The Dems are in total collapse today, as *another* Obama nominee (Southers for TSA) withdrew due to his embarassing and radical agenda.

Looks like yet another case of poor judgement…first endorsing a sure loser in Coakley in a hasty desperation visit, now choosing another whackjob liberal that wasn’t up for the job.

Time to put on the sweater and embrace your inner Carter, Obama. You’ve arrived.

Well, I hope you’re right in your assessment of the American voter, Ms. Clouthier. I hope that the American voter is slowly emerging from the coma (s)he has been in for the past few decades. I hope that the economy, foreign relations, national security, immigration, health care and the whole realm of other important issues and concerns which are facing us really have edged out American Idol and 24 on the personal priority lists of countless Americans. I hope that the Brown victory in Massachusetts will usher in a new era of responsive and hopefully transparent governance in this nation. I hope that this election signals a degree of involvement by regular citizens which we haven’t see in a hundred years.

But who am I trying to kid here?

Mr. Obama and his party will be fine. They still have massive majorities on which to rely to pass their legislation, should they choose to. As I write this, the media minds who shape what we hear and see are on to the next big thing – Super Bowl MMCCDLIVIXVVIIX*. Perhaps, as you say, the takeaway for most elected Democrats will be a simple lesson in being more responsive to the people back home than they’ve been for the past year. If it actually gets that far, and that’s what actually happens in the wake of Scott Brown getting elected, then I’ll cheer. But it’s early and the political schemers and plotters, the Rahm Emmanuels and Karl Roves of the world if you will, are busy using their bright minds to subvert the positive message you and others are sending out. They’re thinking about how they can co-opt and spin and manipulate. They’re developing new strategies and hatching new plots to maintain, if not increase their power. Six weeks from now, maybe six months from now, will we still be convinced that ‘we the people’ are really in charge?

Maybe it’s just the cynicism of an older man who’s seen more than his share of political chicanery, but thanks anyway, I’ll wait and see how things shake out before I declare that the first shot in the new revolution has been fired. No matter how much I’d personally like to see that revolution happen.

* – Exactly when are the NFL going to drop the pretence of Roman-numeraled designations for their ‘big dance’? Are they afraid that ‘Super Bowl 2010′ is not clear enough to the average fan? Are they worried that the average fan won’t be able to distinguish between Super Bowl 2010, World Series 2010, Stanley Cup 2010 and NBA Championship 2010?

“Exactly when are the NFL going to drop the pretence of Roman-numeraled designations for their ‘big dance’?”

I’m guessing in a few years once they notice how stupid “Super Bowl L” looks.

I don’t see this as an event, martin, but a slow transformation. The Era of Big Government is drawing to a close, and what we’re seeing is the last desperate steps of it trying to spend and claw its way out of the hole it’s in like the T-1000 in the vat of molten steel.

The Porkulus Bill failed, the people are balking at the Obamacare takeover, Cap and Tax has been exposed as completely fraudulent, Medicare and SS are broke, the states are broke and the Feds are $12 billion in debt. It’s just over. As millions of American families and businesses found out during this recession, you can only live on credit cards for so long. Now it’s the government’s turn.

The powerful will doubtlessly carve out a comfortable niche for themselves at our expense…likely by preserving the revolving door between Congress or Federal appointment, quasi-government companies (Fannie and Freddie), and the lobbying game. The 60′s era radicals are beginning to retire and die off, and the liberal movement is going to lose a lot of steam.

We’re by no means out of the woods yet, but it looks like we’ve stepped back form the precipice of socialism and are starting to realize that at the end of the day, the government plays by the same economic rules as everyone else. Subsidizing an entitlement state on the backs of our children and the Chinese people is neither viable nor moral, and it’s time for it to end.

Mike – I hope you’re right. I really do. To crib a line from a pop song of a few years back, “I want to be someone who believes”.

We’ve been living under the cloud of the radical 60′s for far too long. As you say, the elder statespersons of the radical movement are indeed fading from power and that’s a good thing. Except for the sad truth that those radicals are being replaced with something far worse – “new” old-fashioned machine politics. Tammany Hall meets the Daley gang and moves to DC. Never in my lifetime has our national politics been as thuggish and doctrinaire as it is today. And that’s what concerns me most.

Don’t misunderstand my meaning – I do hope Ms. Clouthier is right. I’m just fighting five decades of cynicism about politicos and their real intentions.

Yeah, brings us down to what, an 18 vote lead?
Posted by Robert_Ingersoll 2010-01-20 08:47:03

You couldn’t get your agenda passed when you had a filibuster-proof majority, Robert. And you want to be smug about your majority now?

All the election of Scott Brown means to you and your ilk is that NOW your whines of “The Republicans are obstructionists” will have slightly more truth to it.

And I would gladly wear the title of “Obstructionist” if it meant killing the Democrats legislation on HealthCare Reform and Cap-n-Trade.

Actually, the Dems have a 16 vote lead plus one Independent, Joe Lieberman, plus one socialist, who is less to the left than the President and many other Dem Senators and Reps, Bernie Sanders.

The President’s Party typically loses 5-6 seats in the first mid-term election. It seems likely that the One (PBUH) will lose many more than the average. Eight seat changes leave the Senate split 49-49 with the Dems in control.

What happens if the Republicans get to 50? Neither Lieberman nor Sanders are Democrats so it would be 50-48-1-1 which should put the Republicans in charge right? That’s assuming that the Dems don’t bribe Joe and Bernie into joining the party in which case they would retain control.

Any thoughts on how this might shake out?

Have an Evil day

I saw Lieberman yesterday on Cavuto and he danced around the question of whether he would caucus with Republicans. The fact that he didn’t outright deny it should cause the Dem leadership to be concerned. But then again, Lieberman is to the left of both Maine Senators on everything but defense, so would he really be a Republican? I think it is fair to say that Lieberman will be an independent and just vote his conscience.

I just want barney frank to go away….far away.

Posted by JaMadison
2010-01-20 13:01:51

Whoops. I counted the seats as Kennedy and Paul Kirk, the latter being the stand-in for the former. Obviously the same seat.