Perhaps we can talk about the election results here.
As I write this, the Senate race is coming down to the wire with 49-48 seats in favor of the Republicans with three states remaining - Missouri, Montana, and Macaca Land. The Democrats need to win all three states for a Senate majority.
The House has unquestioningly gone to the Democrats, with CNN projecting something like 221-183 seats in favor.
In other news, the Democrats control the governorship in at least 28 states, giving them a newly won majority. Also, it looks like South Dakota voted against landmark legislation designed to ban nearly all abortions in the state. However, it also looks like many amendments to ban same-sex marriages were passed.
Let's all try to keep this discussion civil ;p
Actually it's 49-49. Missouri went to the Democrats.
Eh, didn't get to vote last night (as you can see in the election thread in the MoFo). But felt a little disappointed though when seeing the news this morning.
So the Senate is still in the hands of Republicans with 2 seats. Also, absentee ballots still need to be counted. Otherwise, control of the House completely flipped.
Well...this election was the Republicans' to lose. I mean, their PR sucks. It SUCKS.
The Democrats' PR? Brutal.
Look for some stagnation in the next two years. Perhaps this little incident might teach the Republicans to not forget their base (you know, super-duper spending, bigger government...the things they said 'no' to when they obtained control of Congress in 1994).
Oh well. Life goes on.
Actually, the Senate is still up in the air, Ultra. It's 49 to 49 with two seats still contested. In both of these seats, the democratic candidate is still ahead by a VERY narrow margin.
In other news, Rumsfeld just resigned.
Edit: Actually, now it's 49-50. The democrats have won another seat. Only one seat is now contested.
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In other news, Rumsfeld just resigned.
Is it too soon to do the "Na na na hey hey hey goodbye song"?
Way to flip-flop, Scrubby.
LOL
It's better. Rumsfeld is being forced out, against Cheney's protest. And Bush admitted he lied last week when he said Rumsfeld would stay, even as he was examining another candidate. Of course the media doesn't use the word lie, they like to say "misled," or "deceived." So what do Bush supporters think of his supposed honesty now?
"Somehow the American people got the idea that my perspective was simply, 'stay the course'"
--George W. Bush, today
I wonder how that could've happened.
Blah.
BLAAAAH.
That's what I'm thinking right now.
BLAAAAAAAAH.
I find it hilarious how Virginia is quickly becoming the next Florida. I mean, seriously, even if Webb wins, it appears that Allen is likely to demand a recount - and in Virginia, he's legally allowed to if he loses by a sub-1% margin, which he most assuredly would be.
About Virginia, it's not yet a foregone conclusion that the margin will be within 1%. Right now, the provisional ballots are being added up, and we'll just have to see what that brings to the table.
You can get "almost" realtime results here:
As for Nancy Pelosi and her rather ambitious plans, they seem to be motivated by to the charge that the Democrats have no minds/ideas of their own. Personally I see it as a good thing that the Democrats are recovering some of their backbone.
RE Rumsfeld does anyone else think it's a bit counter-intuitive that someone who was former CIA chief was appointed in his place? Of course Robert Gates is supposed to be a link to HW's administration so that might be a reason...
RE: Nancy Pelosi
If she believes in the marketplace and rewarding work, perhaps she should be asked how raising the taxes on small businesses (which is what her little tax hike will do) is good for said marketplace. She also needs to be asked, if she believes in work so much, what she plans to do with those who will not be hired to cut costs after she has:
1) raised the minimum wage
2) taxed small businesses.
And that 4.4% unemployment rate was looking so nice and trimmed...
RE: The Election
In the end, I suppose it was inevitable. No party remains in power forever. The political pendulum sings both ways and will never stop. That said, better now than in 2008. It gives Republicans 2 years to reevaluate and correct their mistakes.
If she believes in the marketplace and rewarding work, perhaps she should be asked how raising the taxes on small businesses (which is what her little tax hike will do) is good for said marketplace. She also needs to be asked, if she believes in work so much, what she plans to do with those who will not be hired to cut costs after she has: 1) raised the minimum wage 2) taxed small businesses.
No reasonably profitable business can't afford to pay its employees more than $7.25 an hour. I mean, yeah, I guess Jim Skinner might have to settle for Mexico instead of Monaco for his next 12-week vacation, but that's hardly hurting the marketplace.
When you have a flood of illegals putting downward pressure on wages, the labor market becomes altered in favor of businesses looking to hire low wage workers. Take away the illegals and wages would tend to a new and higher equilibrium.
(Pundit's clarity edit) Ultra, I'm pretty sure i'm not perverting the meaning of your post.
Higher wages is what the nation wants. Across the nation, they have been demanded by the people.
The current minimum wage is the lowest it's been in 50 years. People can't live on the current minumum wage. Many people are forced to work more then one job.
The people want it. People can't live off of it.It needs to be raised. Smaller companies might not be able to afford to higher more people, but since people won't need more then one job to survive, jobs will open up.
On an awesomer note: Due to the canvas in Virginia (my state) not having much of an effect on the current poll numbers, and with over 50% of the canvas completed, Associated Press has declared John Webb the winner by a 7,200 vote margin. No Virgnia recount as ever delivered that many votes to the looser. This election is effectively over: John Webb is the winner, democrats now control the Senate. They have control of all of congress for the first time in 12 years.
Let the much needed reform begin!
Maybe we'll finally get our youth programs back. Our last one is starting to flounder.
~Rico
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(Pundit's clarity edit) Ultra, I'm pretty sure i'm not perverting the meaning of your post.
No, that's pretty much it.
*suddenly realizes that there are silver stars under Pundit's name* Oooh. o.o
*innocent whistle*
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Maybe we'll finally get our youth programs back. Our last one is starting to flounder.
Mr. T pities the fool who cuts youth programs.
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*suddenly realizes that there are silver stars under Pundit's name* Oooh. o.o
Pundit was the Knothole mod way back when Pundit was here before. I guess Rico restored Pundit's "modrights." Both of you were really active and left for a few years so I'm not sure if you were around when Pundit was a mod.
Yuppers.
ARGH I'M GOING TO DROWN YOU VEC
On a more serious note, since you (N87) said you're from Virginia - do people generally consider Mr Macaca to be an ass or do they not take the whole macaca scandal seriously?
Vec note: ok, better? 
To be completely honest, yes, Mr. Macaca did play a part in his downfall. But it really was a combination of horrible and stupid things Allen did that evaporated his double digit lead, and eventually allowed Webb to narrowly defeat him. Mr. Macaca definetly played a part in it, but other blunders on his part, including dirty campaigning and George Bush (I like to call Air Force One the Angel of Death for Republican races: every state he landed in turned blue or purple). In the end, all that stuff came back to bite him in the bum. He never was all that good of a congressmen, Governor, or Senator to begin with, so I shed no tears. Hopefully Webb will do a much better job. Virginia is purple state now 
.
