Dems Win House of Representatives

[LouiseVargas]

At 8:17 p.m. Pacific time, FOX's Brit Hume said the Demorcrats have won the House.

[LouiseVargas]

I hope Nancy has already picked out the fabric for the drapes in her office so she can get to work as soon as possible.

Question:
When does the new term start?

[LouiseVargas]

George,

What is going to happen next? What is it that she could/would do that frightens the other party?

[Carnut]

Well, most likely stall most anything that the GOP might want to get done.

Stall any Judge nominations that need approved.

Stall any appropriations to support the war effort.

Stall any moves for renewing or making permanent any temp tax cuts that have been passed.

Call for more investigations into how the administration does it's business.

If the GOP keeps the Senate majority then the congress will essentially be deadlocked.

Sometimes I'm not sure deadlocked is a bad thing.

[Carnut]

Oh, I think the new members will be sworn in the 3week in January kinda like the President usually around Jan 21 on my birthday.

Kinda like elections are first tuesday in November.

[GreatOwl]

Oh, I think the new members will be sworn in the 3week in January kinda like the President usually around Jan 21 on my birthday.

Kinda like elections are first tuesday in November.

I believe it will be January 3rd if I remember correctly.

[mrs. red]

Well I can say one thing so far that happened... the stock market is headed down hill.... so looks like we are headed for a halting ecomony... companies don't hire and don't give raises when they aren't making money......

[GreatOwl]

Well I can say one thing so far that happened... the stock market is headed down hill.... so looks like we are headed for a halting ecomony... companies don't hire and don't give raises when they aren't making money......

The stock market has been "making adjustments" in a major way since 2000.  As far a hiring and jobs we have had several new job opportunities in WI in the last couple of years but major companies with bases out of WI seem to be shipping overseas because of the Federal Tax Breaks.  

We have had a pre election boom in the stock market.  I never expected to last after the election regardless of who won.

[Anna]

.
The stock market is tanking because of the anticipated increase in taxes always enacted when the Democrats have the necessary votes to do so.  Next will be the Federal Reserve raising interest rates because we will have inflation as a result of tax increase and less revenue in treasury.

Basically, there's not much doubt in my mind they will flub up the economy as they usually do.

Nancy Pelosi looks like the Runaway Bride.  Not that there is anything wrong with that.   Just not going to be pleasant having to look at her for the next two years at least.  So we now have a Contract With San Francisco but not to worry. . . I have it on good authority that she will allow both Chaney and Laura to stay!  What a relief!  Barney and Mrs Beasley are under investigation, however.  

If she calls for half the "investigations" (read smear campaigns just as PlameGate was absolutely nothing but) in order to create gridlock and tie up valuable human resources with their nonsense.  

And as for being more civil, I guess this means Ted Kennedy and others are somewhere writing out their apologies for lying about a sitting president in time of war?  That's what it would take for me to believe they have any intention of being more civil.  They are the least civil of the two parties and have the most improvement to do in that area so we shall see.

.

[pdh3]

Who wants to guess what will happen to gas prices? I noticed yesterday that the Saudis were reducing output, so we can expect them to go up again now that the elections are over. IMHO, this is one of the bigger issues affecting businesses right now. Energy costs are slowing things down. I remember the 70's so well. With the housing market in a slump, it may get worse. I'm in the mortgage industry, and I can tell you - there are fewer people buying houses right now, and plenty for sale. The housing slowdown is real.
Our country is in a strange place right now. I hope the newly elected will be willing to work in a bipartisan manner to help the US over this rough spot. I don't expect anything but business as usual, with politics getting in the way of solving any of our real problems. But I am praying that things will be different, because we have so many young men and women bravely serving in Iraq who deserve the best that Washington has to give.
Maybe the American people should start by demanding it.

[A's Fever]

Who wants to guess what will happen to gas prices? I noticed yesterday that the Saudis were reducing output, so we can expect them to go up again now that the elections are over. IMHO, this is one of the bigger issues affecting businesses right now. Energy costs are slowing things down. I remember the 70's so well. With the housing market in a slump, it may get worse. I'm in the mortgage industry, and I can tell you - there are fewer people buying houses right now, and plenty for sale. The housing slowdown is real.
Our country is in a strange place right now. I hope the newly elected will be willing to work in a bipartisan manner to help the US over this rough spot. I don't expect anything but business as usual, with politics getting in the way of solving any of our real problems. But I am praying that things will be different, because we have so many young men and women bravely serving in Iraq who deserve the best that Washington has to give.
Maybe the American people should start by demanding it.

We just did!

[Carnut]

Ah, the stock market closed at a record high today.

I suspicion speculators are figuring on a do nothing congress.

[Carnut]

I don't know what all the foldorole is about energy conservation and prices.

As long as new energy consumers keep coming online there will continue to be shortages.

Someone has gotta realize someday that population control is the key to all energy/resource solutions.

[pdh3]

Who wants to guess what will happen to gas prices? I noticed yesterday that the Saudis were reducing output, so we can expect them to go up again now that the elections are over. IMHO, this is one of the bigger issues affecting businesses right now. Energy costs are slowing things down. I remember the 70's so well. With the housing market in a slump, it may get worse. I'm in the mortgage industry, and I can tell you - there are fewer people buying houses right now, and plenty for sale. The housing slowdown is real.
Our country is in a strange place right now. I hope the newly elected will be willing to work in a bipartisan manner to help the US over this rough spot. I don't expect anything but business as usual, with politics getting in the way of solving any of our real problems. But I am praying that things will be different, because we have so many young men and women bravely serving in Iraq who deserve the best that Washington has to give.
Maybe the American people should start by demanding it.

We just did!

I see the elections as a starting point. We need to make sure our elected officials actually do something instead of talking about doing something. While they are on TV blabbering on, kids in Iraq are dying. I want the sacrifice of our soldiers lives to be part of the winning effort, not this mess that's been created with no direction. Give the military what it needs to win. Let the professionals do their job.  We need to either win, or go home, because to continue as we are will end up worse than Viet Nam, and we will lose more than we ever imagined. I feel a sense of urgency, because so many lives are at risk. I just wish Washington felt it too.

[A's Fever]

The stock market did close at a record high today, but I suspicion that a correction is coming, since the market has been on a tear for the last several months.  Nothing to do with election results, just not a sustainable trend.

[Anna]

Recently the treasury collected a record amount for one day on taxes.  This is because of the tax cuts stimulating growth and spending and I do fear the Democrats will raise taxes and that will tank the economy.  All they have to do is let the tax cuts Bush enacted expire, they don't even have to make new laws, just let these expire and the taxes will go back to the increased amount.

But I don't think the Democrats have any winning strategy for the War on Terror despite their pretending that they do.  We shall see.  Should be interesting to watch especially with control of both houses of congress.

And as for being civil, I have never seen more uncivil behavior than from the left during Bush's entire time in office.  I have never before in my lifetime seen senators on the floor of congress misquoting a sitting president in time of war and calling him a liar as these people have done.

But the tide rolls both ways and now it is time for it to roll back to the left or the Dems and nothing will stop that.  They are demanding a higher standard of behavior than they exhibit as in calling for resignations of Republicans and never doing so when it is the Democrat involved in the scandal even if the scandal is much worse as with Gerry Stubbs and Foley or even Barney Franks.  

Now that they are in power, all of that is going to come back to haunt them and nothing can be done about that either.  Maybe if they had shown a little support for a war they voted for in the first place instead of constantly calling Bush a liar, things might have gone a bit better.  Nothing like giving aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war.  That used to be called treason.  Now it is just Ted Kennedy or Al Gore or John Kerry spouting off constantly.

But I am sure that the conservatives will be at least as civil if not more so than the liberals have been this past six years.  It would be very hard to be any worse than they have been.  At least I can't think of a way to be less civil and cooperative.  They have really no right to expect that which they never gave but Republicans traditionally hold themselves to higher standards so we shall see how it all works out.

Just my opinion as always.

Anna

[pdh3]

I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican, so take this for what it's worth, but neither party holds itself to a higher standard. There is corruption, scandal, and hypocrisy on both sides, and neither party can claim the moral high ground. As long as the American people are willing to settle for this kind of behavior in our government, then that's what we'll get. Personally, as a contributing member of society, I feel I deserve better, and so do my children.
The Republicans spent millions of dollars over 8 years trying to get Bill Clinton on something, and ended up publicizing the sordid details of his affair for every 5 year old in the country to hear. It accomplished nothing, and wasted money that could have been used to benefit the education of those 5 year olds. I will not excuse Bill Clinton's infidelities, but I also will not excuse the wasting of millions of tax dollars spent for political reasons.
And the Speaker of the House at the time, Newt Gingrich, was having an extra-marital affair even as he blasted Bill Clinton for doing the same thing. I believe there were a few other Republican Senators and Congressmen whose affairs were made known during this time. Hypocrisy.
There's plenty of bad behavior to go around, and it is not limited to one party or the other. It is, IMHO, naive to believe one political party has better ethical behavior and integrity than the other. Power and money corrupt both Democrats and Republicans. Jack Abramoff met with Pres. Bush regularly, and was on his election committee. I do not see that kind of corruption as taking the higher road. I believe Jack also had Democrats in his pocket, so no one was squeaky clean. I find this kind of dirty politics as upsetting as a President who has an affair, if not more.
I'm sure things will be no different no matter who has control of Congress or the White House. It's a shame that we can't seem to find a group of people who really want to serve their country more than themselves, but that's where we are. It really is a disgrace, in my book. And BOTH parties share the blame.

[A's Fever]

Change is inherent in a democracy; our system is not designed for one-party rule indefinitely.  The system worked and the people spoke.  Far and wide our country claims the virtues of democracy and seeks to establish it in other countries.  Yet here on our own soil, we refuse to accept the results of our supposedly beloved system without ongoing partisan vitriol, as if no other view besides our own is viable.

And people across the country spoke, not just in those places that have traditionally been considered liberal, but across many states, and many diverse populations.  People want change; Washington needs to listen.  And respect the voters' decision, just as the other half of the country had to do six years ago when the Dems relinquished power to the Republicans. It is the nature of our political system.

I truly hope that our politicians can listen to the message sent and work together in a bipartisan spirit to accomplish our goals overseas and to safeguard our troops.  None of us want to see any more young people come home in boxes, and we can be united in that purpose.  Let's pray for fresh ideas, enlightened leadership and sound new strategies.

[LouiseVargas]

A's Fever and pdh3,

I say AMEN to your posts. You are both so enlightened and such a breath of fresh air.  

The tide always ebbs and flows. Now it's going in another direction. In a few years, it will flow back in the other direction.

This is my first realization of that. It sure took me long enough.    One thing we can never stop is change.

[pdh3]

Louise......thanks!
I usually get labeled as a Liberal Democrat, and not a breath of fresh air!
What I am is an Independent. I voted for both Democrats and Republicans on Tues. I tend to vote for the person and his or her record of service, rather than tow a party line. I really like the mayor of Newark, NJ, who lives in a project apartment, has been shot at, and wants to make a real difference. He comes from a well to do family, has a law degree, and could live in a much safer, cleaner home with running hot water. He is really a man of the people. He has made life for the people of his city better in a tangible way. I hope he stays uncorrupted.
That's what we need to see in Washington. Our elected officials lose touch with the people they represent, and it becomes a selfish search for political power and money. We need them to actually SEE us, HEAR us, and not forget about us until the election is near and they need our vote. Some of their effort needs to be focused on their constituents during the elected term of office. After all.....it is why they are supposed to be there in the first place.