I've been offline for a little while and haven't even commented on the 2010 midterm elections...although I do have a post drafted. Unfortunately a combination of family illness and computer woes have "infected" (ha ha ha...pun intended) the Hat Trick household over the past few weeks. The computers are fixed (yes, both had issues) and we are back on track to some regular posting soon.
On a happy note during the hiatus...did anyone notice the Detroit Red Wings have compiled a 12 - 3 -2 record since the beginning of the 2010-11 season? Let's Go Red Wings!!!
Showing posts with label 2010 Midterm Election. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2010 Midterm Election. Show all posts
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Saturday, November 13, 2010
2010 Mid-Term Election
This post is a little late but unfortunately some travel and some sickness going through the family has interrupted my ability to post on the November 2 elections. Needless to say it was another "Vote for Change" to borrow a phrase.
As expected the House of Representatives flipped back to Republican control with over 60 seats switching back to the GOP. Three very senior Democratic chairman were part of the GOP's tally (John Spratt, Chairman of Budget, James Oberstar, Chairman of Transportation and Ike Skelton, Chairman of Armed Services) as well as many moderate to conservative Democrats who could not survive the onslaught. The Senate tally was equally good to the GOP although not good enough to get to the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster...although most political writers felt that 60 was out of reach, the Hat Trick included.
In January President Obama will now face divided government with the House firmly in the control of the GOP. We'll see what happens...will he be like Bill Clinton and learn to work with this new scenario or will he still insist on forging ahead with a liberal agenda? Only time will tell.
Once not so positive post-election occurrence if you are a Democrat (and a positive one if you are a Republican) was the election of soon-to-be former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as the Democratic minority leader in the new Congress. Although there was some objection to her running for the top leadership post by some surviving conservative Democrats, she won handily and will continue to be the face of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives. Given that she was the face of what many voters voted AGAINST in the 2010 Mid-term elections I'm not sure of the logic of electing her leader...except for delusion among the liberals in the House combined with a sense of entitlement on Pelosi's part. We'll see where this goes but I suspect this will be helpful for the GOP as they were able to label Pelosi in the last election as the "face of the problem" of expanded government and a health care law that many did not want.
Needless to say there have been some big changes but Republicans should go forward with caution compared with 1994. After the colossal 1994 change in power the GOP thought for sure they would take the White House in 1996 which did not even come close to happening. Two years is a long time to recover politically and the GOP now has some responsibilities to govern now that they control one of the Congressional chambers. Still, it was a good night for conservatives and those in the center-right who have had some significant concerns about the way our government has operated in recent years. Hopefully some good will come out of this change...we can always hope.
As expected the House of Representatives flipped back to Republican control with over 60 seats switching back to the GOP. Three very senior Democratic chairman were part of the GOP's tally (John Spratt, Chairman of Budget, James Oberstar, Chairman of Transportation and Ike Skelton, Chairman of Armed Services) as well as many moderate to conservative Democrats who could not survive the onslaught. The Senate tally was equally good to the GOP although not good enough to get to the 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster...although most political writers felt that 60 was out of reach, the Hat Trick included.
In January President Obama will now face divided government with the House firmly in the control of the GOP. We'll see what happens...will he be like Bill Clinton and learn to work with this new scenario or will he still insist on forging ahead with a liberal agenda? Only time will tell.
Once not so positive post-election occurrence if you are a Democrat (and a positive one if you are a Republican) was the election of soon-to-be former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as the Democratic minority leader in the new Congress. Although there was some objection to her running for the top leadership post by some surviving conservative Democrats, she won handily and will continue to be the face of the Democratic Party in the House of Representatives. Given that she was the face of what many voters voted AGAINST in the 2010 Mid-term elections I'm not sure of the logic of electing her leader...except for delusion among the liberals in the House combined with a sense of entitlement on Pelosi's part. We'll see where this goes but I suspect this will be helpful for the GOP as they were able to label Pelosi in the last election as the "face of the problem" of expanded government and a health care law that many did not want.
Needless to say there have been some big changes but Republicans should go forward with caution compared with 1994. After the colossal 1994 change in power the GOP thought for sure they would take the White House in 1996 which did not even come close to happening. Two years is a long time to recover politically and the GOP now has some responsibilities to govern now that they control one of the Congressional chambers. Still, it was a good night for conservatives and those in the center-right who have had some significant concerns about the way our government has operated in recent years. Hopefully some good will come out of this change...we can always hope.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Upset in the Making?
Interesting political news from Alaska...sitting Senator Lisa Murkowski, who lost her primary race to Tea Party candidate Joe Miller this past summer, has a chance to win in the general election as a write-in candidate. This hasn't been successfully done since Senator Strom Thurmond pulled it off in South Carolina in 1954 and Senator Murkowski seems to have a reasonable chance at winning.
Good write-up The Fix from the Washington Post.
Good write-up The Fix from the Washington Post.
Monday, September 20, 2010
62% Say Congress Is Doing A Poor Job
This recent Rasmussen Report paints a bleak picture for Congress in general but particularly for Democrats as they attempt to hold onto control of both chambers in the upcoming midterm elections. Of particular interest in the survey is that only 19% of Democratic voters surveyed felt that Congress was doing a good job. Apparently Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are not getting the message at all.
62% Say Congress Is Doing A Poor Job
62% Say Congress Is Doing A Poor Job
Friday, September 17, 2010
2010 Midterm Elections Heat Up
This post is a little late but better late then never!
The post-Labor Day period is usually the official start of the campaign in an election year. 2010 promises to not be different and things are heating up significantly. Republicans smell blood in the water and Democrats are scurrying to hold off what many feel will be a VERY bad year for Democrats. The possibility exists, based on current polling, that the House of Representatives could flip back to Republican control and even the United States Senate is in play although that is a long shot...however Democrats appear poised to lose several seats including the seat of current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. This would be a wonderful development personally for the Hat Trick given my intense dislike of the Senate Majority Leader, discussed previously in this post.
So the big question now is why is this happening?
Basically the economy still sucks and the unemployment rate is still hovering around 10%. Add to this continued ethical problems with the Democratic Congress (I thought they were going to "drain the swamp" and be "the most ethical Congress in history?) and frustration with the Obama Administration, a political strategy of "Blame Bush/Take NO Accountability" and you have a recipe for disaster if you are a Democrat.
Another issue going on is the American electorate and some of their fickleness. The electorate through out the Republicans in 2006 and 2008 but are having buyer's remorse now, especially with the fact that the Administration and the liberal leaning Congress have gone far to the left. By throwing out the Democrats in Congress they can right the ship somewhat and essentially force the President to come more to the center if he wants to get re-elected. This is how it played out in 1994 when Bill Clinton went far to the left in his first two years in office (1992-1994), was handed a major political defeat in the 1994 midterms and then eased back to the center, allowing him to be re-elected in 1996...plus a good economy didn't hurt. The question is whether Obama will go more to the center assuming the worst in the midterm elections. He is a much more liberal than Bill Clinton so it may be more politically difficult for him to do this. I also question his political skills compared with Clinton's...sometimes the President just seems to have a deaf ear to what is going on around him.
I'll try to get some good posts and analysis as the election season progresses. Should be exciting for political junkies, that is for sure.
The post-Labor Day period is usually the official start of the campaign in an election year. 2010 promises to not be different and things are heating up significantly. Republicans smell blood in the water and Democrats are scurrying to hold off what many feel will be a VERY bad year for Democrats. The possibility exists, based on current polling, that the House of Representatives could flip back to Republican control and even the United States Senate is in play although that is a long shot...however Democrats appear poised to lose several seats including the seat of current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. This would be a wonderful development personally for the Hat Trick given my intense dislike of the Senate Majority Leader, discussed previously in this post.
So the big question now is why is this happening?
Basically the economy still sucks and the unemployment rate is still hovering around 10%. Add to this continued ethical problems with the Democratic Congress (I thought they were going to "drain the swamp" and be "the most ethical Congress in history?) and frustration with the Obama Administration, a political strategy of "Blame Bush/Take NO Accountability" and you have a recipe for disaster if you are a Democrat.
Another issue going on is the American electorate and some of their fickleness. The electorate through out the Republicans in 2006 and 2008 but are having buyer's remorse now, especially with the fact that the Administration and the liberal leaning Congress have gone far to the left. By throwing out the Democrats in Congress they can right the ship somewhat and essentially force the President to come more to the center if he wants to get re-elected. This is how it played out in 1994 when Bill Clinton went far to the left in his first two years in office (1992-1994), was handed a major political defeat in the 1994 midterms and then eased back to the center, allowing him to be re-elected in 1996...plus a good economy didn't hurt. The question is whether Obama will go more to the center assuming the worst in the midterm elections. He is a much more liberal than Bill Clinton so it may be more politically difficult for him to do this. I also question his political skills compared with Clinton's...sometimes the President just seems to have a deaf ear to what is going on around him.
I'll try to get some good posts and analysis as the election season progresses. Should be exciting for political junkies, that is for sure.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
