The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

[unofan]

If Hillary wins the White House then the Senate flips. R has a big issue with the Senate elections this year. They're defending everywhere. And from what I heard the Dems are getting their top picks for candidates to run in those swing state Senate elections.

Remember, the 2010 tea party wave senators are up for re-election next year. There are a lot of swing states with not so moderate senators up for re-election. A normal presidential turnout will kick some of them to the curb, even if it's not a "wave" election.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Remember, the 2010 tea party wave senators are up for re-election next year. There are a lot of swing states with not so moderate senators up for re-election. A normal presidential turnout will kick some of them to the curb, even if it's not a "wave" election.

The 6/4 asymmetry makes it interesting, since each Senate class elected in an off cycle then has to defend in an on cycle, and vice versa.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

David Brooks hammers the GOP. Great OP ED.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/13/op...=4&src=me&_r=0

And this is even better. Krugman blasts Brooks underlying premise and shows the GOP has been incompetent far longer than Brooks thought.

http://www.salon.com/2015/10/14/paul...ium=socialflow

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

David Brooks hammers the GOP. Great OP ED.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/13/op...=4&src=me&_r=0

The two things that kept echoing through my head while I read that were:

1) This is the first remotely competent piece of writing David Brooks has authored in a decade, and

2) You know who enabled and carried water for these anti-intellectual, self-important "revolutionaries" all these years? His initials are D.B.

BTW, if anyone is interested in pursuing Brooks' thesis further, it could be called "Russell Kirk For Dummies." Here's the original, one of the two (along with Michael Oakeshott) most intellectually fascinating and brilliant voices of genuine conservatism -- which hasn't been seen in the US since William F. Buckley lost the struggle for right wing intellectual supremacy to the nattering nabobs of Neoconservatism.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

The two things that kept echoing through my head while I read that were:

1) This is the first remotely competent piece of writing David Brooks has authored in a decade, and

2) You know who enabled and carried water for these anti-intellectual, self-important "revolutionaries" all these years? His initials are D.B.

And that's why Krugman took him out to the woodshed and beat him silly.

[Rover]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

If Hillary wins the White House then the Senate flips. R has a big issue with the Senate elections this year. They're defending everywhere. And from what I heard the Dems are getting their top picks for candidates to run in those swing state Senate elections.

Correct. Kirk and Johnson are gone given the Dem leans of their states in Prez elections and strong opponents regardless of the Presidential election. In a Dem win Ayotte can't survive a wave in NH vs a sitting governor. That leaves Toomey who's challenger is TBD, Florida which is an open seat, and Ohio with the Portman-Strickland contest. Goopers also better hope ancient knucks Grassley and McCain answer the bell.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Goopers also better hope ancient knucks Grassley and McCain answer the bell.

I wonder if the GOP secretly wishes McCain would retire? AZ is still red enough for a safe hand-off -- something that may not be true 6 years down the road. And as for The Man Himself, what does he want with another term of watching jackals in his own party preen for the cameras while doing nothing else? I'm sure he's enriched himself well beyond his dreams. Why not spend the golden years with the great-grandkids?

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Le Grande Orange takes one for the team on his way out.

[Rover]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I wonder if the GOP secretly wishes McCain would retire? AZ is still red enough for a safe hand-off -- something that may not be true 6 years down the road. And as for The Man Himself, what does he want with another term of watching jackals in his own party preen for the cameras while doing nothing else? I'm sure he's enriched himself well beyond his dreams. Why not spend the golden years with the great-grandkids?

He's probably worried about losing his chair on all the Sunday morning talk shows.

[Kepler]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

He's probably worried about losing his chair on all the Sunday morning talk shows.

Fox still puts Cheney on, for God's sake. He's got a spot for life in the Echo Chamber.

[Rover]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Now another GOP congressman comes out and says Ben Ghazi! committee is a sham...


http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/14/politi...tee/index.html

Beyond time to stick a fork in this investigation. Also in the name of fairness House GOP should reimburse taxpayers for it if they have any pride or love of country.

[Bob Gray]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I wonder if the GOP secretly wishes McCain would retire? AZ is still red enough for a safe hand-off -- something that may not be true 6 years down the road. And as for The Man Himself, what does he want with another term of watching jackals in his own party preen for the cameras while doing nothing else? I'm sure he's enriched himself well beyond his dreams. Why not spend the golden years with the great-grandkids?

I think it's fair to say that AZ Reps are split on McCain, but if he decides to run, I don't see anyone unseating him, barring something unforeseen. Some see him as more of a Beltway person than an Arizona representative at this point, with McCain often showing more interest in national/international issues than his local constituents. I wouldn't be surprised to see him run one more time and then call it quits after that. He is 79, so after another term he'd be 85, which is pretty high up there unless your name is Strom Thurmond.

[burd]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Now another GOP congressman comes out and says Ben Ghazi! committee is a sham...


http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/14/politi...tee/index.html

Beyond time to stick a fork in this investigation. Also in the name of fairness House GOP should reimburse taxpayers for it if they have any pride or love of country.

They will now insist that the Emperor is at least wearing socks.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

I think it's fair to say that AZ Reps are split on McCain, but if he decides to run, I don't see anyone unseating him, barring something unforeseen. Some see him as more of a Beltway person than an Arizona representative at this point, with McCain often showing more interest in national/international issues than his local constituents. I wouldn't be surprised to see him run one more time and then call it quits after that. He is 79, so after another term he'd be 85, which is pretty high up there unless your name is Strom Thurmond.

Gotta love people who'll vote for someone who never saw a war he didn't like. And he's got all the necessary Plutocracy street cred.

[ScoobyDoo]

Re: The 114th Congress: How Low Can They Go?

Ryan is going to be Speaker it looks like. The establishment always gets their man in there regardless. Look for Jeb to rise from the ashes.