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I think the vast majority of people that are that injured by the big (non-fiscal) political issue of the past few months will just vote R even harder this time around. It isn't like the rhetoric surrounding that issue has let up over the past decade. If people are single-issue voters on that item but for some reason still with the Democratic party then they're not going to be swayed by the hysteria because they have a different view on it from folks who think all people who share a very specific, expensive, and shrinking hobby with them think exactly the same. It's like trying to point out that the per capita income in the US means everyone's doing pretty well, except that's not the case, and while there's a lot of money, it's in the hands of very few people. Oddly enough, that same "THE AVERAGE MEANS EVERYONE HAS THAT MUCH" is what often drives GOP rhetoric in fiscal matters. "grow the pie" and all that. What this bodes for the midterms is that you could quite reasonably say that the supposed can of worms is not much of a can at all, electorally. I don't think it'll be a decisive or even major factor. It's just a lot of talk about the Democratic party 'losing' a bunch of people they never had in the first place. That being out of the way, consider obstructionism. I am concerned that this is also not going to be as big of an issue as people think. Filibusters are still effectively not reported in the media unless they're high profile like Hagel. However, with OFA shifting into an issues-based role, this could gain more light and quickly. It can't campaign for candidates but it sure as poo poo can run ads in states/districts whose Rep/Senator is being a star-spangled shitheel. They don't even have to name the bastards, just "Call your congressman/woman and tell them to stop being a fuckface and do their job." This can be something you can tie to the SOTU address in that specific policy goals were put forth, meaning specific policies are desired, meaning specific legislation will be drafted, meaning one party will be a flock of kentucky-fried duckfuckers. If legislation defines the party, then campaigning for legislation becomes campaigning for a party, and midterms are by dint of being legislative branch only, closer to the gears than the Presidential election. Right now John Boehner and his Crybaby Caucus/Master Mitch and his Geriatric Mutant Off-Meds Turtles aren't being called out to the fullest extent possible, but once campaign season gets rolling and if OFA ever gets their drat sea legs this could change. I'm not feeling too confident about OFA, though, considering they were outmaneuvered by a bunch of paranoid hicks. As for Nebraska, the governor (Dave Heineman, right-wing as fuuuuuck) might be running for the Senate seat, but it's exceedingly thin speculation. He's prime teabag material, tried passing legislation that replaced income taxes with sales taxes. The twist here is that it failed. You'd expect that poo poo to pass with room for spare luggage in this state. The NDP just puts out press releases in response to poo poo these days, so it's up in the air as to who is on the cards in 2014. FAUXTON fucked around with this message at 08:45 on Feb 19, 2013 |
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Feb 19, 2013 08:43
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richardfun posted:I was about to ask the same thing. If I had to guess I would guess it has something to do with cars, given the post history.
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Feb 21, 2013 12:48
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mcmagic posted:Maybe he's pissed about SOLYNDRYA!!!!! Occam's Razor: He could just be incredibly racist.
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Feb 21, 2013 15:53
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Spiderfist Island posted:How did Lon manage to gain so much support in such a short period of time? Has he said anything concrete about what he wants to do? Yeah, there's a lot of states like that, one party nationally, the other/s locally. Boils down often to the rural/urban divide.
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Feb 24, 2013 14:54
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Highspeeddub posted:Juliana Smoot currently works for the DNC in Chicago. I'm already seeing Republicans screaming about the ominous Obama political machine is infiltrating Michigan. They'd loving scream that no matter what.
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Feb 24, 2013 18:11
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Joementum posted:Apparently Scott Romney, Mitt's older brother, is considering a run for Senate in Michigan. It's like BSG where they find out their newfangled fighters get all hosed up so they go fly the older model. And those blow up just fine anyway.
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Mar 8, 2013 23:06
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The Warszawa posted:The phrase you're looking for is "I don't like him, but he's done good for Kentucky." This doesn't always correlate with job performance approval given McConnell's dual roles, but it's one of those stopgap things that keeps him afloat despite climbing disapproval, or it was in '08 when he was running against Lunsford (who, himself, was not exactly beloved). I would be interested in a poll that disaggregated job approval as Senator from Kentucky and job approval as Senate Minority Leader. Abusive spouses get better than 18 percent in Kentucky, turtle-looking or not.
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Mar 10, 2013 20:06
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GreyjoyBastard posted:I knew Adar had an angle! Watch it turn out some money>brains yokel in the US was betting up Romney (still illegal if I recall, but nobody was ever stopped by needing a proxy/VPN) and sued because they believed it was a conspiracy. I couldn't imagine it was just the 'betting on elections' thing because other bookies do it without issue. Comedy option: Thad McCotter betting thousands against himself (incumbency yo) and then turning in all those forged signatures for his candidacy petition and dropping out.
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Mar 12, 2013 01:38
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Rand alPaul posted:Sigh, someone please run against this public embarrassment. Considering it's Oklahoma the likelihood of finding a Dem to mount a feasible run against him is effectively nil. As for primarying from the right, it would be like trying to find the mythical black hole of right-wing shittiness without the singularity of being a straight-up sovereign citizen kook.
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Mar 18, 2013 06:49
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quote:Former Gov. Charlie Crist, running as a Democrat, tops Florida Gov. Rick Scott...  they will never let the innuendo stop.
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Mar 20, 2013 23:46
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Warcabbit posted:Ms. Bachmann is currently in trouble for financial irregularities. The evidence, as I recall, is pretty strong, even if it won't embarrass her. Technically it would be Mrs. Bachmann, though who knows how much of a marriage that one is, but if she gets booted from congress they could go into business making the world's deepest closets. As for the financial irregularities, do you have a link with a rundown of the allegations?
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Mar 26, 2013 01:41
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The Insect Court posted:Zero. Even if were Democrat-run, expelling members who aren't in the process of going to jail after being convicted of serious crimes just doesn't happen. I believe illegal payments from a campaign are a bigger problem than illegal donations to a campaign, which can be returned.
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Mar 26, 2013 04:00
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Warcabbit posted:No, she won't be expelled. But I think she might be in some mildly deep stuff come '14. Eh, if it was a Senate seat she might have difficulties but it's a house seat and she's somewhat high profile. The GOP could stand to gain by playing up the gravitas of the charges just to get her out if they're interested in the continuing existence of the GOP as a national party, but the like-rainman-without-the-math strategists with pull in the party probably consider it a matter of pride and gently caress-you-ism to make sure she stays/wins. In addition to the inbuilt advantages of house incumbency she's going to have so much juice getting shot at her it's going to make Marcus jealous.
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Mar 26, 2013 08:56
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tadashi posted:Why is it that any time I see Mary Landrieu news coming, my gut reaction is: Because she's from a state bordering the Gulf.
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Apr 23, 2013 19:23
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mooyashi posted:Oh I love this. Terry McAuliffe claims in his new book that Yasser Arafat came on to him at dinner McAuliffe is pretty much Shooter McGavin from Happy Madison.
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May 3, 2013 05:22
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slogsdon posted:House of Cards is like the classic D&D 12 Dimensional Chess Game come to life. I always looked at it as pretty straightforward. Frank is only looking out for Frank, and so he's going stay under the radar in a fight until one side gets the upper hand, then support them, or simply whip enough people to lie down in front of a bus, then drive over them so fast they can't get away and claim credit for winning. He only thinks it's 12-dimensional chess, which is why he got so pissed at his wife for loving him over on the bill he was working on and prematurely claiming victory on, causing it to fail by two votes.
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May 3, 2013 11:59
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withak posted:This was my criteria and I got 11/12 while barely remembering the show. I have seen the show, but haven't taken the test, and I would say this would be the criteria I would use. McAuliffe is more like Russo than Underwood or anyone else on that show, except Russo gave a poo poo from time to time. McAuliffe is probably snorting coke off a hooker for lunch 5 days a week.
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May 3, 2013 17:18
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nonrev posted:This is just a theory, but no VA Dem wanted to take on McAuliffe because doing so would end up pissing off the DLC faction. Congratulations Governor Cooch.
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May 7, 2013 04:02
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Pope Guilty posted:AKA the Democratic mainstream now. Also known as the anti-Dean. They won elections by shifting right, Dean (his strategy that is) won elections by actually running candidates.
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May 7, 2013 17:56
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The SARS Volta posted:Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman won't run for Senate Probably Fortenberry for the GOP, but god knows who for the Democratic nominee. It'd be cool if (former Omaha Mayor) Jim Suttle ran, but the recent mayoral race was basically a months-long assassination of his character and he would probably lose as a result. Turns out people hate surpluses if the alternative is 'things can be run more efficiently' (Policies sold separately. Some divination required.)
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May 26, 2013 02:46
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The SARS Volta posted:Suttle lost re-election by 15 points; he would get killed in a statewide election. Like I said, the election made a shitload of talk fodder happen. You'd think the "unless you're ordering goddamn century-old wine with dinner it's practically invisible" restaurant tax was the loving Egyptian plagues with as much as it got played up. But yeah, he'd get demolished. It was a surprise that he even won, and Omaha's about as far towards the left as the state gets.
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May 26, 2013 05:42
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Generally a teabagger getting voted in means a vote against cloture/for filibuster. Getting a blue dog elected means they might try posting lovely amendments and they might vote against decent legislation, but they have a far lower chance of joining a GOP filibuster. That's the difference and it's huge even if its the only difference, especially with the way 2014 is looking to have razor-thin margins in the Senate. You can even game it out: Begich wins + Dems hold Senate = 1 more vote for cloture at the very least. Begich wins + Dems lose Senate = still 40+ Dems willing to filibuster lovely legislation for one reason or another even if Begich votes for cloture with the GOP. Begich losing in any scenario means a persistent vote against cloture. Ginsburg is 80 years old this year, has been treated for two different kinds of cancer, and is three years a widow of a 56-year marriage. She probably won't die on the bench but statistically her prospects of continuing health are not good, even considering wealth, race, and career privilege. You can bet your bottom asscheek that every Dem counts, even if that Dem is a Begich or a McCaskill and will poo poo all over good bills just for votes at home.
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Jun 3, 2013 17:51
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De Nomolos posted:But seriously, what else is Steele going to do? The Republican parts of MD aren't likely to care for him in a primary, I'm sure. Eastern MD may as well be Virginia. He'll empathize. Empathize on your bee-hind.
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Jun 4, 2013 03:58
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Deteriorata posted:I think the problem is that Schweitzer seems sincere rather than merely opportunistic. I wonder if he considered it punitive on account of seeing it as spiteful as opposed to being a set of strong regs. Has he spoken in any detail about his opposition? I wonder if he's got problems with stuff like capital requirements. Not that I think it's spiteful. Hell, if you ask me, nationalizing the entire sector and bringing it to heel wouldn't be spiteful. FAUXTON fucked around with this message at 03:00 on Jun 23, 2013 |
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Jun 23, 2013 02:46
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Freudian posted:Wouldn't that be the Christie Administration? Yeah but it requires a vice president, for which there is simply no room in the name.
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Jun 29, 2013 01:25
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Alter Ego posted:If only Max Cleland was up for running again. That'd take a miracle.
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Jul 18, 2013 01:03
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Kim Jong Il posted:Seemingly unwinnable races didn't stop Republicans from slowly contesting the South. You have to be brazen enough to call Max Cleland a coward and things of that nature. There's a scorched earth scenario where Collins is single handedly closing abortion clinics because she's voting for McConnell. That's more because the Southern voterbase was heavily Democratic-leaning prior to the GOP creeping in. Some places just took a while to change over because the Dem representative/Senator was a big family name or recognized as bringing in more pork or being staunchly protective of certain regional/local industries, and the shift either happened when they died/retired or in a generational shift. Jesse Helms was a Democrat until 1970, for example. The GOP didn't view the South as some fortress region, a good number of them were former Democrats switching parties to the GOP and taking their voters with them.
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Jul 18, 2013 03:26
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jeffersonlives posted:Another problem with going scorched earth on someone like Collins and losing is that she really does vote with the Democrats enough for that to matter, especially projecting a smaller margin in the 114th, so you really don't want to alienate her. How often does she vote for cloture instead of logrolling on a filibuster with her shiteater/turtlesque colleagues?
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Jul 18, 2013 03:33
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The Warszawa posted:You don't make eye contact on the subway, even with the one-eyed monster. Defeats his purpose, really. That's why he was looking to get Leathers, in which to hide it.
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Jul 26, 2013 23:32
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BIG FLUFFY DOG posted:Part of it's that McConnell is one of the most unpopular senators in the country. The other part is that Allison Lundergan Grimes is extremely talented at projecting a wholesome idealistic small-town Kentucky image about her. She had her grandmother introduce her at the official campaign kickoff. And in fact McConnell's "What rhymes with Allison Lundergan Grimes" ad is actually a reference to her 2011 campaign commercial starring both of her grandmothers. The campaign she won by 20 points. Please tell me she's going to put those old ladies in another commercial where they're asking for what rhymes with Mitch.
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Aug 1, 2013 21:52
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Oakland Martini posted:I laughed so loving hard when I saw this yesterday. Well how was the mutton?
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Aug 11, 2013 10:35
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I could (possibly) imagine some OPSEC or whatever issues with alerting the press specifically to a raid on Bin Laden. However, it requires several pieces of information not inferred by a late or no-show at a loving press dinner, and that's assuming anyone knew of it before it happened. Good on Hillary for calling bullshit on bullshit, I guess. E: That's the answer to the 3AM phone call. "gently caress the correspondents' dinner. Night."
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Aug 12, 2013 10:39
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Oakland Martini posted:Of course not. The initiators stop the initiates from doing it (at least in my day; perhaps they were crazier when Schatz was there). Chances are he fought past 'em.
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Aug 13, 2013 19:01
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Emanuel Collective posted:A few years back a New Hampshire legislator came out and said Hitler was right and we should kill off every disabled person by sending them to a concentration camp. Everyone was horrified that this statement was made by a sitting state legislator, until we realized that he literally represented like 3 towns in the middle of nowhere. We'd probably get all sorts of kooky comments if we had a legislator for every 20,000 constituents. Yeah, well think of how far that dial goes when the denominator is just over 3100 constituents per rep. 1.32 million people in NH, 424 reps.
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Oct 22, 2013 05:07
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Hey remember that part where Booker's opponent straight-up told people he'd be the most ruthless and unsympathetic piece of poo poo they ever voted for? loving news flash: That's a big reason why people voted for Booker, not because they thought of him as some great savior of leftist theory. He might be a pretty charming guy but it's pretty insulting of anyone to act like people around here are a cadre of starry-eyed fluffers when they say "Hey, Booker's a nice guy."
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Nov 2, 2013 06:44
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De Nomolos posted:Polls about to close. Ken Cuccinelli is still all: What time do they close over there? 7?
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Nov 6, 2013 00:24
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Alter Ego posted:Yes, because Republicans are just going to let it go. Water under the bridge. Yessir. The idea is that they will keep looking like shitheels in retrospect if/when things are ironed out to the point that people are getting insurance in droves. Then the Dems can point at the Rep and tell them they bet against it when it was teething.
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Nov 20, 2013 21:17
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De Nomolos posted:Which issue hits people more closely at home: Benghazi, the budget, immigration, or health care? All of them depending on whose home it is. Benghazi impacts the fewest people, but the budget (in terms of government employees and employees of contractors) impacts a shitton of people, as do immigration and healthcare. However, you can arrange those last three in a hierarchy. Failure to reform immigration laws means families get shattered, budgetary fuckery means millions of people go without pay for the duration of shutdowns or get laid off due to cuts, healthcare shittiness means people can be driven into bankruptcy by pneumonia, but without a paycheck or a family it's a passing concern.
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Nov 21, 2013 15:02
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Ronald McReagan posted:Because the Florida Democratic Party has been basically worthless as a political and organizational force for at least a decade. More than that - they basically withered away like an umbilical cord during Chiles' time as governor and when he dropped dead they were a dusty husk. They haven't recovered because the blue half of the state is basically hypersensitive jerseyites who replaced their tolerance of cold weather with childishness. There are of course a smattering of minorities but for the most part it's leatherfaced bleach blonde empty nesters who sound like Tom Waits with Down Syndrome.
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Dec 4, 2013 15:10
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Amused to Death posted:Warren Buffet is kind of controlling rear end in a top hat(look at the incident with his granddaughter), we're just supposed to love him because he's graciously giving his fortune worth the size of a small nations economy to charities of his personal choosing when he dies vs starting a new lineage of patricians. There's always two sides to a story. However, it's easy to mistake his frugality (a relative term) and lack of attention-seeking behavior for humility. He's more humble than the average billionaire, but take his house for example: At first you notice the "nice, but not a mansion" house proper, but then you notice the multi-entry curving driveway that opens to both sides of the street corner, the chain and gate that goes across them, the sheer size of the property as you drive by, and the hedged-in tennis court off behind the house. He's rich as gently caress, yes, but the fact that he's not "out there being rich" doesn't mean the guy's lacking expensive tastes. About the only thing I can really say is somewhat "normal" about him is that he prefers a plain black Cadillac over something like a Bentley or Maybach or whatever boner proxy is all the rage. A Caddy is a pricey car but it ain't 6 figures pricey. The fact that he's giving the vast majority of his wealth away to other hyper-wealthy people's vani-charities just means he's a realist about what that money is going to do when he kicks and how much difference it'll make in his kids' lives.
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Dec 13, 2013 04:04
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