on. I completely agree with local participation and leadership, if not even more. The feds need to be led by the nose (or other parts). Thanks.

Best regards,

RA1