2014 American Midterm Election Thread

[Nemo]

Since nobody else started one, I figured I would. This morning I work up, made myself a nice big fancy breakfast, and then headed to the polls to do my part (I don't work until 2:30). I'm not going to call any races just yet, however, I did notice that many of the state offices would be going to Republicans running unopposed. John Oliver had a segment on that trend on Sunday night, if you haven't seen it yet.

In any case, I suspect we'll be getting some Republican victories. History is on their side: midterm elections of a Democratic President. The real question is 2016. If the economy is doing well by then, the Democrats might be able to pull off a win, even though it would be hard.

[Eiki-mun]

If the Republicans win in 2014, the economy won't be doing well in 2016, of that I guarantee you.

That said, I don't think the Democrats can pull through with this one. We're just gonna have to buckle down for a long period of trying to impeach the President over and over again, interspersed with attempts to repeal Obamacare that will be vetoed over and over.

[Random Gal]

I voted for Mark Warner and Suzanne Patrick, both of the Democrats running in my district.

Warner's an incumbent former governor, very well-liked, and his opponent, Ed Gillespie, is a douchebag corporate sellout who was the head lobbyist for Enron back in the day, so I think Warner's senate seat isn't going anywhere.

On the other hand, Patrick's opponent, Scott Rigell, is an incumbent with a lot more money to spend and has been maintaining a "bipartisan" appearance while actually trying to grind things to a halt until the Affordable Care Act is repealed, so I doubt she's going to oust him.

[Id82]

Congress simply disgusts me. It's all a fucking game to them. They don't fucking care about the people or even care about passing legislation, all they want to do is get re-elected and get more money from corporations. They do nothing to make the president look bad, and then when they take power they do all they can to get the president to veto to make him look bad. All the american people see is the president and blame him for all of the problems, and completely ignore the fact that it is congress that makes laws, it's congress that makes the budget, it's congress that adjusts the debt. The only time a president can even get anything remotely accomplished is in his first four years if he can get past the filibuster.
The whole thing fucking frustrates me.
And of course people acknowledge that congress is the problem, but re elect all the same assholes into office because "It's not my congressman."
We need term limits on senators and representatives. Maybe then instead of worrying about being re elected they would actually try and do something.

[Ironchew]

If the Republicans win in 2014, the economy won't be doing well in 2016, of that I guarantee you.

That said, I don't think the Democrats can pull through with this one. We're just gonna have to buckle down for a long period of trying to impeach the President over and over again, interspersed with attempts to repeal Obamacare that will be vetoed over and over.

The irony here is that Republicans can turn this to their advantage in 2016. They'll start passing budgets with ACA-repealing legislation inside and it will be very easy to accuse the Obama administration of obstructing a functioning legislative branch. If the Obama administration capitulates to Republicans on lots of issues (and we know they will), Democrats will alienate their base even further. Perhaps the worst-case scenario leading up to 2016 would be if we had a majority Republican Senate/House and the Democratic presidential candidate is a Republican-lite like Clinton. Republican-lites almost always lose to the genuine article and I would expect a Republican-majority legislature to sail through on anti-Obama sentiment.

We need term limits on senators and representatives. Maybe then instead of worrying about being re elected they would actually try and do something.

Unless we get money out of politics first I fear this will make the situation worse. The genuinely good legislators will be predictably shuffled out and huge corporations would have an easier time bankrolling campaigns between candidates with no legislative record.

[Barbarella]

If the GOP gets victories. Lets hope it's not vast. It's still too early to call.

I voted.

Something's gotta give, soon. Something's gonna break. The new Progressive Movement is just starting. The Left will rise again. It just takes time.

Remember, most folks voting the wingnuts in are old people. They'll die soon, then the Dems will start winning again.

No matter what happens, remember, we the Progressives are winning the culture war. The future belongs to us. If the wingnuts take charge, we will not comply. The wingnuts will not go far long.

Even if the GOP wins a few more seats. It isn't over! PROGRESSIVES WILL WIN THE WAR!

The future is OURS!

[Eiki-mun]

Ye gods, I wish I could have SpukiKitty's optimism. Unfortunately, I'm thinking by 2018 the Republican Theocracy will be in full effect.

[Ironchew]

Remember, most folks voting the wingnuts in are old people. They'll die soon, then the Dems will start winning again.

No matter what happens, remember, we the Progressives are winning the culture war. The future belongs to us. If the wingnuts take charge, we will not comply. The wingnuts will not go far long.

A poll done recently by the Harvard Institute of Politics says their sample of 18-to-29-year-olds who would "definitely vote" in the midterms are 51% in approval of the GOP gaining control of the legislature while only 47% want Democrats to be in charge.

Much as I would like what Spuki says to be true, the generations before us were saying the same thing. I don't think the Baby Boomers as a whole became more conservative as they got older, but the tiny elite that funds politicians certainly gets richer as they get older.

[Barbarella]

Remember, most folks voting the wingnuts in are old people. They'll die soon, then the Dems will start winning again.

No matter what happens, remember, we the Progressives are winning the culture war. The future belongs to us. If the wingnuts take charge, we will not comply. The wingnuts will not go far long.

A poll done recently by the Harvard Institute of Politics says their sample of 18-to-29-year-olds who would "definitely vote" in the midterms are 51% in approval of the GOP gaining control of the legislature while only 47% want Democrats to be in charge.

Much as I would like what Spuki says to be true, the generations before us were saying the same thing. I don't think the Baby Boomers as a whole became more conservative as they got older, but the tiny elite that funds politicians certainly gets richer as they get older.

Ding-Dong, You're WRONG!
http://themillenniallegacy.com/the-millennial-generation/progressive/

Millenials being overwhelmingly GOP/Teabaggers is hilarious! Nice try Irontroll. Fuck off!

[Eiki-mun]

Spuki, are... are you okay?

[Barbarella]

Spuki, are... are you okay?

I changed my message.

I'm so sick of Irontroll. I wish he'd just shut up & quit picking on me.

[Ironchew]

Right. They probably polled a group of rich spoiled white kids rather than REAL AMERICAN youths of all demographics.

They published their methodology and they specifically stated that their sample included those inside and outside the undergraduate/college graduate population for a more random cover.

I should also mention that 51% being majority approval is slightly misleading because the poll had a margin of error of +/- 2.6% at 95% confidence.

Sorry, shit-troll...but I'm right and you are wrong!

Millenials for the GOP....That's a LAUGH! HA HA HAAA!

Can you tell knock knock jokes, too LYING IRONTROLL SHIT SUCKER FUCKOFF?

If you want to throw down in Flame & Burn, I'll grab my popcorn.

[Barbarella]

http://themillenniallegacy.com/the-millennial-generation/progressive/

Today's youth are Progressive, Irontroll.

[Nemo]

I actually agree that on social issues, progressives dominate among the younger generation. That is true, and has always been true. It is also true that many will become more conservative as they get older. But the good news is this: not all of them do, and they don't go all the way back.

I have a friend at my second job who was homeschooled. I've never made the mistake of talking to him about religion, but I imagine he is a conservative Christian. I mentioned to him one time that I had recently gotten into DnD, something that was anathema to religious conservatives a generation ago. He smiled and said "awesome". Gay rights are another issue. I came from a very conservative small town, and I am shocked at just how many people I went to school with are progressive on that issue.

I suspect that the reason progressives are doing so well on social issues even when we're struggling in other areas is because of the Internet. Social conservatism depends on othering, which is difficult in the Internet age. When I was in church, I learned that Wiccans were more or less Satanists. It was the Internet which allowed me to realize what Wiccans actually are.

Now, I will agree that on economics, we are kind of moving to the right. One of my favorite coworkers is from the UK (he got married to a girl I went to high school with), and he has often told me "you guys need better healthcare". I often explain to him how American history was different than the history of various European nations, and how that shaped our political ideology. Of course, even in Europe, you see some far right figures rising up and wanting to privatize their health care systems. The truth is, there is no final goal of civilization. You get waxing and waning. You get a back and forth political process. If any progressives are ever feeling depressed about the course of America, just read Rapture Ready or any far right blog to see that the other side feels the same way.

[Eiki-mun]

And unfortunately, a rightward lean on economics makes sure everyone (with the exception of the 1%) suffers.