freeman3 wrote:Thankfully, I have my Republican friends here to keep me apprised of the shellacking my party took...
But what is the Republican brand that is being sold ? If it's primarily anti-Obama then that is likely to have a short shelf-life.

Compared maybe to . . . the war on women?

It's not "just" anti-Obama. It's about getting the government working--no budget in five years, no amendments on bills in the Senate, no votes on bills Obama didn't like in the Senate, etc.

And of course we are getting into a cycle where Republicans do better in mid-term elections because of higher turn- out among their voters. And mostly likely we will see a different result in 2016 when Democrats turn out to vote again.

Maybe, but no Obama on the ballot.

And, I didn't hear whining about turnout in other off-year elections. Or, Republican turnout in 2012.

Also, Republicans did worse among most demographic groups as opposed to 2010. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the ... epublican/

In particular, they did worse with women and Hispanic voters.

Meaning those groups didn't feel they were "under siege." The Democratic message of fear failed.

So this election does not necessarily portend good things for Republicans in 2016.

True.

Strangely, after 2012, the GOP was all but supposed to die. Hmm, I guess we'll be dead in 2016.

Whether they can come up with a positive brand that appeals to young, minority or female voters seems highly problematic.

Because nothing says "young" like Hillary.

Doctor Fate wrote:The President is not willing to change the ACA in any meaningful way. He says it's working. Just wait until all the bills are in for next year's rates.

He didn't say that, as I recall. He said no law is perfect, and he said that in relation to the ACA. He made clear that he would veto any repeal, but he also said that he'd consider changes to make the law better.

geojanes wrote:

Doctor Fate wrote:The President is not willing to change the ACA in any meaningful way. He says it's working. Just wait until all the bills are in for next year's rates.

He didn't say that, as I recall. He said no law is perfect, and he said that in relation to the ACA. He made clear that he would veto any repeal, but he also said that he'd consider changes to make the law better.

Yeah, so Republicans should join with Obama in thumbing their noses at the electorate? How dumb would that be? We're not talking about a law that people like.

And, what he considers making it "better" is not likely what the GOP would agree with.

Another note: I hear the Democrats saying this is "typical" of such a cycle. Really?

The last time the GOP had numbers in the House like they will was . . . 1929. So, what kind of "typical" result is that?

In five years, they've gone from having 60 Senators to . . . 45?

GOP controls 31 of 50 governor's offices.

Okay, keep going Democrats! Or, better yet, go further left as many Dem's are advising. I love it!

At the end of the day you need the presidency to translate all this into real, tangible results. Without that this mid-term election doesn't mean much. Just as we could not force Republicans to give in you're not going to be able to force Obama to give in. So enjoy this historic Republican victory...until you get the first vetoed bill...

freeman3 wrote:At the end of the day you need the presidency to translate all this into real, tangible results. Without that this mid-term election doesn't mean much. Just as we could not force Republicans to give in you're not going to be able to force Obama to give in. So enjoy this historic Republican victory...until you get the first vetoed bill...

I will enjoy that too.

You don't get it. GWB dealt with it. Clinton dealt with it.

Obama thinks he's above it.

I see Carpal Tunnel in Obama 's future ...

freeman3 wrote:I see Carpal Tunnel in Obama 's future ...

That's much better than him signing legislation as poorly constructed as the ACA.

Speaking of which, I think I bet you $20 that The ACA would be more popular by January, 2015. I don 't really remember the exact terms of the bet , however.

freeman3 wrote:Speaking of which, I think I bet you $20 that The ACA would be more popular by January, 2015. I don 't really remember the exact terms of the bet , however.

If you can win, the terms must have been very kind.

Nah, I was kind of assuming I was losing the bet and didn't want to welch on it (which is a major character defect in my book). I think it must have been that more people supported the ACA than were against it as of 1-1-15. So I owe you $20 if the ACA does not get majority approval by 1-1-15.

Oh and Obama need not veto bills...he can have just Senate Democrats filibuster --like the Republicans did from 2008-2010. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/1201 ... filibuster

Payback is a....

Or Republicans could say you give us tax cuts we'll give you minimum wage. You give us Keystone we'll give you infrastructure. You give us trade expansion we give you student loan relief. Let's work something out on immigration.
But it's not going to happen . It's going to be give us what we want and we'll give you nothing. Watch.

freeman3 wrote:Oh and Obama need not veto bills...he can have just Senate Democrats filibuster --like the Republicans did from 2008-2010. http://www.newrepublic.com/article/1201 ... filibuster

Payback is a....

This is true but the belief is that the items are going to be so popular with the public some Democrat Senators will vote for cloture to end the filibusters. With the Republicans having a 54/46 majority (most likely outcome as of now), it will only take 6 Democrats to vote with them for cloture.

And that is assuming the Republicans do not go with a simple majority to end cloture such as Harry Reid did for appointments. After all payback is a .....

freeman3

Speaking of which, I think I bet you $20 that The ACA would be more popular by January, 2015. I don 't really remember the exact terms of the bet , however.

you win the bet.... maybe

Elleithee says, "One thing that is much more unpopular than the Affordable Care Act is repealing the Affordable Care Act." Polls support that idea: Generally speaking, more people are against the idea of repeal than the Affordable Care Act

.
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter ... ng-obamac/

Obama will be more than willing to fight the fight on the ACA. If Republican extremists make it about repeal, it will end up being a tough issue. In 25 States the ACA is a reaility and as people become familiar with it, they are positive about it. And these tend to be larger States with more electoral votes...

An interesting factoid about the Senate election. 117,000 votes in total is all that made the Senate Republican. If you take the margin of election in Alaska North Carolin and North Dakota thats all that was needed to keep the Senate Democratic. This probably says more about the odditiy of having an election in which only 1/3 of a deliberative body up for election - and not the chief executive either.