I know there are some politics junkies on here. What are everyone's predictions for tonight? Let's run down the predictions as follows: How many seats you think will change in the House (and who will have a net gain), how many seats you think will change in the Senate (and who will have a net gain) and give one or two outlandish predictions you might have. I'll start:
--House: Republicans will gain 70+ seats. I think this will honestly blow everyone's expectations away
--Senate: Republicans will gain 9 seats.
--Outlandish Predictions: Tom Tancredo wins the governorship of Colorado and Keith Olbermann blows his brains out on live TV
Well there's a prediction market (like stock market but with betting on the news) that says that the republicats will control the house with 95 percent certainty and is 50/50 on the senate.
http://www.intrade.com/
King,
We'd be much better of with a parliamentary monarchy with you at the helm:D
The Republicans will "take back" the House and likely the Senate, as well. All this will do is give the Democrats more to bitch about along the "party of no" lines. The Republicans will have a chance to do more destruction to Obama's image, but will get nothing done (healthcare repeal, job front, welfare corporatism). The only thing I am sure of is much hand shaking and circle jerking with no actual CHANGE.
I expect the sort of insane, overexcited cheers from the right tonight...that I heard from the left two years ago.
Actual value.
Zero.
Midas while I agree that for the most part nothing will change, I think there are at least two things the Republicans will try and do. 1) Defund the healthcare bill by killing the money needed for the agencies 2) Killing the regulatory parts of the financial reform bill that were not specifically laid out - neutering the agencies responsible for overseeing the bill (like the exchanges)
Midas, I think you're right on the money there.
What wont happen is the government shrinking or spending any less.
There was just an article about the Office of Thrift Supervision closing, but in reality it is being merged with the OCC. The article made extra effort to stress that no one was losing their job and everyone was being transfered to the OCC. Why is it that private employees lose their jobs left and right, but when someone is paid from the tax dole they have life time employment?
Because there are extremely wealthy folks, like you and me, to pick up the tab. Obviously it was a rhetorical question, but I will answer anyways. As long as someone (a taxpayer) has money left over in their check every pay period, the government has the ability to grow. The private sector has to live on realistic expectations in order to avoid bankruptcy and failure and produce goods that consumers are WILLINGLY going to spend their money on...the government, on the other hand, can spend at will because there truly isn't a budget and then they just increase taxes to cover the shortfall. It's all a game. Someone recently pointed out, maybe on here, that when it comes to balancing budgets, do you ever notice that only certain groups of people are affected? Every time there is a budget shortfall, particularly at the state or local level, there is never talk about the administration staff at the mayor's office losing their jobs or his/her driver...it is always teachers, police and firefighters. It's a scare tactic that is utilized to justify increasing taxes.
Anyways, from the reports/polls I've seen, it seems likely that the Republicans will take back control of both the House and the Senate. Hopefully the current Tea Party, cut spending movement sticks for a while and we can get our budget back in control, alas, that seems like a long shot.
Regards
MMM,
Good point regarding nothing changing, as it really requires an independant uninfluenced mind to stand up in a joint session of congress and essentially tell everyone to fuck off with their bullshit and remember that they are supposed to work for the people, not the lobbiests, not the special interests and not whoever the hell is pulling the strings. Whoever that man is will be lauded as a hero in the eyes of guys like John Stewart and Steven Colbert, championed by the masses and riddiculed by pundits for being so forthright about what needs to be done to fix this country.
King,
Since I am not as acutely aware of the national races as I am engrossed in my own state's elections, I think that NJ will see 1-2 major upsets in terms of the house. I definitely think that NJ-3's race between Adler, Runyon and the Tea Party Shill planted by the Democrats will be won by John Runyon (Upset Nr. 1). I'm not sure how NJ-6 (Frank Polone and Ana Little) and NJ-12 (Rush Holt and Scott Siprelle) will go, but I would not be shocked if the Republicans (Little and Siprelle) won in such heavily democrat districts.
Monkeysama,
"Try" and "succeed" are two different stories. The Republicans have a historical chance to bring Conservatism back into American politics, as usual they will be content with pointing the finger across the isle as Obama has done for the past two years, (Bush before him, Clinton before him, etc...)
Anthony,
Precisely. Unfortunately...but pre-cise-leeeeee.
Frieds,
We're in general cohesion about most issues so I like nitpicking our small divergences in thought. In this case, I look at John Stewart and Steven Colbert as liberal idiot shills who perpetuate the voter apathy and chagrin that big government needs in order to function. I think they are the most likely to pounce upon the sort of person you describe. Like I said before, until you and Chris Christie are chokeslamming NJEA members I through the floor Midas no happy with a you man!
CNN elections widget
http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2010/results/main.results/
Any prediction on the amount of voter fraud by the democrats?
Just the fact that I know our government won't accomplish shit besides balloon the federal debt regardless of who is in control of what makes me more and more apathetic.
anyone else watching right now?
Well it looks like we won't get a majority in the Senate, but we should still end up with something close probably 48-50-2.
The good news is that the close races are being won by moderate democrats. The West Virginia race was won by a dem who literally had to shoot cap and trade with a rifle when he started falling behind in the polls. Take a look.
This guy is a Democrat? Pro-NRA, anti-healthcare sounds like a Republican to me. Maybe not a terrible loss for Republicans at all.
Toomey and Corbett are getting slaughtered in PA. We needed the Toomey win badly.
Last I checked, only 7% of the districts have reported. It's a long, long way from over in PA.
25% in and Joe "Dirtbag" Sestak has 55%.
We have taken Illinois, PA, and SC!!!!
EAT SHIT SESTAK!
Nesciunt perspiciatis dolores quasi aliquam. Dolorum et aut dolorem. Explicabo minus perferendis aliquid est corrupti enim praesentium. Magni vero dolores hic quia odio quia fuga sit. Tempora sunt aut est repellendus eligendi reprehenderit aut est. Consequatur aperiam in id consectetur omnis.
Excepturi maiores accusamus laudantium consequatur qui quam error. Sint et debitis dolores voluptatum fugiat laborum sit. Nihil molestias incidunt voluptas corporis dolores ipsum. Ipsa quaerat at aspernatur et nesciunt sit.
Ex cum recusandae blanditiis dolor. Ea consectetur aut quae non molestias quia doloribus. Recusandae repudiandae assumenda alias ea autem autem enim.
See All Comments - 100% Free
WSO depends on everyone being able to pitch in when they know something. Unlock with your email and get bonus: 6 financial modeling lessons free ($199 value)
or Unlock with your social account...