But as Republicans plan to reserve the first 100 days of Congress for their more partisan goals, Democrats are preparing roadblocks. The party’s brutal election-year wounds have been salted by evidence of Russian election interference, Mr. Trump’s hard-line cabinet picks and his taunting Twitter posts. (On Saturday, he offered New Year’s wishes “to all,” including “those who have fought me and lost so badly they just don’t know what to do.”)So... they do know what to do? The idea is to put up "roadblocks."
The Senate may be narrowly divided, but among the 48 senators in the Democratic caucus* are 10 who will stand for re-election in two years in states that voted for Mr. Trump. Republicans are counting on their support, at least some of the time.You know the stages of grief: 1. Denial, 2. Carping, 3. Thwarting....
But on many issues, Senate Democrats — including their new leader, Chuck Schumer of New York — are expected to pivot from postelection carping to active thwarting, using complex Senate procedures and political messaging to slow or perhaps block elements of Mr. Trump’s agenda.
ADDED: Here's a chart showing all those Democratic Senators who must run in 2018. I grabbed that at Wikipedia's "United States Senate elections, 2018":
You can see that the right-hand column needs to be updated to show the actual results of the 2016 election. There are 12 seats held by Democrats, and the chart anticipates that all 12 will go Democratic in the 2016 election, but in real life, 10 of those 12 went for Trump. One of the 2 seats occupied by Republicans did go for Clinton in 2016 (Nevada). Still, that's a harsh picture for the Democrats in the Senate.
I'm especially interested in the Wisconsin race. Tammy Baldwin was elected in 2012, when Obama was on the ticket. Obama got 52.83% here, and Baldwin got 51.4%. Here's a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article about Republicans gearing up to challenge Baldwin. One of them is Eric Hovde, who came very close to being the GOP nominee in 2012, but got edged out by the former governor, Tommy Thompson, who went on to run a terrible, lackluster campaign. Another is Congressman Sean Duffy, who was an early supporter of Trump's and who shares Trump's background in the reality-TV business. Duffy was on "The Real World" in the 1997 season (Boston) and he's married to Rachel Campos-Duffy, who was on "The Real World" in 1994 (the best-ever season, San Francisco). Those 2 have 8 children together.
__________________________
* There are 46 Democratic Senators, plus 2 Democrats who are in the Democratic caucus. You see the name of one of them on the chart above, Angus King. The other one is the one who challenged Hillary Clinton for the Democratic nomination when everybody actually in her party obeyed orders and stood down.
Posts
82 comments:
Hey, the late Sen. Jesse Helms didn't get to be known as "Senator 'No'" for nothing. (Oh, right, he engaged in morally justified thwarting... )
More mush from the whimps. How do they know Democrats have been "salted" by any or all these things?
There is a surprising glimmer of honesty in there where they admit the Democrats will be an obstructionist party of "no".
The Republicans will lose their nerve.
They can't bring themselves to believe the things they say they believe in: they still view the world fearfully through the New York Times feedback loop.
Lucy and the football, always.
I am Laslo.
Until I see some results, these calls for an effort to "perform" are nothing but platitudes. When some legislation is rammed through to reverse damage to the United States, then I may believe they're doing something besides practicing their word merchant skills.
So starting tomorrow dissent is officially patriotic again?
The Republican Senator and His Mistress…
“Don’t worry, baby: it happens to all men, sometimes…”
“I don’t understand. I took my Viagra…”
“You’re under a lot of pressure.”
“But I really wanted my cock sucked today: I really did.”
“I know, baby, I know…”
“It’s just that damned New York Times. I’m not a bad guy, you know…?
“I know. They can be very hurtful…”
“I read the comments there, and you would think I killed all of their grandmothers or something.”
“There are a lot of people out there who just want something, or someone, to hate, that’s all…”
“And the Editorials: oh God…”
“They are NOT good people, baby…”
“I know, I know. But it still hurts. And now they’re killing my cock.”
“You can’t let them take your cock away from you, baby: you’ve got to be stronger than them…”
“Look at me: look at my poor limp shriveled cock….”
“You can’t feel sorry for yourself, baby. You gotta do what’s right.”
“You mean go back to my wife?”
“No, no: you need to be strong and stand up for the people that voted for you, no matter what the media says…”
“And you think that will give me back my cock?”
“Oh yeah. You’ll be back to a magnificent rock-hard four inches in no time…”
“Thank you. You really understand me, you know….?”
“Of course I do. Just remember that the rent on my apartment is due this week…”
I am Laslo.
I did not know that Sean Duffy had been on a reality show. That explains why he is on cable TV all the time now. Not impressed.
Until I see some results, these calls for an effort to "perform" are nothing but platitudes.
I believe this too. There is strong evidence however the GOP has it's ducks in a row. They've already tested the reconciliation tools to place a tax package on President Obama's desk, which he quickly vetoed (was that ever reported MSM?). They plan to use those procedures to enact not just tax reform but much of the agenda in the Paul Ryan framework and short of bravely running away there's little the Democrats can do to stop it, despite the leftie bluster to the contrary.
Between reconciliation, cabinet powers and the pen and the phone Obama leaves behind they won't need to look for help from the left before midterms.
Speaking as a WI resident and voter, I think that Tammy Baldwin will be defeated. I can't remember her doing anything for WI or the country since she was elected. She's never in the news.
Heh.
Now we Democrats get to "Punch Back Twice As Hard"
My party lost, but none of my friends are snowflakes. We are ready for tough legislative battles. Live, learn and keep on coming back. I expect the same from Republicans when we are in office.
Ann, I am really tired of the incessant posts on the wining media. How about highlighting some of the pros and cons of the upcoming legislative agenda and where you see things going.? Repeal and Replace will be very interesting.
One of the problems that I see with you, VDH and Instapundit is that you exist in the hothouse of the university world and have distorted views of what is going on in Liberal/Progressive/Independent/Democratic circles outside of blogs and your "grandee" academic peers. You are making same equivalent dismissal of Progressive "Flyover" country. You may in for a surprise in 4 years.
Moreover, the buzz is that in addition to executive orders, Obamacare relief and some first step to tax reform can and will be ready in the first few days. There's been reporting Trump wants to shorten the length of the inaugural parade, which the lefties concluded as Trump worries about public protests that day. In fact it's more likely Trump is trying to clear his schedule since he has other things to accomplish that day.
We are ready for tough legislative battles
On major pieces of legislation, outside of symbolic gestures, harping and few stall tactics there's really little Democrats can do.
...harping and few stall tactics...
We'll also learn who the obstructionists in Congress really are.
We are ready for tough legislative battles.
What battles? Haven't you heard, Robert? Since 2009, the POTUS does it all with his pen and his phone.
GOP couldn't stop Obama with congressional majorities, so how are democrat minorities going to obstruct Trump?
Laslo Spatula said...
The Republicans will lose their nerve.
Certainly what the left is counting on as it's about all it has left.
Oh please oh please let Chuck Todd find the right thing to say to slay the GOP
The Republican Senator and His Mistress…
“Don’t worry, baby: it happens to all men, sometimes…”
“It’s all Donald Trump’s fault…”
“Donald Trump is keeping you from getting an erection? I don’t get it…”
“He’s got the people all riled up. They’re expecting big things to get done. I don’t DO ‘big things’: I just try to keep my head down, mostly.”
“Maybe now is the time to start doing ‘big things’, baby…”
“I got Trump on one side, the New York Times and the Media on the other: they are killing my cock.”
“Baby, they can only kill your cock if you LET them kill your cock.”
“I even tried to masturbate to some underage porn I got from that FBI Investigation, and nothing works…”
“You want me to put my hair in pigtails again? Will that help? I still have the lollipops…”
“It doesn’t matter. I mean, why couldn’t the people have elected Hillary? Then I could just pretend to be principled, no one would expect me to actually accomplish anything…”
“So you are saying your cock would work if only Hillary had been elected? Hillary held the power to your cock? Do you not see what you are doing to yourself…?”
“My Soul is in torment…”
“You have to make a stand, baby. It’s time for you to reclaim your cock — all magnificent four inches of it…”
“That’s pretty big, right? Tell me that’s pretty big…”
“Baby, it’s huuuuuuuge….”
“Was that a Trump joke? Are you mocking me…?”
“Baby, I’ll take a hard four inches over a flaccid nine inches, always…”
“You always say the right thing.”
“Do it, baby: do what the People elected you to do. Take back your cock.”
“Okay, okay…”
“And I’m almost out of spending money: you’ll take care of that, right…?”
I am Laslo.
"AllenS said...
Speaking as a WI resident and voter, I think that Tammy Baldwin will be defeated. I can't remember her doing anything for WI or the country since she was elected. She's never in the news."
Unfair Allen. She did allow a bunch of Vets to die while she was covering up abuses at the VA. That made news. Well, sorta. The MSM didn't think it was all that important.
You know the stages of grief: 1. Denial, 2. Carping, 3. Thwarting....
4. Losing more ground in 2018, . . .
You're right, George, I had forgotten about that. Even more reason for her to lose.
"The most powerful and ambitious Republican-led Congress in 20 years will convene Tuesday with plans to leave its mark on virtually every facet of American life..."
"... refashioning the country’s social safety net, wiping out scores of labor and environmental regulations and unraveling some of the most significant policy prescriptions put forward by the Obama administration...."
Talk is cheap, 'pubs. Let's see some action. You got no excuses this time 'round.
(Or, like Laslo @7:40am said.)
Obviously, only Democrats should be allowed to institute plans that leave their mark on virtually every facet of American life. And Republican presidents should run all their cabinet picks by the NYT editorial board to make sure they're not "hard-line". It's all in the Constitution somewhere, I'm sure of it.
"...I mean, why couldn’t the people have elected Hillary? Then I could just pretend to be principled, no one would expect me to actually accomplish anything…”
I put this in humor, but I really do believe it.
I think a fair number of elected Republicans would have wanted Hillary to win, so that the pressure would be off of them: they could just continue the empty Kabuki of the Opposition, doing what they have been doing the last eight years.
Lowered expectations make for an easier day at the Office...
I am Laslo.
Maybe we can get The Russians to hack these Senate Races. Wisconsin could use a Russian picked Senator who understands really cold weather.
If not, then we can require a minimum IQ test result of 90 for candidates. That would Rig the election all GOP, which is much better than the "Russians" using their old fashioned malware trick.
Laslo puts into words a suspicion that has been growing in me for the past few years. I used to wonder why Congress had become so spineless in the face of the Executive Branch. I assumed that Congress-critters, like all normal power-hungry egomaniacs, would want to arrogate as much power to themselves as possible.
But then it started dawning on me that maybe they were just as happy letting the Executive do all the work and get most of the blame, and instead the Legislators just busied themselves with the trappings and rewards of power, while letting the substance slip away.
Seriously, the Impeachment of President-Elect Trump has already been prepared and is being test marketed by the Democrat's Media as we speak. And surprise, surprise, it turns out that Trump has already committed thousands of High Crimes and Misdemeanors...just ask the CIA Shadow Government.
This is The Establishment in action, which as we know includes both Parties. Both Paul Ryan and John McCain are sighting in Articles of Impeachment and waiting for clearance to open fire.
"Robert Payne said...
My party lost, but none of my friends are snowflakes. We are ready for tough legislative battles. Live, learn and keep on coming back. I expect the same from Republicans when we are in office.
Ann, I am really tired of the incessant posts on the wining media. How about highlighting some of the pros and cons of the upcoming legislative agenda and where you see things going.? Repeal and Replace will be very interesting.
One of the problems that I see with you, VDH and Instapundit is that you exist in the hothouse of the university world and have distorted views of what is going on in Liberal/Progressive/Independent/Democratic circles outside of blogs and your "grandee" academic peers. You are making same equivalent dismissal of Progressive "Flyover" country. You may in for a surprise in 4 years."
While Robert has his finger on the pulse of the progressive world. All seen from his coast to coast view from who knows where.
Well, if the Dems could stop the focus on Russians and Deplorables, by 2018 the electorate would naturally be in the mood for a little moderation, which could help the Democrats in the midterms. I am particularly thinking about the Supreme Court, which could be a big draw issue for liberals. The country is moderate in its politics, and the leadership of each party in turn ignores that essential fact when their faction is in the ascendancy.
But if the Democrats continue to ignore jobs/trade/rural problems, and instead focus on Deplorables, whatever replaces the Russians, making sure no woman can go to the public restroom safely, and a general focus on wedge issues, then the 2018 elections could turn out to be, er, "deplorable" for the Democrats.
It is up to them. I think Trump is abrasive and deeply irritating, but the problem is that he appears likely to focus on certain aspects of our national life that have been somewhat neglected (security & deepening poverty in many areas). So it may well be that we collectively continue to dislike him and distrust him to a certain extent, but voters in many areas may still find him necessary.
And every time I succumb to my natural dislike of Trump, I have flashbacks about the Boston Bombers, San Bernadino, the Pulse massacre and the Chelsea bomber. The concern over political correctness is not just personal - it does appear that it has extended to our security infrastructure in a way that is literally killing people. A leadership correction in the DHS is urgently needed.
"you exist in the hothouse of the university world and have distorted views of what is going on in Liberal/Progressive/Independent/Democratic circles "
Except that those hothouse flowers have a way of escaping into the wider world after a few years incubation, and making life suck for normal people.
what is going on in Liberal/Progressive/Independent/Democratic circles outside of blogs and your "grandee" academic peers. You are making same equivalent dismissal of Progressive "Flyover" country. You may in for a surprise in 4 years.
Why don't you tell us ? I see lots of reporting that sounds like "The Nation." The Democrats are not left enough and so forth.
Dave Begley went to campaign events and reported here and at Powerline about what he saw.
Why don't you tell us what is going on at all these "DLC-like" events and how the moderates are making a comeback in the DNC.
Because, frankly, I think you are alone. I see no sign of moderation in the public comments of Democrats.
The California legislature is a good sample of Democrat thinking unconstrained by any need to conceal what they think.
They just made underage prostitution legal.
But also approved were hotly contested bills that would decriminalize prostitution and allow human trafficking victims to vacate prior convictions and seal their records.
Senate Bill 1322, authored by Sen. Holly Mitchell (D-Los Angeles), make the crimes of solicitation and loitering with intent to commit prostitution misdemeanors inapplicable to children younger than 18. It also allows law enforcement to take sexually exploited children into temporary custody -- only if leaving them unattended would pose an immediate threat to their health or safety.
Tell us about all those moderate Democrats and how they are taking over the party,
Tammy is an empty pantsuit.....she's toast.
Libs continue their losing ways in WI
The Republican Senator and His Mistress…
“Baby, great news! I got an erection last night!”
“Oh, that IS good news! I told you it would come back!”
“Yeah! I had a dream where Hillary was naked in the White House bed!”
“Uh… a naked Hillary gave you a hard-on?”
“No, not the ’naked’ part: the ‘Hillary in the White House’ part! I was free! In my dream I even gave a tough TV interview where I criticized her! God, that felt good…”
Baby, you got to let that go. Trump will be in the White House, and your cock will have to learn to live with it.”
“I was thinking: maybe you could dress up like Hillary for me, and I could pretend you’re President? I bet that would work…”
“I don’t think anything is going to work until you stand up for the People who elected you. Until then, your limp cock knows you better than you know yourself…”
“Really? I have to make a stand?”
“Make a stand, and your cock will stand with you, baby.”
“I don’t know: maybe the People elected me to be a brake on Trump, to keep him sensible. That COULD be what happened. I could be a Voice of Reason.”
“Do you have an erection?”
“What? Now? No…”
“That is your cock telling you something. It is telling you that you are lying to yourself…”
“Oh God, I think you’re right…”
“Do it, baby: stand up for those who elected you…”
“I guess I could try…”
“THAT’S my man!”
“Baby?”
“Yes?”
“If I DO stand up, do you think you could dress up like Ivanka for me? I think that might help…”
“Of COURSE, baby. But remember: my car payment is due this week…”
I am Laslo.
"* There are 46 Democratic Senators, plus 2 Democrats who are in the Democratic caucus. You see the name of one of them on the chart above, Angus King."
Should read "...plus two independents...
"Michael K said...
Why don't you tell us what is going on at all these "DLC-like" events and how the moderates are making a comeback in the DNC.
Because, frankly, I think you are alone. I see no sign of moderation in the public comments of Democrats."
+1 I have family that are progressives...all in flyover country. And their friends spread across the country.
One. Big. Echo Chamber.
Curious George. I am from North Carolina. We are ground zero for Republican overreach. Unfortunately for those that hope for a lasting majority, the winner tends to overplay his or her hand.
Curious George. I am from North Carolina. We are ground zero for Republican overreach. Unfortunately for those that hope for a lasting majority, the winner tends to overplay his or her hand.
Curious George. I am from North Carolina. We are ground zero for Republican overreach. Unfortunately for those that hope for a lasting majority, the winner tends to overplay his or her hand.
Unfortunately for those that hope for a lasting majority, the winner tends to overplay his or her hand.
I agree with you here but that is not what you said. North Carolina is a peculiar example. The transgender thing puts you out of step with the rest of the country. The NBA and some other corporate forces put economic pressure on the state,
I don't know what will happen in North Carolina but it might be that the state voters swing more toward traditional values, especially if a little girl is raped in a bathroom.
Michael K. Yes, the HB2 issue cerrainly is driving voters in NC, mostly to the Centet Left. But the real missed point is that the Dems have woken up to the necessity of refocusing on rediistricting especially, given the legislative gerrymander. This is particularly important in states like North Carolina and Georgia with a growing urban, college population. In 4 years, the Red Wall will be in danger. The Dems will gerrymander the Republicans and the cycle will start again.
Y'all need more Center Left Dems in here to liven things up.
What a goofy article.
Shorter NYTimes:
The GOP - now in the majority - will try to pass stuff and appoint people they like. In contrast, the Dems - now in the Minority - will try to oppose.
I think that how many of these Dem Senators are reelected depends on how they react to Trump, and, then, how he reacts to them. If they don't obstruct him all that much, then they may be fine. But, if they do obstruct, then watch out.
I spent the election season 4 years ago watching Jon Tester driving his family's combine in ad after ad. It worked. He spends little time in MT, but has the rural roots to come home to in election years. The thing is though that the state was much more pro-Trump than it was ever pro-Tester. And, that is his vulnerability. If he holds his head down, and votes the way that swarmy Chuckie Shumer tells him to, then I would expect Trump to go after him, as well as the other Dem Senators up for reelection. So, they really need to be able to tell their constituents that they are part of the solution, and not part of the problem. A lot of these other "red state" Dem Senators are probably in similar situations.
Don't really get what is going on in NV right now. Do know that this formerly pretty liberal gun state passed a gun grabbing law requiring FBI background checks when you loan your gun to your best buddy, or, probably even when trying them out, thanks to maybe $20 million from Soros (stayed by injunction last week after the FBI pointed out that they legally couldn't do the required background checks). This is the state that has ads for renting machine guns at the airport, and where the annual machine gun shoot was routinely held. Hard to believe that the state has shifted so far left in the 5-6 years since I left. If it really has, I expect that it is because Las Vegas is so close to CA, esp. LA, and all the illegals who have flocked there for the service industries. Still, Dean Heller is a typical political slimebag. As a constituent, I repeatedly tried to meet with him when "patent reform" was being rammed through Congress, first as my Congressman, and then as my Senator. I kept getting platitudes, but a refusal to meet. Then, of course, he voted for it.
And in the NYT we find this: "evidence of Russian election interference"l WTF
The right-hand column of the chart is the Cook Political Report's predictions for 2018, not 2016. What the chart needs is an additional column showing the 2016 presidential results (or it could simply replace the column of 2012 results).
"complex Senate procedures and political messaging "
Code for cheating and using the media, like in this very NYT piece, to thwart. NYT happy to oblige.
"Y'all need more Center Left Dems in here to liven things up."
An increase in the number of intelligent lefties who can engage in debate would be nice.
"Y'all need more Center Left Dems in here to liven things up."
That would be fine if there were any. I remember the guy from upper peninsula Michigan who was making noise about being a "moderate" and then he toed the line on abortion and Obamacare.
He was gone next election.
Harry Reid saw that and that is why we had 6 years of Continuing Resolutions, instead of budgets and appropriations bills. That way Democrats would not have to vote on those issues. It didn't work very well and, except for rare cases like Claire McCaskill who maneuvered the GOP into nominating a fool as her opponent, the "Moderate Dems" got wiped out.
If you and other NC Democrats can get the DLC pattern reestablished, you may have a chance.
I agree that the GOP may over reach, Still, with Nancy Pelosi as Minority Leader, you have a serious problem.
Your party has been "Californicated."
3 months ago we were saying the Republican congress was do nothing and it was a big problem, but apparently now it is a good strategy to roadblock that congress from acting.
http://occupydemocrats.com/2016/10/04/obama-just-singled-mitch-mcconnell-culprit-nothing-congress/
All Robert needs for his Democrat control fantasy to burn is for a transgendered person to rape a girl in a bathroom. And it will happen, because the Democrat stand for deviancy will always blow up in their face.
--Vance
complex Senate procedures and political messaging
Is throwing a bratty fit on the floor a complex Senate procedure or political messaging?
Robert Payne: "But the real missed point is that the Dems have woken up to the necessity of refocusing on rediistricting especially, given the legislative gerrymander."
This is entirely driven by the requirement to create and maintain minority-majority districts which necessarily (given urban/rural political demographics) drives higher %'s of dems into fewer districts.
Another "Shot in Own Foot Award" by the lefties.
Robert Payne: "In 4 years, the Red Wall will be in danger."
This cannot be true as we were all told, quite emphatically, that the Republican party was destroyed and destined for the ash heap in history in 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012.
In fact, in 2008, weren't we all Socialists? Our elitist betters took time out of their busy day running everyone's lives to inform us of this.
Is anything more predictable than the lefties telling the republicans that they are soon to be extinct every 2 years?
The single most important failing of leftie analysis of the present and projecting into the future is their inability to account for or even consider complex variable changes.
The left always utilizes a linear STATIC analysis, whether it's for economic and/or political projections.
"How's that working out for them?" one might ask. Rhetorically of course.
I think the science of political prognostication is right up there with the science of global warming prognostication: completely worthless. Trump has yet to take office. The Congressional Republicans have yet to work their magic of turning gold into straw. The Dems have yet to come to terms with the fact that they are the minority party nationally (see state legislatures, governorships, House of Representatives composition, etc.).
Robert Payne at the moment can properly be considered a blusterer on the order of Donald Trump in 2011. He may turn out to be right, but he has a long way to go. Note that in NC in 2016, Trump won easily, the GOP re-elected the lackluster Senator Burr, the HR delegation is 10-3 GOP, and the controversial Governor McCrory lost to Gov-elect Cooper (who as AG pronounced the Duke lacrosse players "innocent") by 5,000 votes. This is not a Dem recovery. I wonder if Robert Payne is in an echo chamber of his own. How are things in Durham?
There are a lot of cards to be played between now and 2020. The Dems have a lot of changes to make to be competitive, but it is hard for the GOP to do much better than they have, because they have mostly won. I expect the Dems to do better, but I don't know how right now.
..."The party’s brutal election-year wounds have been salted by evidence of Russian election interference,"
The lie has taken hold within the echo chamber as I saw a poll that 52% of Dems believe the vote was hacked. Good job media! Add the party of No! and you'll be winning! in no time.
Best. plan. ever.
That Sean Duffy is contemplating a Senate run makes his recent Madison-bashing more understandable. Because why not run for the Senate by running against a big economic engine in the state?
The Senate Democrats are screwed in 2018. Counting the two "Independents" who both caucus with the Democrats, the have 25 seats up for re-election. The Republicans have a mere 8 - 7 of them in states Trump won.
It certainly would be good to see the Dumbocrats expand their tent to include people who are within one sigma of the center. Good thing the Dumbocrats aren't an aircraft because one can't fly using only the extreme tip of their left wing.
I think Kaine is a goner. His extremist position on gun control may have gotten him on Hillary's ticket (oops!) but the NRA HQ is in Virginia and once you're out past Prince William County there are a lot of gun owners. His performance in the VP debate will provide lots of ammo for Republican ads in 2018. He has a lot of patching up to do and I don't think he has the personality to do it.
Conversely I don't think Manchin is in as much trouble as folks who never get out past the DC Beltway except to take the Acela to New York might think looking at how well Trump did in his state. I live close to the West Virginia border and I meet a lot of West Virginians here in Winchester. I think as long as Manchin keeps his focus on the people of his state and avoids appearing to be led around by the nose by Schumer and Hoyer, his high levels of personal popularity will carry him back in November 2018.
Don't you have to control state houses and governorships to control redistricting?
Good luck with that.
So the NYT is cheering for, hoping for, calling for Democrat obstruction of the GOP majority. How times have changed. I seem to recall that the NYT boys and girls thought that such activity was positively un-American, despicable and shameful just a few years back.
The ancient and eternal rule, "Where you stand depends upon where you sit" still applies.
Democrats message for middle America: Jobs not coming back,what you need are handouts! I have heard this more than once,in so many words.
"MadisonMan said...
That Sean Duffy is contemplating a Senate run makes his recent Madison-bashing more understandable. Because why not run for the Senate by running against a big economic engine in the state?"
You think Duffy calling Madison "communist" is going to hurt a Senate run? You need to get out of town more. And Madison a "big economic engine in the state"...really? 100,000+ state workers sucking the economic life out of the rest of the state is more accurate.
"hard-line cabinet picks"
Oh, for fuck's sake. Seriously? The English language has been rendered useless.
Did Obama have any 'hard-line" cabinet picks?
Revitalization. Rehabilitation. Reconciliation.
With our head firmly planted in the twilight zone, a return to internally, externally, and mutually consistent principles of science and morality will be challenging.
The risk is that if people do not follow principles, then the lack of competing interests may fail to keep them from running amuck. Perhaps a viable party will arise from the braying heap of Democrats past, or the People (and our unplanned Posterity) will ensure checks and balances to keep us off the progressive slope.
Did Obama have any 'hard-line" cabinet picks?
Don't be ridiculous. "Hard-line," like "extremist" or "divisive," is one of those terms that is never applied to lefties.
Michael K.:
You are wrong about 'why' Harry Reid did not pass budgets and instead used continuing resolutions.
Reid did not pass a budget because the 1974 Budget Reconciliation Act requires baseline budgeting. Baseline budgeting requires spending last year be the baseline for current spending. Thus, the one-time-only spending of the "Stimulus" was carried over... BUT ONLY if no budget passed. I
The ghosts of Ted Kennedy and Richard Nixon are causing us to run trillion dollar a year increases in the federal debt.
@EMD,
"hard-line cabinet picks"....
Did Obama have any 'hard-line" cabinet picks?
I suspect by "hard-line" the NYT means Jeff Sessions for AG & Betsy DeVos for Education. It's interesting that Trump moved so quickly to "pay his debt" to the religious right that supported in such surprisingly large numbers.
I guess the NYT defines "hard-line" as an AG that doesn't haul the Little Sisters of the Poor before the SCOTUS & a DoEd that doesn't set up an alternate criminal justice system to root out its favorite sexual sins du jour.
Curious, US Senators really don't have much power in reducing the size of the State Government -- that would be on the Governor and the Legislature. Your beef is with Republicans.
There are 72 counties in WI. If Duffy runs for Senator, he just needs to skip Milwaukee and Dane counties, and constantly visit the other 70. Oh, and skip the reservations.
MadisonMan:
Shall we forget the period of time before Scott Walker?
"Laslo puts into words a suspicion that has been growing in me for the past few years. I used to wonder why Congress had become so spineless in the face of the Executive Branch. I assumed that Congress-critters, like all normal power-hungry egomaniacs, would want to arrogate as much power to themselves as possible."
Which is as the founders intended.
@tim in vermont, Democrats have had some success overturning redistricting plans in the courts. However the most egregious Congressional districts are in deep blue Maryland.
Took 'em long enough.
Does this mean gwash and the farmer in the dell
have been reassigned to harassing Breitbart?
I'm so old, I remember when the GOP was the "Party Of Obstruction".
It's OK when the Dems do it, I guess. Because Reasons.
@ Robert
VDH and Instapundit is that you exist in the hothouse of the university world and have distorted views of what is going on in Liberal/Progressive/Independent/Democratic circles outside of blogs and your "grandee" academic peers. You are making same equivalent dismissal of Progressive "Flyover" country.
This is a good point about the insularity of people who report from inside their bubbles. We all live, somewhat in our own selected circle of acquaintances and colleagues. Your group of Democrats in North Carolina would be considered right wing conservatives in California. NTTAWWT. I take your word for it that your Dem friends are not snowflakes. However.....If you want to see what Liberal Progressives can do to destroy society and create a trainwreck of a State just examine what happens in a State with a one party system.
The problem is that our whole nation, by the power of the Obama Administration and decades of progressive left creep has gone so far left. The progs got in charge and became power mad. They thought they would NEVER lose again and that they could cram every idea, law, regulation down the throats of the entire nation without any consequences. Too bad for them.
Well. There are consequences and a Trump Administration is one. The loss of Democrat/Progressive seats in Congress and loss of power in the majority of the individual States is a consequence. People got sick of it. Whether this turns out to be a good thing or not remains to be seen.
My feeling is that it is a good thing, for a while, in order to bring the pendulum back to the center. To eliminate the government overreach into every tiny aspect of our lives. To get power back to the individual and the individual States. To stop the freaking runaway liberal train.
2004 . . . 2006, 2008 . . . 2010, 2012 . . . 2014, 2016 . . . .
readering:
Your ability to count by twos is impressive.
I think the pair that will end up holding the most significance for the incoming administration is 1972 . . . 1974.
"Y'all need more Center Left Dems in here to liven things up"
Yeah. We should try that. Center left democrats. Right.
Just hold on a sec. I'll go get Keith Ellison. And Van Jones. And Bernie Bernie Bernie for your "college-educated" cohort.
Yeah. That'll liven things up.
Now we Democrats get to "Punch Back Twice As Hard"
My party lost, but none of my friends are snowflakes. We are ready for tough legislative battles. Live, learn and keep on coming back. I expect the same from Republicans when we are in office.
We should just bypass you using reconciliation, the way the Democrats bypassed Republicans to pass the ACA. Or did you think that was a trick only Democrats would ever pull?
And I hope Democrats don't think we're not keeping score, brother.
By all means, Democrats, please obstruct everything. We need to "go nuclear", and just get over it.
Thank you Harry Reid.
"MadisonMan said...
Curious, US Senators really don't have much power in reducing the size of the State Government -- that would be on the Governor and the Legislature. Your beef is with Republicans."
They have plenty to do with it size however. Federal mandates on states require additional personnel.
But you are confused, or being deliberately obtuse. My statement was not a shot at the size of state government here...but at your inane statement that Madison was a "big economic engine in the state."
It's not.
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