Posted on 10/29/2014 11:40:38 AM PDT by Mozilla
With less than a week to go before the 2014 midterm elections, it is looking more and more like the Republicans will take control of the Senate and increase their hold on the House, possibly even taking over more state legislatures and governorships. This will essentially make President Obama a lame duck for the remainder of his time in office.
So how does that play out, with a repudiated leftist president still pursuing a progressive liberal agenda, faced with a Congress controlled by the opposition? We explore three possible options: The best case,worst case, and most likely scenarios.
Best Case Scenario
The Republicans ride an election night wave, picking off all of the expected Senate seats and even a couple that weren’t considered in play. With a solid majority in both houses of Congress, the GOP immediately sets about finishing business that has been sitting idle for the past few years.
New Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell brings to the floor all 300+ House bills that Harry Reid has been ignoring. Numerous pieces of legislation are passed that repeal the worst bits and pieces of Obamacare, but not the whole law. Job creation is put on the front burner, and energy production is unleashed, by way of a reduction in the corporate tax rate and a roll back in burdensome regulations.
Congress actually passes a budget that works and reduces the deficit, with key cuts to the bureaucracy. The worst agencies in the Executive Branch see their budgets slashed, and entire projects are defunded. The Senate opens up their Committees to launch investigations into Obama administration malfeasance, just like the House has been doing. A few of the worst offenders in some of the more spectacular scandals are actually held accountable and forced to resign in disgrace. Criminal investigations, led by special prosecutors, are turned loose on the administration.
President Obama initially vetoes everything that comes across his desk, but after Congress overrides his veto a few times, Obama reluctantly agrees to sign the bills, attaching signing statements and spinning the PR to make it seem like the bills are his idea.
Obama signs a few executive orders to bypass Congress, but they are of little significance, as Obama is cowed under the threat of an impeachment. Congress passes several pieces of legislation that specifically address and override prior executive orders, by rule of law.
Americans are pleased that things are finally getting done, and the Congressional approval rating rises from the teens to the twenties, and even the thirties in some polls. Obama is increasingly viewed as an obstructionist president, who does little more than pitch a fit at every GOP backed bill, and serves as a stumbling block for true progress and the long overdue economic recovery for the country.
Republicans are perfectly set up for 2016, as Democrats have been unable to shake the stigma that Obama has cast upon their party. The GOP has a robust primary and emerges with a good candidate that a majority of Americans, both moderate and conservative, can agree upon. The Democrat primary is a complete mess, and Hillary Clinton ultimately decides not to run in these trying times and certain defeat for Democrats.
Worst Case Scenario
The GOP squeaks through a win, with a one seat majority. Election night proves to be too much of a nail-biter, and the final results come down to run-off elections in Louisiana and Georgia, which don’t take place until December and January, respectively.
Widespread voter fraud is later discovered, and there is ample evidence that the fraud played a key role in the election results, but the media ignores it, and nothing is done.
In the meantime, the lame duck Senate under Harry Reid pushes through several controversial bills, using the “nuclear option” simple majority rule. They also confirm several partisan hack nominees that are quickly put up by Obama, to fill open spots in the administration.
With only the slimmest of a majority, Republicans struggle over the next two years to get anything accomplished, as the Democrats play the spoiler role that the GOP has inhabited for the past several years. The few bills that do get passed are immediately vetoed, and Republicans are unable to muster the numbers to override the vetoes.
Obama steps up his destructive agenda and completely ignores Congress, even more than he has already. He wears out several pens and phones, enacting amnesty and essentially ruling by fiat and Executive order for two years. The tyranny goes to a whole new level, and Americans suffer for it.
Unable to gain any traction, Republicans are stymied at every turn. The media jumps in on the fray, and doggedly criticizes the GOP for getting nothing done, hypocritically ignoring the past several years under Harry Reid. Americans quickly lose faith that the GOP offers any hope for change, and congressional approval rates plummet from the teens to single digits.
Mired by backstabbing and infighting, and under constant attacks by Democrats and the media, the GOP has a horrible 2016 primary season, and an exceptionally weak and unlikable candidate somehow emerges as the candidate for president. That candidate is handily beaten by Hillary Clinton, and Democrats end up reclaiming the Senate, placing America right back where it was before 2014.
Most Likely Scenario
The Republicans pick up the seats needed for a majority, but lack a clear cut victory or strong mandate from the people. They also lack a solid vision and plan for the future. The next two years are essentially spent managing the status quo.
The Senate manages to pass some of the backlog of bills that Harry Reid has been ignoring, but Obama vetoes the best of them. Meanwhile, Obama wears out his pen and phone with numerous executive orders and fiat decisions, and continues his tyrannical assault on the Constitution.
More scandals emerge from this most scandalous administration, and the Senate opens Committee investigations, but nothing of consequence is done, and nobody is really held accountable for their actions, whether criminal or otherwise.
Americans become bored with the continued gridlock in Congress, even as Republicans hold a majority, and are further disillusioned by the entire process. The 2016 presidential election sees the lowest voter turnout in history, while Independents and third parties see a spike in growth, as more and more Americans decide that both major parties stink, and neither one will fix what truly needs fixing in our country.
Obviously, we are hoping for the best case scenario, yet steeling ourselves for the worst. Of course, the status quo scenario is the most likely outcome, which means that we are in for much of the same for at least the next two years.
That being said, I will be surprised if the Republicans will do it, not as long as Boehner, McConnell, and their cronies are in charge.
Let me be clear: the “Worst Case Scenario” as described here is actually the most likely. By a huge margin. In fact I can’t see it playing out any different.
So enjoy the “majority” while you can everybody, because it will happen. But if anything from this article comes true it will be the “Worst Case Scenario” specifically:
“Mired by backstabbing and infighting, and under constant attacks by Democrats and the media, the GOP has a horrible 2016 primary season, and an exceptionally weak and unlikable candidate somehow emerges as the candidate for president. That candidate is handily beaten by Hillary Clinton, and Democrats end up reclaiming the Senate, placing America right back where it was before 2014.”
Couldn’t have stated my own prediction better myself.
Have we forget that something awful and unpredictable can upset the status quo, like 9/11 or even worse?
” Then, why even bother posting? Hunker down and wait for the civil war to begin.
You sound like someone on welfare that has given hope because of white racism. “
And YOU sound like a fool! For 20 years, people like you say “hold our nose, and vote for the RINO” What has that gotten us but a majority of RINOS? The Chamber of Commerce, and their affiliates(big banks, et al) have spent tens of millions to defeat any conservative/tea party folks who try to run for office. We need several real conservative rich folks who can step in and stop the madness. Right now, the big money is backing all of the enemies of conservatism.
“Are you going to give up and slit your wrists? Or try to fight to make the best of what remain?”
No, I am not going to ‘give up’ and slit my wrists. I do not visit DU. ;-)
I am very old with multiple health issues and very near death so that I do not worry about it very much. The best I can do at this point is to try to awaken others to the decline. That was the point of my post.
“The GOPe was never going to put any blood sweat or tears into fighting CommieCare. Why should they, they’re exempt.”
On top of that, the permanent swing to the left was and is inevitable because ‘freebies’ are impossible to stop.
“In the worst case scenario I would be alert to another Jumpin’ Jim Jeffords situation.”
You are correct. For example, John McCain loves media attention more than anything else, it seems, and would gladly jump to the Dems if the announcement got him a few days’ adoration from the media.
I understand your point completely. That was exactly the strategy for the integration of schools.....one district at a time instead of across the board.
When Khrushchev made all of those statements the communists who were already in the USA dismissed those statements by calling all of them ‘rhetoric’ and saying that they could be forgotten. Hah!
“It makes a huge difference to have a Republican controlled Senate if a conservative President is elected in 2016.”
You are correct—and let’s not forget Supreme Court nominees.
Yep. Margaret Thatcher’s “ratchet effect” on steroids. I’m with you, glad I’m on the far side of the hill.
It’s going to be “worst” and “most likely” scenarios combined.
RINO’s are part of the ruling elite and they won’t hold anyone accountable for anything. The IRS scandal and Fast and Furious alone should have been pounded to death but instead John Boehner punted the ball.
Conservatives are going to spend the next two years of GOP congressional control vomiting over the endless “bipartisan bills” that “work together” with Dems to “get things done for the American people”, blah, blah, blah.
More money poured down the federal rathole, more scandals totally ignored except for token words on the Sunday shows, amnesty push like in 2005 and 2006 (under W), etc.
When, not if, this happens conservatives should pound the “R at any cost” folks by reminding them everday of the failures of the GOPe while they ramp up the “you must support Mitt/Jeb/Christie or you want Hillary to win” BS meme.
They are running the tired old “let your opponent commit suicide and keep your mouth shut” ploy.
Even if they squeak out the Senate they’ll be instantly marginalized because they ran on nothing.
I forsee McConnell “power sharing” ala Trent Spineless Lott.
HA! Fat chance. The GOPe are enablers as much as the rat libtards.
Hard to trust The GOP Establishment. For one thing they may craft their own form of amnesty and pass it through. But there is not much choice left now.
That is part of what I mean. The chances of a Conservative as president are small with the Republicans going out of their way to crush Conservatives as candidates a la Mississippi.
You know what will happen if the Republicans take the Senate?
Not much.
Who do you think is most likely to “Do the Jeffords”? Susan Collins? OIympia Snowe? Someone else?
Time for intense senate investigations into Benghazi, F&F, IRS etc. for the sole purpose of going for impeaching the imposter.
Created DHS- another monstrosity .
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