Democrats had a great night!

[Cliff]

They won the House and it looks like (if the numbers hold) that they will win the Senate as well.

Yeah!!!

 

[randym431]

Yes the Senate will go democrat too, after Allen gives it up.
Here in my state we went democrat in two nationally watched races. Culver won the Gov and Boswell state senate. Bush was here twice last week fighting for their side, but I think it hurt more than helped. Boswell was challenged by a guy names Lamberti. A real snake. Republicans were sure Lamberti would win… hahaha

Republicans really took a licking in the house. Even our Republican Leach, a good man and often a guest on liberal talk shows, lost his house seat. A real shocker. He was as down home and midwest as you can get. Not a Bush rubber stamp, but he went down anyway.

I love it how on the news shows tonight, the republicans are telling or talking that democrats better do this, or do that to go along with republicans. Guess it just hasn’t sunk in yet with them.

And old GW? Man, he must be eating sacks of pretzels and hoping for the worse. An easy painless out. Wonder if he's kicking Rove in the balls yet?

[Razorbill]

We certainly did our part in New York.  Dems swept the state-wide races.  Locally we unseated two republican congressmen with democrats - neither were considered competitive at first.  And of course Hillary.....

[jack]

this should be very interesting. Will Bush use the veto? Will the Dems really choose to cut and run? Will Dems end tax cut on dividends and capital gains? If they do,anyone who has an IRA or any money instock mkt will get hammered. The rest of Bush tax cuts weren't really that significant, but of course dems and media said they were. The key to the  present unemployment rate, great economy, and rising stock mkt is not only the dividend and cap gains tax cut but the willingness of foreigners to invest in our country because its the safest place to park money.
Bush has never vetoed a spending bill,ever. Will the Dems cut spending if they cancel tax breaks on dividends and cap gains? As history has shown us raising taxes lowers government revenue from taxes. Why would anyone raise taxes then? To pay back the people who vote for Dems who are jealous of the producers. What many dont realize, is when Clinton raised taxes,Greenspan started printing more money and lowered interest rates,creating oodles of easy money that fueled a boom in many companies that dont exist today. Bushes tax dividend cut and cap gains cuts have created real substantial companies and jobs.
Will Dems start to prosecute US soldiers for war crimes,to support their biggest contributor,trial lawyers. Will Dems vote to put Terrorists through US court system rather than military system? Again look to the trial lawyers.
Who wins with Dems in office. Their big dollar contributors. Dems have more big dollar amount contributors than republicans. Why? Dems,unlike reps, always stay true to their contributors.  The terrorists win. That cant be denied because Dems are still under the impression that Terrorism didnt exist before Bush and that others didnt hate US before Bush. This should be fun.
Didnt Britian toss Winnie out when he was trying to warn them about Nazis? I think so.

[Dachshund]

Boy did they! It is evident America is longing for an end to the madness in Iraq. With the election out of the way, maybe, just maybe, cooler heads will prevail to try and find a solution.

[Dachshund]

Just for today I would ask everyone to not respond to the negativity. Just for today I would ask everyone to join with me in hoping and praying for an end to this war. Just for today I would ask everyone to not get bogged down responding in kind.

Just for today Independents, Democrats, and some Republicans voted for change and a better day.

[Ann]

I have to admit that I hardly slept last night, so anxious was I to find out the results of yesterday's elections. My stomach was in knots from worrying that yet another election would be botched and stolen.

And I'm not ashamed to say that I shed a few tears of relief this morning. Perhaps sanity is returning to the land of my birth.

In hope...
Ann

[alisenjafi]

With the onus now on the Democrats I hope they learned what a very wise old Greek said "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely"
I hope we can bring in more dialogue from the Middle East, which there has never been to get their response to quagmire we are in,

[Matty the Damned]

Matty the Damned suspects that another two years of Republican rule was and still is needed.

MtD
(Who is perverse)

[J.R.E.]

Hello Cliff,

I am having a very good day today !!!  Was able to watch TV most of the night and catch the returns. At 1:00 am there was less then 3,000 votes difference in the Virginia race. By 5:00am it went up to around 8,000 in favor of the democrats.

HAPPY,HAPPY,HAPPY !! We put Bill Nelson back in , and buried Kathryn Harris. Jim Davis ( democrat) for governor, didn't make it. So we have Charlie Crist, for 4 years. let see what action he takes as governor of the state of Florida. Still watching those last three states, but it looks as though it will go democratic !!

There was a good turn out where I work at. The voting is held in our auditorium, for that precinct. The voters started coming in yesterday morning fairly steady at around 6:30am.


Ray

[J.R.E.]

Also wanted to add, I felt bad for Harold Ford of Tennessee. He fought one heck of a campaign... I still think he has a good future...



Ray

[Biggums]

Just so I can keep my budget in perspective.......can anyone let me know just when my taxes will go up now?

[cmhjeff]

I have to admit that I hardly slept last night, so anxious was I to find out the results of yesterday's elections. My stomach was in knots from worrying that yet another election would be botched and stolen.

I was right there with you. I was up past midnight watching the polls and grabbed the paper first thing this morning. Ohio finally has a democratic governor! Ohio is smoke free   We didn't get our casinos but Windsor and Wheeling isn't far.

[Dachshund]

Just so I can keep my budget in perspective.......can anyone let me know just when my taxes will go up now?

If you are a millionaire, hopefully soon. Actually, under Bush taxes on the middle class went up. The leadership of the Democrats have promised a middle class tax cut.

[jack]

Dont any of you remember the Democratic Congress of the 50s,60s,70,80s? You remember the guys made is so Congress lives by different rules than we do. They do not pay into SS because they have very lucrative pension programs and health plan.
I wish I could buy stock in Tom Daschles wifes lobbing firm. Daschle made her very rich when in power and they will reap many millions from the new guys in charge. I still cant believe a crook like John Dingell is still alive. How about Charly Rangel, a racist in charge of a committee.
You think the guy from Alaska who built the bridge to nowhere was big deal, have apparently forgot about LBJ,Jack Wells,and Robert K. Byrd to name a few. Byrd has wasted billions in his state on many "Bridges to nowhere" also still the only member of congress who was a member of KKK. Can anyone say hypocrite.
Republicans still control the Senate but many of them are as liberal as Dems so in effect Dems really control both houses.
Republicans need to return to their conservative roots and then govern that way.

[Matty the Damned]

Oh Jakey!

You lost! Take it like a man . . .

MtD

[jack]

Don't worry Democrats tax plans consider anyone making over 50,000 grand a year as rich.
If the Dems change dividend and/or cap gains we will all suffer. The unemployment rate is now equal to the rate during the dotcom boom but these jobs are real not jobs created by easy money and the Y2K scare.
FACT.  TOP 50% OF  AMERCIAN EARNERS PAY 96.5% OF INCOME TAXES
         TOP 1% PAYS 34% OF ALL INCOME TAXES
Seems to me the lower 50% are not paying their fair share

How much do you want them to pay? I have an idea lets tax them at a 90% rate and confiscate all the wealth of the rich. The goverment would spend it in a year and be broke again.

[Dachshund]

Just for today...positive responses, and what we hope a change in the house can bring. We can see what a negative campaign and agenda brought us...change. Democratic leadership wants to be able to negotiate with big pharma on reducing drug prices. So, if you are on ssdi or adap or Ryan White this could be great news. If you are on ssdi you probably are not worrying about your stock portfolio anyway. It's a new, positive day, don't be baited into a response...just for today.  

[randym431]

Quoted by Jack - The key to the  present unemployment rate, great economy

This was the message Bush was trying to push, but people just were not feeling it. Just because the oil companies and business rake in huge profits, that DOES NOT mean the "good times" are felt down the chain. Truth is the middle class average person is having hard times. But what this really breaks down to is people were tired of this war...period. Hearing 100 men-women killed in one month was not acceptable. And while N Korea tests nukes, telling us our men and women in Iraq dieing is getting us anywhere just ran out of steam.
When the voters speak, the voters speak! Bush needs to remember he is an elected official, not the king.
He was just sent a memo, in bold type.

[david25luvit]

Cliff...

           The people have spoken....I'm not so sure they voted democrat or whether we were voting 'AGAINST' Bush and his administration.
Irregardless of the reason...It was a good night in America.

[pozguy75]

He was just sent a memo, in bold type.

And in monosylabic words!

[jjmcm]

Hmmmmm, "former loser" ehhhh?

And, the news I am hearing is that the Democrats look like they will be controlling the Senate also...

I can't imagine a person on disability and with AIDS like myself having such a difficult time figuring out which side their bread is buttered on.

Personally, my investments did far better when Clinton was in power.

Just my two cents...

[Robert]

Jake

my investments (modest as they are) take a back seat to social progress.  Like JJ said, for most of us here on disability and AIDs, it's not hard to figure out who really cares about us (and that includes my right of privacy)

Anyway, as I said in Jeffrey's thread in the "Living With...", locally, California-wise, we didn't have that much zig in our elections.  Schwartzenegger won in a cake walk...there was never a doubt ...and Feinstein did the same.  But what noise we did make was enough to make others stand up and listen.   GOP Rep. Richard Pombo, the powerful chairman of the House Resources Committee, lost in a stunning victory for environmentalists and surging Democras.

robert

oh and the $2.60 cigarette tax lost.   
 

[Terry]

 

Nancy Pelosi,

From California and she’s only two heart beat away from the White House. LOL! Jake you gotta love it.

This is good for California as well as the country. Good for Stem Cell Research, wages and tax breaks for the middle class, Not so good for the top 1% of the wealthiest in America and the big oil companies. this is good for America and the American people. This is good for bi-partisanship.

This is good for the subpoenas that will be issued to all the corrupt Republicans that have robbed the middle class Americans for the past twelve years that they have held control of the House and Senate. This is good for all of our Allies world wide that have turned their backs on us because of the cowboy mentality in Washington D.C.

This I hope will put more of a separation between Church and State. Let the people rule the politicians and let the Jerry Fallwel’s and  Ted Haggard’s find their true calling.

I’m very happy today. I lost only two things I voted on in the California ballot and I knew both would go down anyhow. Prop 87 and the Governorship. Funny thing, Washington criticized Hollywood for actors promoting candidates, yet they love Reagan and now Schwarzeneggar. Hypocrites.

Jake I’d hate to be living near you for the next few weeks. LOL! Don’t worry though, we won’t let you starve or go hungry, we might even come up with more money for meds.

 
 

[RapidRod]

I'm taking the sit back and watch approach.

[ACinKC]

Im so happy I could spit!

It was like watching your favorite team come from behind in the fourth quarter last night!

[Terry]

THE HOUSE OF CARDS STARTS TO FALL.


Sec, Donald Rumsfeld announces he will resign his position at the Pentagon. Pelosi did say that he should step down because he is ineffective.

The Vietnam mentality is going, going and soon gone at last.

[RapidRod]

Embattled Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld resigned Wednesday to be replaced by Robert Gates, former director of the CIA, a day after Republicans lost control of the House

[jack]

Terry, why would you hate living near me? This is a great time of year in Texas, wonderful weather. There have only been three days this year I havent been able to wear shorts. 
I hope Republican congressmen and senators learn a lesson from this election, but I doubt if they will. How did they become the same corrupt and sleazy pols we sent them there to replace? I have no idea.
Term limits would be nice. It would also be a nice idea to end all pensions for congress members. They should also have to pay into SS and not be able to take part in any health plans that are not available to the public.
Republicans lost because we have a President who is not a conservative and has passed every spending bill sent his way. Republicans lost because the President has lost a war that was won in three weeks. Republicans lost because conservatives are against nation building and most democrats are against any type of war for any reason, though they have favored nation building pre Bush.
Republicans lost because they had promised to be different than the crooked Dems who ruled congress for the prior 50 years and they weren't.
Republicans lost because some our uneducated citizens actually believe that the President and US oil companies can make the price of oil go up and down.
Maybe its time to buy all the ethanol stocks. What a wonderful boondoggle that is going to be.

[RapidRod]

I've always thought there should be term limits in both houses. Some fresh blood in there wouldn't hurt a thing.

[Cliff]

The best part of the election is that Rick Santorum, the religious lunatic from Penn, got beat.  BADLY.  Of all the incumbants, his loss was the worst.  He barely managed to get 40%.  Thank God him and his Bible thumping wife are gone from the Senate.

If there weren't 3 major, with one not so major, candidates running for Texas governor, I believe the Democrats could have won that race as well.  Perry only managed to get 39% of the vote.  I can't remember if the state has runoff elections for Governors, but 39% for the Republican Governor candidate in Texas is pretty damn bad.  That just shows you how much the country was sick of the Republicans.

[manchesteruk]

I did a little jig around the room when I saw the results coming in.  This was an important election for the rest of the world not just America!  Rumsfeld first lets see Cheney next!

[Terry]

Terry, why would you hate living near me?

Ummm!

There have only been three days this year I havent been able to wear shorts. 

That’s why.

However if I win the bid on that Harley  in Dallas I’ll invite you out for lunch when I’m down there. But please wear some pants. LOL!

Cliff it’s all-good. Time for me to play my Kate Smith’s “God Bless America.” On my outside speakers for the benefit of my neighbors. They’re as crazy as I am.

[Christine]

The best part of the election is that Rick Santorum, the religious lunatic from Penn, got beat.  BADLY.  Of all the incumbants, his lost was the worst.  He barely managed to get 40%.  Thank God him and his Bible thumping wife are gone from the Senate.

It's a wonderful thing!

Christine, who proudly voted against Santorum....

[jack]

The Santorum defeat in no surpirse. Have you ever been to Pennsylvania? I spent my first 24 years there and got out  as quick as I could. The democrats have controlled the state forever. There is an old joke about Pennsylvania Pols, they take cash from both sides and they don't do anything for either side. The only two states that might be more crooked are Louisiana and New Jersey.
Too bad Lynn Swann didn't win. Pretty smart guy but its impossible to beat the Philly Democratic machine and stay alive.

[Dachshund]

The Santorum defeat in no surpirse. Have you ever been to Pennsylvania? I spent my first 24 years there and got out  as quick as I could. The democrats have controlled the state forever. There is an old joke about Pennsylvania Pols, they take cash from both sides and they don't do anything for either side. The only two states that might be more crooked are Louisiana and New Jersey.
Too bad Lynn Swann didn't win. Pretty smart guy but its impossible to beat the Philly Democratic machine and stay alive.

 

I am sure the folks in the Keystone State were sorry to see you go.

[Queen Tokelove]

Well, honestly. I'm not into politics all like that. I am glad that the Dems took back over. I don't know about anyone else but I feel like since Bush has been Prez, everything has been nothing but a struggle. I'm one of those on disability but would like to know who is buttering my bread as someone mentioned in a previous post. Can I buy a clue?

[Miss Philicia]

Pretty smart guy but its impossible to beat the Philly Democratic machine and stay alive.

And yet until yesterday we had two Republican senators.  You're just trolling and pulling hot air out of your behind.  Folks must be slitting their wrists today over at Redstate.com!

[alisenjafi]

Gee Gates is from the organization that put Saddam into power- Bush just doesn't get it!

While many have thought that Saddam first became involved with U.S. intelligence agencies at the start of the September 1980 Iran-Iraq war, his first contacts with U.S. officials date back to 1959, when he was part of a CIA-authorized six-man squad tasked with assassinating then Iraqi Prime Minister Gen. Abd al-Karim Qasim.

In July 1958, Qasim had overthrown the Iraqi monarchy in what one former U.S. diplomat, who asked not to be identified, described as "a horrible orgy of bloodshed."

[Biggums]

Maybe it is because I live in the Midwest but I haven't heard one major national candidate of either party endorse gay marriage or more money for Ryan White.  So I am not quite sure why so many of you look to the Dem's as your saviours?  Please explain.  I know it wasn't in the Rep platform.  Is it in the Dem's?

[randym431]

Well... from someone that listens to old Al Franken every day, Al pointed something out to the positive. That was, back in Texas GW Bush worked well with democrats (in Texas as Gov). So now, its possible Bush will fall back on his ability to work with democrats in the house and senate. And we just may see some great things in the making with Bush as president. He already dumped Rumsfeld and I heard somewhere Bush gave a thumbs up to signing a min wage increase. I'm hoping for the best here. A government for the people that actually works. Not too much to ask for? Hey, I don’t want to hate Bush. I just want things to work, whom ever is in charge.

I just cant figure why California re elected Arnold. Arnold pushed out Davis for being a huge fund raiser, for one thing. Now Arnold is the biggest fund raiser in history. And his under the table deal with the muscle magazines was the most corrupt dealing in Ca gov history. But... "he's a movie star"...

[Miss Philicia]

Maybe it is because I live in the Midwest but I haven't heard one major national candidate of either party endorse gay marriage or more money for Ryan White.  So I am not quite sure why so many of you look to the Dem's as your saviours?  Please explain.  I know it wasn't in the Rep platform.  Is it in the Dem's?

http://democraticleader.house.gov/press/releases.cfm?pressReleaseID=1838

Pelosi: Reauthorization of Ryan White CARE Act Fails to Provide Adequate Funding

I won't even go into the gay marriage issue.  If you can't clearly see which party has the worst record on that you're hopeless.  And I'm not implying that the Dems are void of anti-gay marriage people (cue Harold Ford) but they are MINISCULE in comparison.  Republicans have been demonizing homosexuals since the Reagan years.

[heartforyou]

I applaud the Democratic victory.Finally.
In Europe and more specifically in Belgium a vast majority is hoping for a defeat of the GOP in 2008.More than 80% is opposed to the war in Iraq and the immense costs of it.

I can only hope that more funding is going to be given to healthcare and housing to our HIV family.

Hermie

[Biggums]

Philly,

OK that is one.  Any others? 

Hopeless
And smart enough to believe neither party really gives a damn about any of us

[GSOgymrat]

The reality is my life doesn't change much whether the Republican or the Democrates are in control. When I think back to how Clinton being president versus Bush affected my life I can't think of a difference. So I can't really get excited that Democrates control the congress because I don't forsee any significant change.

[Cliff]

I don't see how anyone can claim that politics doesn't impact our daily lives?  When we vote and select a party in office, the course of the country is altered.  Perhaps all politicians sound centrist on TV, but they aren't.  They have very different views on how this country should work.  In my eyes, my life is impacted by those in charge....such as:

- Does anyone believe that if the Democrats were in power for the last 12 years, the US would have gone to war with Iraq?  That war may not directly affect my pocket book, but it would be false to assume that it doesn't affect the country in a major way (the cost of the war, $300-400 billion makes it a significant enough issue).
- Would there have been a cut in estate taxes?
- Would they have appointed the same judges?  Judges who make decisions on partial birth abortion rights, gay marriage/civil rights, discrimination laws, corporate liability, etc.  Do the case laws of those items impact me?  Yes.
- Would they have appointed the same administration?  Administrators who can make changes to regulations without the approval of congress...such as changes to OSHA or work hour regulations.  Changes to regulations in terms of the building of power plants, nuclear plants, offshore drilling on approved/legal lands, sale of federal lands, mining regulations, etc..
- Would the democrats engage in Free Trade agreements with the same assumptions and desires as Republicans?  Would the demand different rules to be included (such as child labor protections, intellectual property rights at the expense of improvised nations ability to obtain cheap meds, etc..).

Do you wake up on Wednesday with a completely different life?  No.  But elections are important and politicians stance on issues greatly impact this nation and they are vastly different, even if they don't sound like it on CNN Crossfire.

Cliff

[Biggums]

Cliff,

I agree with what you are saying to a point but I feel my local and state offices have more of an impact on me than the national election does.  I am not really sure what to think about the country anymore.  The ultra conservatives want it their way and the ultra liberals want it theirs.  It is a constant fight for power, which leads to corruption.  And neither side respects the others views.  The ultra liberals trash anyone on the right whose views are generated in part from their religious beliefs..........the right on the other hand demonizes those on the left as unpatriotic and evil.  A country can't survive like that.  I read these threads and see the very low if any tolerance for another's point of view and I think it is merely a reflection of the whole country.  It makes me sick at times how smug people are.  I think most people are in the middle and for those of us, we have no voice at all.  Just year after year of all this junk.