A Land Rush Business in Utopia

Townhall.com ^ | January 27, 2013 | Mark Baisley

[Kaslin]

The next two years are going to be rough.  The Democrats have been given a two year window to rush every utopian ideal through its army of despotic bureaucrats.  Barack H. Obama will unleash the Kracken.

While we can expect to see every opportunity taken to confine our liberties, the greatest threat to the Republic is the possibility of replacing justices to the fragile United States Supreme Court.  Our prayers should be towards great health and energy for Antonin Scalia, who will turn 77 years old on March 11.  Alito (62), Roberts (57), Sotomayor (58), and Kagen (52) will be fixtures for many years.  Even the most originalist justice, Clarence Thomas, is a relatively young 64 years old.

We can expect to see Ginsberg (79) retire some time over the next four years.  This will give Obama the opportunity to extend her liberal position with a younger replacement.  Fellow liberal Breyer is 74 and swing-justice Kennedy is 76.  The U.S. Senate has the authority to confirm or deny the President’s nominees to the Supreme Court.  With the current Senate firmly in control of the Democrats, President Obama would encounter no particular obstacles for his appointments.

But there is a red sky at night that gives us conservatives some hope.  If the incumbent justices can hold on through the end of 2014, a Republican controlled Senate may be able to avert a 25 year disaster.

There are 100 seats in the United States Senate, each having a term of six years.  Their tenures are staggered so that 1/3 of them face election every two years.  Democrats currently hold a 55 to 45 seat advantage.  But if the Republicans assert themselves artfully, they could very well take the majority in November of 2014.  Here’s how:

Of the 33 Senate seats up for election, 20 are currently held by Democrats and 13 Republican.  Nine of the Democrats should comfortably win re-election; Chris Coons of Delaware, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Carl Levin of Michigan, Max Baucus of Montana, Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey, Tom Udall of New Mexico, Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and Mark Warner of Virginia.

The recent announcement by Tom Harkin that he will be retiring as Iowa’s Senator puts that position in play for the Republicans.  That makes two confirmed Democratic retirements, adding Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia who is likely to be replaced by Republican Shelley Moore Capito.  Saxby Chambliss, Republican from Georgia, also announced his retirement at the end of this term.  However, Georgia should be safe for his replacement, having voted 53% to 46% for Romney in 2012.

Alaska, Arkansas, North Carolina and South Dakota are unnaturally represented in the Senate by Democrats.  The Republicans should certainly be able to pick up those seats.

John Kerry will undoubtably take the assignment of Secretary of State next month, leaving the Democratic Governor of Massachusetts with the responsibility of appointing his replacement.  This may give Republican Scott Brown an opportunity to retake his old job as Senator.

If the state-level Republican parties will offer strong nominees and disciplined campaigns, it is possible for Democratic Senators Mark Udall of Colorado, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire to be defeated next year.  And for the one that got away in 2009, Saturday Night Live clown Al Franken must stand for an early re-election in 2014.  Let’s hope for a successful rematch from the suspiciously jilted Norm Coleman.

Elections like 2014 that take place at the mid point of a presidential second term traditionally go against the president’s party.  And Barack Obama’s overreaching this year and next should really get Americans in the mood for tapping on the breaks.  With a gain of six seats, the Republicans can control the Senate and block much of Obama’s ambitions.  They could even deny more revisionists to the Supreme Court during Obama’s final two years in office.

In 2014, the Republican’s 32 seat majority in the House of Representatives ought to hold, and even extend.  My greatest hope; the swearing in of a bellicose, John Wayne federalist as president in January of 2017, along with a Republican majority in both chambers of Congress.  They would have two years to hurl the pendulum back within sight of equilibrium.   And we just might save this nation.

[Travis McGee]

[P.O.E.]

And Barack Obama’s overreaching this year and next should really get Americans in the mood for tapping on the breaks (sic)

I don't believe this anymore - look at places like Chicago, Detroit, LA, etc. It's REALLY bad in some spots - but how do they vote? Democrat.

This "darkest before the dawn" thing is a dangerous palliative.

[Starboard]

Elections like 2014 that take place at the mid point of a presidential second term traditionally go against the president’s party. And Barack Obama’s overreaching this year and next should really get Americans in the mood for tapping on the breaks.
********
America has already been transformed by liberals over the past few decades and is in the mood for even more government largesse. Big government rules the day. The only game changer that will put the brakes on would be an economic crisis that causes a reduction in the freebies. At that point the angry Takers withhold their votes from the Dems in retaliation.

The key question is: How far away from that inflection point are we? The Fed keeps propping up the economy so it might not occur until after 2014 when the levitation act supported by printed prosperity can no longer continue.

And don’t underestimate the Republicans’ chances of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. They have a strong track record of doing just that.

[Beagle8U]

“John Kerry will undoubtably take the assignment of Secretary of State next month, leaving the Democratic Governor of Massachusetts with the responsibility of appointing his replacement.”

I don't think the MA Gov gets to appoint his replacement, special election has to be held.

[Road Glide]

“If the incumbent justices can hold on through the end of 2014, a Republican controlled Senate may be able to avert a 25 year disaster.”

This guy is dreamin’….

At the rate things are going, we’ll be lucky to hold onto a Republican _House_ after 2014...

[headsonpikes]

It seems that the author of this piece inhaled, and then forgot to exhale.

[ripley]

“This ‘darkest before the dawn’ thing is a dangerous palliative.”

It isn’t even close to getting as dark as it’s going to get. (We have a long way to go before dawn, if it ever comes again; one can thank one’s fellow citizens for that.)

IMHO

[Terry Mross]

I’m convinced our votes don’t count. The last election proves it.