A Democratic House?

US News & World Report ^ | October 08, 2006 | Michael Barone

[Wormwood]

Time to work even harder.

Really? I read this as "Time for a desperate GOP to EARN my vote".

The endless refrain that the other side is worse doesn't quite resonate like it used to.

[Perdogg]

One of the writers at American Spectator said that if the Dems do take control of the house they will only have a 1-4 seat majority that would be likely reversed in 2008.

I generally think that it is going to be a wash. Cerebus paribus, the GOP may lose 3-5 seats. There will be no ideological shift in the Senate.

To me, I am not perceiving a lot of voter anger. Yes, people in general are war weary, but the Dems have not offered a palatable alternative. The economy is good, and when the 401ks quartiles are mailed out, people are going to be more satisfied with the economy. This election is either going to be like 1990, 2002, or your standard midterm, but I just don't see the dems winning a majority.

However, the Presidential race of 2008 worries me more. Here in the DC area, the 2006 elections are already out of cycle, the jocking has begun.

[Nathan Zachary]

"It is time to take seriously the possibility that the Democrats will assume control of the House of Representatives in the elections next month."

No it's not. And I hope you don't coach any sports teams. You're locker room pep talk would begin something like this; "after we loose today...."

The gane has barely begun, and it's not over til the whisle blows.

[roses of sharon]

Social conservatives bent on martyrdom?

Let us pray the rational side of their brain's take over.

[mcvey]

You are absolutely right, RM. A close look at the polls indicates no increase in strength for the Dems, but a decrease in strength for the pubbies.

I might also add that the Bush '43 team has done a bad a job of using the bully pulpit as did the Bush '41 team--and I never thought I would see a worse performance than Bush '41.

Our supporters are disheartened. The words Dien Bien Phu keep coming to mind--a place where the weapons were there, but the morale had disappeared and the leadership dithered and feared.

McVey

[Diddle E. Squat]

But if the GOP does lose control of the House, it will be based on the unforgiving outrage of enough social conservatives deciding to vent their anger at Republicans and staying home on election day.

And then those same (now nose-less) self-proclaimed 'Voices of social conservatism' will be stunned and unable to fathom why the GOP shifts to attracting moderates and nominates a Giuliani. If the fickle few always threaten to torpedo the party if they don't get 100% their way and in fact do cost them this election, why on earth would the GOP continue to rely on them?

[hsalaw]

I have a lot of respect for Barone's opinions, but I think he's buying into the DC hysteria on this one. I've been talking casually to a lot of Republicans over the past few weeks, and no one seems so outraged by Foleygate that they're thinking of not voting or of - gasp! - voting for the dems. Not that it makes much difference here in California, but I just think all this doom-and-gloom is a bit premature.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

It is time to take seriously the possibility that the Democrats will assume control of the House of Representatives in the elections next month.

And who exactly takes seriously Michael Barone? The man has been promoting open borders for years and I suspect he like the Wall St. Journal would like nothing more than to see the democrats take over.

[100-Fold_Return]

"We win!"

If not impeachment begins...

[FlingWingFlyer]

Total desperation from the DemocRATS! Comrade Pederson, the Commie running against Jon Kyl in Arizona just threw another massive wad of mud at the U.S. by having a bunch of "military" posers slinging mud about Iraq. I've got to catch the ad again so I can get the guy's name who is slinging Commie mud for Pederson IN UNIFORM with the caption, Sgt. (Huff 'n' Puff?), U.S. Army. He is in violation of military regulations. I will bring this to the attention of his commander if this braindead bozo isn't a poser and really is what the ad claims he is.

[bigfootbob]

LOL! I'll add, I agree with your statement about Michael Barrone, for a liberal, he's solid and probably the most knowledgeable political historian alive, with the exception of the "evil one", Karl Rove.

[Mini-14]

I'm not too worried about the Democrats taking over. It is hard to imagine them doing anything worse than the Republicans have done in the last 12 years with the increase in bloated government. The Republicans have abandonded their promises for smaller government -- face it, they are now the "bloatware" government.

[Nathan Zachary]

".MY, MY, MY, we are gonna see crocodile tears come Nov night! I AM salivating with anticipation to watch the bastardly whores gloomy faces!!

And the RAT corus will start singing the same old line "the stole the election, machines are fixed", blah blah blah.

Except that every time they claim this, we see in the following months and years RATS charged with that crime.

What we should be thinking about is making sure the RAT don't pull election scams like they did last time.

[1035rep]

Have no fear it will never happen. Just make sure you get out and vote.

[george76]

if Democrats win the House...

John Conyers will take over the Judiciary Committee and he has promised to launch impeachment hearings.

[roses of sharon]

Absolutely, the harder we work to defeat the MSM, the more Conservatives will RUN and WIN in the future.

It's time to show our guys that we don't listen the the MSM, and will not be swayed into allowing the Commie-Vampires to take over.

Imagine how many good Conservatives out there refuse to even run for office because they know they have ZERO media to back them up, only massive campaigning by the MSM for their opponents.

Look at all the good legislation and ideas are KILLED because of MSM propaganda.

We must show the MSM that they DO NOT RUN THIS COUNTRY ANYMORE.

[Reaganwuzthebest]

There is enough time between now and the election for other issues to overtake the Foley Scandal in the minds of most Americans.

Four weeks in politics is like eternity and by November Foley will be ancient history. It's beginning to look like wishful thinking on the part of the news media.

[layman]

The breaking of the Mark Foley scandal put the Republican leadership on the defensive and changed the political landscape.

IMO all the hand wringing about the political fallout of this 'scandal' is little more than Beltway and MSM wishful thinking. I doubt that there are many voters in the country who are surprised to learn that Congress is littered with corrupt demagogues, some of which are homosexuals.

[pollyannaish]

Well...you can see it that way. But remember that endless refrains work both ways. Including "when better isn't good enough."

I for one believe that the GOP is still better than Pelosi, Reid and Conyers. I believe Roberts and Alito are better than a Ruth B-Ginsberg compatriot.

I believe it is better to be on the offensive in the WOT than hunker down and spend millions "defending our country" by inspecting every cargo container that comes through our ports manually by Federal Workers hired at insane wages. I believe it's better to do something drastic than to sit around chit chatting about peace at the UN over tea and crumpets with people who want to kill us. That is, after all, what the Dems believed we should do in response to the Soviets.

Now...is the situation perfect? Heck no. But I KNOW it could be worse, even if you do not believe that.

The bottom line, however, is to do what you believe is right. That is what voting is all about. Don't stay home. Get out there and vote, no matter where that vote leads you. Do that and you've earned the right to carp.

[Wormwood]

The Republicans have abandonded their promises for smaller government -- face it, they are now the "bloatware" government.

Exactly.

Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing a little gridlock and oversight back in Washington.