US mid-terms: Republicans win control of the Senate

[ggt]

Good Bye and Good Riddance Harry Reid and his blocking all GOP initiatives...gone are the gravy days of unelected gov't goons running amuck over the US Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Civil Liberties...

Maybe some of the criminals at the IRS and Justice Dept. will be convicted of their crimes and become lady boys for the minorities in prisons...

[MiclB]

This is the way a democratically elected republic squashes a tyrant; coup? -not!

[mania]

The American public has just handed back the keys to the hen house to the foxes.

And the foxes found all the hen's had been killed in the last few years & left to rot.

What a mess the foxes have to deal with.....ah well onwards

Yes, what a mess, employment up, deficit down, dollar strengthening, my stocks doing quite well, thank you. Damn that Obama and all those Democrats.

555 Yes lets see Unemployment? What is the real number not those who qualify for UE benefits but also all those that exhausted their UE benefits & are no longer counted....But they do get food stamps & welfare

Deficit down??? hahah yes if charted as Obama did...Compared as a share of GDP???

Gave the banksters how much in bailouts?....Yet the citizens get the bill....Drones...military reactions...etc etc

That is govt spending so yes GDP which includes govt spending/debt creation has gone up so compared to GDP yes deficit down....

But what is the real number? The National Debt would better indicate that.....how has that done these last 6 years?

Stocks? Well yes when you give the banks well over a trillion...Do you think they lend that out? H3ll no they float the markets...straight back to the casinos....again & try to make more..

They sure did not give any of that back to citizens in interest on their saving

So I would say no pass on those 3 strikes.

Trust me I am not saying the other side will do better....but hard to believe it could get worse....Yet I don't rule anything out

Edited November 5, 2014 by mania

[RickBradford]

Not many thinking people really hate the US -- as many posters have said, the world would almost certainly be in a worse place without the US's contributions over the past 100 years or so.

As regards US domestic politics, the quote from Jonah Goldberg seems relevant:

'If there is ever a fascist takeover in America, it will come not in the form of storm troopers kicking down doors, but with lawyers and social workers saying, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

[landslide]

The American public has just handed back the keys to the hen house to the foxes.

an absolute Disgrace...

The real disgrace is Obama's agenda and the Democrats that supported it.

[Chicog]

And so starts the next cycle of boom and bust.

[bkkcanuck8]

Personally, I think there are some important things that can be done.... I am looking forward to the minimal patent reform that was agreed to but was shelved by Harry Reid at the bequest of the trial lawyers.... I think that will free up a lot of money that gets sucked out of the economy in legalized extortion. I think the congress will focus initially on getting things done that President Obama will accept. There will be some token legislation that passes to be vetoed as well - but not much time on it. There will be a lot more demand for document requests for oversight, which will be made public.... something that congress was not doing well - and does not do well very often.... yes politics will be played with it - but that is normal.

Some tax reform should be done especially in the area of corporate taxes.... my preferable solution is to lower the corporate taxes and replace that portion with VAT/GST (whether you tax income before and it gets buried in the sale price, or added at sale - it comes from the same pockets). It would make sure that tax is collected on US sources of income (avoiding some of the tax schemes that get done) - while increasing the international competitiveness of US manufacturing since the exports automatically free of taxes. It also gets rid of the "income tax" presents that are given to those that are well connected.

[Johpa]

Obama has been great for the one percenters that he rails against. Not so much for everyone else.

Yes, in the end, he was owned by the corporate elite and failed those who elected him. He went for the Republican healthcare plan that was designed to preempt and stall any rational talk about a national healthcare plan. Of course this conflicted with the more racist elements of the Republican party who had sworn, even before Obama was sworn into office, not to vote for anything favored by Obama. And healthcare was not the only instance when the Republicans turned their backs on their own legislation to make a their point. In addition, Obama, unlike Reagan, did not have the will to go after the criminals in the financial sector, allowing someone like Geithner to write his revisionist history as a free man. Geithner must be smiling as he reflects upon the political lessons learned in his youth growing up in Thailand. And of course Obama was overwhelmed by the fallout from the terribly ill-conceived and unfunded Neo-Con military incursion into Iraq. Although to be honest, I doubt anyone else from either party was going to handle this blowback with any more aplomb that Obama, and my guess others, especially the likes of "guns-ablazing" John McCain, may have done far worse in response.

So now we will be looking at the possibility of the "one percenters" dividing their allegiance between the neo-feudal Republican party and the scarlet woman of Wall Street Hillary Clinton of the faux democratic wing of the Democratic party. Even more depressing is the rise of the libertarians, such as Rand Paul, who come out of the John Birch era.

[Johpa]

Personally, I think there are some important things that can be done.... I am looking forward to the minimal patent reform that was agreed to but was shelved by Harry Reid at the bequest of the trial lawyers.

Far more influential than the trial lawyers in blocking the patent reform was big-pharma and the bio-tech lobbyists. Obama was actually in favor of the reform.

[Petchou]

US is governed by the the three main lobbies, big corporations, military industry and AIPAC. The citizens have no say, they have an illusion of democracy.

[Johpa]

US is governed by the the three main lobbies, big corporations, military industry and AIPAC. The citizens have no say, they have an illusion of democracy.

Sorry, but single issue footnotes like AIPAC don't have that much influence on the larger picture. May I suggest perusing this website, www.opensecrets.org, to become more informed.

[joecoolfrog]

The British model is far from perfect but we do impose a financial electionering budget on individual candidates. Of course deals still get done and promises still get made but it does mean that the bribery is kept somewhat at arms length.

[SNGLIFE]

The Democrats went to the Nuclear Option just in time for the Republicans to use it against them.

The Dems used it once to fill appointees who were mostly overwhelmingly acceptable to Republicans, but being blocked from those positions nevertheless. We STILL do not have ambassadors to several countries or a Surgeon General because of Republican obstructionism.

But whereas Reid, the soon-to-be former Senate Majority Leader, refused to change the Senate rules (it can be done only on the first day of a new session) to make it possible to override EVERY filibuster with a simple majority (aka "the nuclear option"), you can be sure Republicans will shamelessly make the nuclear option their first order of business despite having railed against it when they were in the minority.

Republican leadership = wicked, evil, vile, bigoted

Republican voters (except the wealthy) = under-educated, gullible, and stupid

Democrat leadership = dumb

Democrat voters who didn't vote = dumber

I moved to Thailand when Bush was elected. The writing was on the wall. He was an idiot puppet and he governed like an idiot puppet (see Cheney, Karl Rove, Rumsfeld, and others). The writing is also on the wall for what will happen next:

1. Nuclear option to override Democrats in the Senate with a simple majority
2. Impeach Obama
3. Total chaos everywhere because a bunch of old White people with an agenda (to put it mildly) dared impeach the first Black POTUS against a background of seething disgust for White police officers gunning down Black people's children at every opportunity
4. Obamacare effectively undone
5. Iran reconciliation effort torn apart
6. Many, many other things too numerous to write, but none of them good.

Obama has used his veto power twice in 6 years for non-controversial legislation. That "beep, beep, beep" sound you hear is the ink truck backing up to the Oval Office.

Edited November 5, 2014 by SNGLIFE

[SNGLIFE]

You won't find it in the history books, but Clinton avoided impeachment and preserved his "blue dress" tattered legacy by signing off on the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. That is what lead to the housing crisis and everything bad that followed.

The question is: Will Obama also cut a deal?

If he does, it will undoubtedly be for something even more devastating so that it forever overshadows the many, many, many successes of his presidency in the same way the blue dress still overshadows Clinton's outstanding accomplishments.

[Jingthing]

So the republicans won the senate.

We know they are against everything Obama has ever spoken or done.

But what are they FOR?
They ran a very negative campaign all about hating Obama.

But what are they FOR?

Now they control congress and the senate.

They are supposed to GOVERN NOW and present bills to Obama that he will be ABLE to sign.

Will they?

Of course they won't!

[bkkcanuck8]

You won't find it in the history books, but Clinton avoided impeachment and preserved his "blue dress" tattered legacy by signing off on the repeal of the Glass-Steagall Act. That is what lead to the housing crisis and everything bad that followed.

The question is: Will Obama also cut a deal?

If he does, it will undoubtedly be for something even more devastating so that it forever overshadows the many, many, many successes of his presidency in the same way the blue dress still overshadows Clinton's outstanding accomplishments.

The problem was not all to be laid at the feet of the repeal of the "Glass-Steagall Act" it is the fact that a country whose banks failure can torpedo the economy has to be held to a higher standard of regulatory compliance than those that are smaller. It is a fact that Canada has had to deal with for 50+ years at least. Any of the largest banks failure would be disastrous, and thus Canadian regulations tend to be more conservatively enforced etc. Separation of industry / risk should not be done by region but by function. Banks should be more conservative -- parts of financial institutions that shoulder a much higher risk should be a separate type of financial institution.

The way the US insures bank mortgage industry is/was problematic. The (private) insurance company takes in premiums and insures the mortgages. They then invest that money. When the time comes and the insurance actually has to pay out is when those investments tend to be doing their worse. In other words, the insurance companies take in money to insure it -- and when it comes to pay out they may not be able to and fail - which then tosses it back to the banks themselves who have paid for nothing. The government then has to step in back up the failed insurers.... which means the government ends up shouldering the highest risks. In Canada a crown corporation receives the premiums and has to pay out if the mortgages fail.... eliminating the middle man which only serves to collect premiums then fail.

[tw25rw]

No change. It will just slow the government from spending money and passing too many laws. Not a bad thing. The American people need little help from the government though 47% like the handouts.

Well, maybe Cruz and/or Paul will cut the dole. They have said cuts are needed to Social Security.

Yes, the poorest and weakest are to blame for everything. Of course the corporate handouts will be more lucrative than ever.

[japsportscarmad]

God Bless America

[VegasVic]

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The Democrats went to the Nuclear Option just in time for the Republicans to use it against them. alt=laugh.png>

Yes indeed "hypocrite" Harry Reid will live (or perhaps not?) to regret opening up the nuclear option, but now that the shoe is on the other foot the democrats will all call foul Of course those of us who have lived in D.C. before are use to Democrats whining

[VegasVic]

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So the republicans won the senate.

We know they are against everything Obama has ever spoken or done.

But what are they FOR?
They ran a very negative campaign all about hating Obama.

But what are they FOR?

Now they control congress and the senate.

They are supposed to GOVERN NOW and present bills to Obama that he will be ABLE to sign.

Will they?

Of course they won't!

What are they for you say, well there are 458 bills that have passed the House of Representatives that are currently in Harry Reids drawer as he refuses to even allow them to be voted on by the U.S. Senate! Everyone in D.C. knows who the real obstructionist is, and that person is the one and only soon to be Senate majority leader nor more "hypocrite" Harry Reid I call Sen. Reid a hypocrite out of affection, I have known Harry for nearly 30 years and he was just as bad a hypocrite back then. If you ever get the chance to watch the movie "Casino" with Robert De Niro, pay careful attention to the character played by Dick Smothers, it is Harry Reid when he was the gaming control board chairman. I saw the movie at a local theater in Vegas when it opened and virtually everyone started laughing and chanting almost in unison " thats Harry" in the scene where De Niro's character shows up Dick Smothers character for being a liar and a POS in the hearing room, it's sad that outside of Vegas or Nevada no one realizes that this character is based on Harry Reid Getting back to "what are the Republicans for", do you want the list alphabetically or numerically either way it is a long list, but here are a few of the highlights- A balanced budget ammendment- a cohesive and complete energy policy- a comprehensive immigration policy that includes securing the border- an overhaul of the current tax system to encourage savings and investment and the creation of new good paying jobs- shrinking of the Federal government and the overreach of current regulatory policy and at the same time giving the States back their rights- and of course getting rid of Obamacare piece by piece- and that's likely just the first months agenda. I suggest that you do some due dilligence and educate yourself instead of listening to the far left wing drivel on MSNBC or NPR radio.

[Somtamnication]

Neo cons back in power. So glad I renounced US citizenship before coming to Thailand. Computer models of thermonuclear war clouds show it will be from Europe to the US. I will stay in Thailand.

[VegasVic]

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God Bless America

I'll second that, and after last night I can say that with proud distinction once again!

[VegasVic]

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Neo cons back in power. So glad I renounced US citizenship before coming to Thailand. Computer models of thermonuclear war clouds show it will be from Europe to the US. I will stay in Thailand. alt=thumbsup.gif>

Thank you for renouncing you U.S. citizenship (although my guess is that you never were a U.S. citizen) that means that there is one less left wing nut casting in vote

[thailiketoo]

Neo cons back in power. So glad I renounced US citizenship before coming to Thailand. Computer models of thermonuclear war clouds show it will be from Europe to the US. I will stay in Thailand.

Looking at your previous posts one can discern that you are an Aussie.

[danmarnj]

Sounds like a silly democratic talking point: "We are GLAD we lost, because it will help Hillary."

How will she not have to defend Obama? He is very likely going to be vetoing Republican bills for the next two years , instead of getting Harry Reid to refuse to bring them up for a vote, like he has been doing. Any way that you look at it, the Republican won a big victory today and they are far better off than they have been.

Yep, they won a big big today. So, control of the House and Senate. A conservative SCOTUS. Let's see what they do with this. They have two years to show results. Now no Democratic controlled Senate to block them.

If the President refuses to sign any legislation that the congress sends him, how is that control? The only thing that the majorities in senate/house hopefully can accomplish, is to try to control the national debt left us by Bush/Obama.

[sirineou]

I didn't even bothered to vote!

by voting it only encourages them, they'l think that they were elected, and that they have a mandate .

In America there is only one party. The property party and it has two wings , the conservative and the liberal.

some call it , the republicans and the democrats.

What was the difference between the Bush presidency, and the Obama presidency? Same, wars same crap, different day.

some change around the edges, to show something is being done, but nothing substantial.

[VegasVic]

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Obama has been great for the one percenters that he rails against. Not so much for everyone else.

That should come as no surprise to anyone who doesn't have blinders on, Obama outraised McCain 2:1 on Wall street back when he was first elected, so his bailout and absence of any prosecution of anyone on Wall Street for the real estate-banking crisis makes perfect sense! In his tenure thus far he has had plenty of giveaways to the welfare crowd and illegals as well as free money through the FED for all the Wall Street Banksters, and of course the middle class has taken it up the you know what Well guess what, the middle class woke up yesterday, I guess better late than never

[Thaiready]

The American public has just handed back the keys to the hen house to the foxes.

I personally am glad the True Foxes are GONE.....you may continue weeping.

[Pakboong]

Its the economy, stupid!

Time for a change.

Any fool can change something. We need improvement, not change. Change without wisdom can be devastatiing.

[Thaiready]

I didn't even bothered to vote!

by voting it only encourages them, they'l think that they were elected, and that they have a mandate .

In America there is only one party. The property party and it has two wings , the conservative and the liberal.

some call it , the republicans and the democrats.

What was the difference between the Bush presidency, and the Obama presidency? Same, wars same crap, different day.

some change around the edges, to show something is being done, but nothing substantial.

You got me in your opening statement.... With that you have no say. Now go away.