Nov 2nd Predictions.

[Staccato]

Then I take it you haven't been paying attention.

I take it someone can't read a comment in context, namely that of claims of "voter fraud" and election "stealing".

I remember the crusade against ACORN in 2008-2009; I remember the claims that dead people had voted in Illinois and elsewhere; I remember the claims that votes in favour of Republican candidates had been "lost" in Minnesota. I remember these boards, right-wing media outlets and the GOP base gnashing their teeth for months and months on end.

If the Dems do something like that this year, let me know.

 

[MichaelHelp]

I hope the GOP wins with the tea party people that way Americans can see the true difference between the two. This election, if the GOP wins, will set the stage for the reelection of the Obama and the Dem Majorities in 2012.

 

[Ringo84]

The repub's will take over finally! And not more of the same change in your pockets.

We'll see.

Let's come back in two to four years and see if you can still say that with a straight face.
Ringo

 

[Bro_Sam]

I take it someone can't read a comment in context, namely that of claims of "voter fraud" and election "stealing".

I remember the crusade against ACORN in 2008-2009

"...On Monday, Nevada officials charged Acorn, its regional director and its Las Vegas field director with submitting thousands of fraudulent voter registration forms last year. Larry Lomax, the registrar of voters in Las Vegas, says he believes 48% of Acorn's forms "are clearly fraudulent." On Thursday, prosecutors in Pittsburgh, Pa., also charged seven Acorn employees with filing hundreds of fraudulent voter registrations before last year's general election...."

More Acorn Voter Fraud Comes to Light - WSJ.com

I remember the claims that dead people had voted in Illinois and elsewhere

"•The U.S. Election Assistance Commission reports that Arkansas, Colorado, Maryland, Massachusetts, Oregon, and Tennessee expunged precisely zero dead voters from their rolls between 2006 and 2008. The same applies to numerous counties in Alabama, Rhode Island, and Virginia. Either these places are experiencing an explosion in immortality, or they are violating federal law.

•Several Iowa and North Carolina counties feature more registered voters than live, voting-age adults. This condition plagues at least a dozen counties each in Indiana, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, and Texas. Registered voters equal 104 percent of Baltimore County, Maryland’s voting-adult population; and, according to documents that Adams filed, 113 percent in Lincoln County, West Virginia. Alaska’s and Michigan’s statewide figures are 102 percent.

•As Adams explains, July alone featured vote-fraud investigations, indictments, and convictions in: Atlantic City, New Jersey; Troy, New York; Canton, Mississippi; Brooks County, Georgia; Independence, Louisiana; Dillon County, South Carolina; Adair County, Oklahoma; Muncie, Indiana; and especially Minnesota, “where there have been dozens of felon voting indictments arising out of the closely contested 2008 elections.”

•Duplicate registration plagues metropolitan areas that straddle state lines. In such spots, people may reside in one state and work or study in another. Greater St. Louis, Kansas City, Memphis, and Cincinnati occupy this category, as do New York and Florida — to which tax-burdened New Yorkers often escape.

•Tarrell Campbell pleaded guilty in July for his actions in November 2008. He voted in Illinois (where he was in college), drove across the Mississippi River, and then voted again in St. Louis, his hometown. Campbell claimed that when he voted in Missouri, he had forgotten his vote in Illinois.

•Anne Enochs, a 69-year-old Memphis art teacher, was arrested in July for double voting — by accident, she claimed."

DoJ Slumbers As Dead Voters Head to the Polls - HUMAN EVENTS

 

[craigerNY]

And it'd be nice if we could keep this thread low on fighting.

I predict that this won't happen.

 

[BoltNut]

I'd imagine that the GOP will take the House and pick a number of seats in the Senate, yet I just can't believe they will get a majority. Still pretty close so anything is possible. Hey, I'm no Nostradamus.

What we will have then is a Congress where everything will be scrutinized and picked apart. There will be political posturing, delays, contention and endless discussion. Bottom line, not a whole bunch will get enacted. Obama-care will either be thrown out entirely or greatly modified. Spending bills will face a very difficult road and the budget will get slashed significantly. There are so many "sacred cow" issues that not all of them will get slain. Enough, however to lower the deficit and slow down this "runaway" train that exists in Washington DC at present. It's not enough to satisfy the conservatives but it's a start. Democrats that survive this day will begin to understand that they need to get away from the "spend our way to prosperity" mentality and will begin to vote more accordingly. They have to because 2012 is only two years away and the campaigning will begin before the last bit of "dangling chad" hits the Registrar counting room floor.

If this does not happen, Obama will most likely get re-elected in 2012 and the GOP could possibly lose the house once again. Therefore, I would think after today we will begin to see a slow trend of jobs being created by the private sector. Nothing dramatic, but it will be significant. This will increase slowly and by the time the November 2012 election gets here, we will be in an economic recovery situation. Obama will take credit for it and he will get re-elected....... wow, darned if we do and darned if we don't.

 

[Wolseley]

Nah, I hold out hope that the Democrats aren't as infantile and petulant as some Republicans were following the 2008 election

Which was only surpassed by the snide viciousness and triumphant vindictiveness displayed by the Democrats following the 2008 election. I guess it all evens out.

I remember some conservatives on this and other boards were emotionally and psychically hurting on the morning of November 5th, 2008---and the attitude that the progressives gave them was nothing short of totally uncalled for: a lot of nasty comments about "black crepe" and "you got what you deserved".

I hope that tomorrow morning the liberals, progressives, Democrats, and RINOs have a lot of black crepe of their own to hang.

 

[blueapplepaste]

I predict the sun will still rise on November 3rd regardless of what happens.

 

[BoltNut]

I predict the sun will still rise on November 3rd regardless of what happens.

Yep, and we won't have to listen to campaign ads any more for a while. Thank Goodness. I think all of us should use November 3 as a day of calm. No bickering, no name calling and a reduction in political venom. It will all be over. Some will be elated at the results and some disappointed. Will things get better? Well we won't really know for a number of months. Then the whole thing starts all over again. Rest up everyone.

 

[Steve Petersen]

IMO this election will show that most Americans are fiscal conservatives.

Reagan Democrats, most Independents and many Republicans could wield real power over the purse if they could cooperate and leave social issues to the side. They would need to create and endorsing body that is bipartisan and supports their goals.

I think they may also be able to agree on reducing the size of the Federal government and extra-constitutional regulatory agencies.

 

[MichaelHelp]

IMO this election will show that most Americans are fiscal conservatives.

Reagan Democrats, most Independents and many Republicans could wield real power over the purse if they could cooperate and leave social issues to the side. They would need to create and endorsing body that is bipartisan and supports their goals.

I think they may also be able to agree on reducing the size of the Federal government and extra-constitutional regulatory agencies.

Reducing the size of government very few have a problem with. But slashing Social Security? Getting rid of the minimum wage? Gutting the department of education? Repealing the 14th amendment? I don't think so.

 

[tanzanos]

What's all the fuss about Sarah Palin will eventually be voted into power and America will go back 200 years! All empires eventually die! Oh the irony; A republican ex beauty queen destroys America! And to think that I always believed that if anything destroys America it will be an asteroid or comet!

Don't Tread on me cause I can see Russia from my house and the country of Africa ..........

 

[Steve Petersen]

Reducing the size of government very few have a problem with. But slashing Social Security? Getting rid of the minimum wage? Gutting the department of education? Repealing the 14th amendment? I don't think so.

Not talking about slashing benefits for people already drawing them. Pushing out SS retirement age a couple of years for those under 50, say. Demographically, this is fair. People are living longer now than when SS was implemented. BTW, the retirement ages HAS been raised in the past. It can be done. Also raising and dedicating SS taxes. We need a real lock box.

Minimum wage is pretty irrelevant because it does not factor regional enconomic variations. I can tell you that $8.25 an hour goes a lot farther in Butte than in Brooklynn.

Department of Education? Every state has an equivalent. Is all this bureaucracy necessary?

Who is talking about repealing the 14th amendment?

 

[Corey]

General Predictions:

• Pre-election polling will be shown to have overestimated Republican outcomes.
• The mainstream media will continue to allow reactionaries and corporatists to dominate the conversation in broadcast media
• Incumbent Democrats who lose will be mostly Blue Dogs or Conservadems

Best Possible World For Democrats

• Democrats will retain control of the Senate with 55 to 57 seats total
• Democrats will retain control of the House with 219 to 225 seats total
• Joe Biden declares that the Senate is not a continuing body and the filibuster is eliminated; DISCLOSE, Card Check, DADT-repeal, other good progressive measures are passed

More Likely Outcome

• Democrats will retain control of the Senate with 53 to 55 seats
• Republicans will control the House with 220 to 225 seats total
• House Republicans will immediately begin hearings on various topics (e.g., Birth Certificates, ACORN, etc) and attempt to supeona White House officials.
• House Republicans will work to defund various programs that benefit the poor, working, and middle classes without addressing massive waste, fraud, and abuse in the DoD and other reactionary favorites.

Post-election Predictions (assuming More Likely Outcome Occurs)

• Undisclosed (potentially illegal) cash will continue to flow to reactionary and corporatist 501(c)s to market lies and half-truths
• Obama signs a lot of bad legislation because he's a go-along-to-get-along guy.
• Unemployment continues to rise due to Republican intransiegence (and lack of knowledge about economics)
• (Less likely but plausible)The United States defaults on its debt due to Tea Party Republican's refusal to increase the debt ceiling causing worldwide economic collapse, creating a new market for dollars in the wallpaper industry.

 

[MichaelHelp]

Not talking about slashing benefits for people already drawing them. Pushing out SS retirement age a couple of years for those under 50, say. Demographically, this is fair. People are living longer now than when SS was implemented. BTW, the retirement ages HAS been raised in the past. It can be done. Also raising and dedicating SS taxes. We need a real lock box.

Minimum wage is pretty irrelevant because it does not factor regional enconomic variations. I can tell you that $8.25 an hour goes a lot farther in Butte than in Brooklynn.

Department of Education? Every state has an equivalent. Is all this bureaucracy necessary?

Who is talking about repealing the 14th amendment?

Google repeal of the 14th amendment and you'll find the Republicans in favor of this such as Lindsey Graham

Minimum wage is NOT irrelevant. Check Raese in West Virginia

 

[BoltNut]

Reducing the size of government very few have a problem with. But slashing Social Security? Getting rid of the minimum wage? Gutting the department of education? Repealing the 14th amendment? I don't think so.

I think we all would agree that Social Security and Medicare cannot continue as they are. Something has to be done to stabilize it, or it will cease to be. Minimum wage, I don't know..... I think this is one of those "sacred cow" issues that won't really see much of any change. As far as the Dept. of Education goes, they could use a little "housekeeping" done. It won't be abolished like some fear, but it needs some reigning in. Just like a few other Departments in government. "Repealing the 14th amendment"..... I hear that a lot. Realistically, do you see this as a possibility? Even if the GOP gets a majority in both houses, I don't see this as remotely possible. Amending the Constitution is not something that many conservatives want to do. They'll find other ways to deal with immigration reform. I wonder if they will even take that issue on at all. Most every politician has avoided that "hot potato" for decades. Probably be more of the same.

 

[Ringo84]

Which was only surpassed by the snide viciousness and triumphant vindictiveness displayed by the Democrats following the 2008 election.

Which never happened, but I'm sure it feels good to play the victim.
Ringo

 

[MichaelHelp]

I think we all would agree that Social Security and Medicare cannot continue as they are. Something has to be done to stabilize it, or it will cease to be. Minimum wage, I don't know..... I think this is one of those "sacred cow" issues that won't really see much of any change. As far as the Dept. of Education goes, they could use a little "housekeeping" done. It won't be abolished like some fear, but it needs some reigning in. Just like a few other Departments in government. "Repealing the 14th amendment"..... I hear that a lot. Realistically, do you see this as a possibility? Even if the GOP gets a majority in both houses, I don't see this as remotely possible. Amending the Constitution is not something that many conservatives want to do. They'll find other ways to deal with immigration reform. I wonder if they will even take that issue on at all. Most every politician has avoided that "hot potato" for decades. Probably be more of the same.

It isn't a possibility. In fact nearly all of the agenda the GOP is pushing borders on near impossibility.

Although some talk about abolishing the minimum wage, they won't
Although some talk about privatizing social security, they won't
Although some talk about repealing the 14th amendment, they won't
Although some talk about implementing a national sales tax in lieu of an income tax, they won't
Although some talk about repealing health care reform, they won't

This is one of the reasons why the GOP hasn't earned my vote. They are all talk no walk.

 

[Corey]

Not talking about slashing benefits for people already drawing them. Pushing out SS retirement age a couple of years for those under 50, say. Demographically, this is fair. People are living longer now than when SS was implemented. BTW, the retirement ages HAS been raised in the past. It can be done. Also raising and dedicating SS taxes. We need a real lock box.

If you think unemployment is bad now, go ahead and raise the retirement age. The 20-somethings in France are fighting against a retirement age increase because they know such acts crowd the job market and make it harder to get a job. Moreover, it increases the supply of workers, thus reducing wages.

Moreover, is the retirement age to be targeted to job type? Physical labor is extremely difficult at more advanced ages. Are you asking a 69-year old nurse to do that same work as even a 50-year old nurse? I will probably work well past 70, but I don't do physical labor and love what I do.

Department of Education? Every state has an equivalent. Is all this bureaucracy necessary?

To a certain extent, yes.

 

[Steve Petersen]

If you think unemployment is bad now, go ahead and raise the retirement age. The 20-somethings in France are fighting against a retirement age increase because they know such acts crowd the job market and make it harder to get a job. Moreover, it increases the supply of workers, thus reducing wages.

As long as a person is working they will pay SS taxes, so raising the retirement age will add to the stream of money going in. Also, those near the end of their working careers are paying more in SS taxes because their pay is higher than those entering the workforce.

Moreover, is the retirement age to be targeted to job type? Physical labor is extremely difficult at more advanced ages. Are you asking a 69-year old nurse to do that same work as even a 50-year old nurse? I will probably work well past 70, but I don't do physical labor and love what I do.

Is the current retirement age targeted? No, it is not, and wasn't when the retirement age was raised from 65 to 67. I can understand making exceptions for certain types of work as long as it can be kept under control. It hasn't been in Europe. Early retirement at 50 for high stress jobs like pastry chef is absurd.