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2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
- Thread starter joecct
- Start date
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ScoobyDoo
NPC
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
And here's to it staying that way until the Supreme Court is fixed. I think they are stupid enough to lose everything before they figure it out.
And here's to it staying that way until the Supreme Court is fixed. I think they are stupid enough to lose everything before they figure it out.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
I think what we are seeing is a contradiction between the interests of the party (winning presidential elections, getting Congressional majorities, backing policies with broad national appeal) and the interests of individual members (winning their local election, appealing to their immediate donors, demonizing those who their constituents hate). This becomes one of those perverse incentive experiments where everybody knows it is in their collective interests to do X, but everybody also has a personal incentive to do ~X.
I would never have believed it was possible for a major party, but it does appear to be teetering on the edge of a vicious cycle. The party shrinks --> the profile of the typical member becomes more extreme --> the extreme members vote their constituents' id --> the party shrinks some more...
The question is whether the accident of the 2010 census falling on a Dem incumbent's midterm will give the GOP a buffer to start to change, or mask their problems so they become even more dire. Consider that by all reasonable projections the GOP will hold the House, perhaps even increasing its majority, and come very close to taking the Senate, if not taking it outright, this Fall. They could use that as an opportunity to pull out of their nose dive: being in power, they could try governance rather than sabotage and start to build a resume of achievements and positions conducive to a future majority. Or, they could just double down on the insanity of 2008-14. That could provoke a wave election in 2016 and more importantly a downticket wave in 2020 when the next census drives the next major phase of redistricting. That would be bad.
And by bad, I mean great.
I think what we are seeing is a contradiction between the interests of the party (winning presidential elections, getting Congressional majorities, backing policies with broad national appeal) and the interests of individual members (winning their local election, appealing to their immediate donors, demonizing those who their constituents hate). This becomes one of those perverse incentive experiments where everybody knows it is in their collective interests to do X, but everybody also has a personal incentive to do ~X.
I would never have believed it was possible for a major party, but it does appear to be teetering on the edge of a vicious cycle. The party shrinks --> the profile of the typical member becomes more extreme --> the extreme members vote their constituents' id --> the party shrinks some more...
The question is whether the accident of the 2010 census falling on a Dem incumbent's midterm will give the GOP a buffer to start to change, or mask their problems so they become even more dire. Consider that by all reasonable projections the GOP will hold the House, perhaps even increasing its majority, and come very close to taking the Senate, if not taking it outright, this Fall. They could use that as an opportunity to pull out of their nose dive: being in power, they could try governance rather than sabotage and start to build a resume of achievements and positions conducive to a future majority. Or, they could just double down on the insanity of 2008-14. That could provoke a wave election in 2016 and more importantly a downticket wave in 2020 when the next census drives the next major phase of redistricting. That would be bad.
And by bad, I mean great.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you.
Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
At least I can put them on Ignore!Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean someone isn't out to get you.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
Interesting article even though the author has a bone to pick with Gov Perry....
http://www.politico.com/magazine/st...-and-made-rick-perry-king-110131.html?hp=pm_1
Interesting article even though the author has a bone to pick with Gov Perry....
http://www.politico.com/magazine/st...-and-made-rick-perry-king-110131.html?hp=pm_1
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
Then you can't hear them sneaking up on you.
At least I can put them on Ignore!
Then you can't hear them sneaking up on you.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
Then they wouldn't be sneaking if I heard them. See, I even help those who try to sneak up on me!
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
This same lady went after Tom Delay and he ultimately was found not guilty. The former Dem. House Speaker -- a man with personal experience with this lady -- came out in defense of Rick Perry on this, saying the DA is out of control. Reading a few different opinions out there, some offered by actual well known lawyers, say this lady is off her rocker. At best, this is a lady trying to settle a vendetta. At worst, she's trying to sabotage any sort of presidential aspirations Gov. Perry might have.
This same lady went after Tom Delay and he ultimately was found not guilty. The former Dem. House Speaker -- a man with personal experience with this lady -- came out in defense of Rick Perry on this, saying the DA is out of control. Reading a few different opinions out there, some offered by actual well known lawyers, say this lady is off her rocker. At best, this is a lady trying to settle a vendetta. At worst, she's trying to sabotage any sort of presidential aspirations Gov. Perry might have.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
But she made a classic "drunk under arrest" video.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
FYP. DeLay was convicted. It's been at least partially overturned on appeal, but appeals are still ongoing.
Handyman
Hug someone you care about...
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
The guy can't count to 3...Bob Gray has better Presidential aspirations if he would get down off his cross long enough to run
The guy can't count to 3...Bob Gray has better Presidential aspirations if he would get down off his cross long enough to run
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
No, you didn't. The conviction was tossed out by the appeals court, saying it was a highly biased decision and that the evidence did not support conviction.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
But Craig was right to the extent that having a case tossed on appeal is not the same as a NG finding.
St. Clown
Liberal Rebel Scum, apparently
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
No, winning the appeal is exactly like a NG finding. You've officially never been convicted once the appeal goes in your favor.
No, winning the appeal is exactly like a NG finding. You've officially never been convicted once the appeal goes in your favor.
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
If by this lady you mean the DA in question, she's not the one pursuing the case. A special prosecutor appointed by a Repubican judge is. Frankly, I find it hard to believe those dastardly Texas Dems who can't win a statewide election in 20 years have this brilliant plan for setting up a kangaroo court to derail Rick Perry's inevitable march to the WH because we're all dying have another Texas dumba ss and Bush protege as President.
If by this lady you mean the DA in question, she's not the one pursuing the case. A special prosecutor appointed by a Repubican judge is. Frankly, I find it hard to believe those dastardly Texas Dems who can't win a statewide election in 20 years have this brilliant plan for setting up a kangaroo court to derail Rick Perry's inevitable march to the WH because we're all dying have another Texas dumba ss and Bush protege as President.
ScoobyDoo
NPC
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
Don't let facts get in their way.
If by this lady you mean the DA in question, she's not the one pursuing the case. A special prosecutor appointed by a Repubican judge is. Frankly, I find it hard to believe those dastardly Texas Dems who can't win a statewide election in 20 years have this brilliant plan for setting up a kangaroo court to derail Rick Perry's inevitable march to the WH because we're all dying have another Texas dumba ss and Bush protege as President.
Don't let facts get in their way.
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Kepler
Si certus es dubita
Re: 2nd Term Part VIII - The Thin Red Line
That entire feed is amazing. It reads like a cross between HST and TWOP.
That entire feed is amazing. It reads like a cross between HST and TWOP.
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