Related: Obama On His Own
Last Look at the Senate
Historic backlash looms for Obama as Democrats face worst rout at polls in 68 years
No more control of Congress.
"Results may shrink president’s agenda" by Bryan Bender, Globe Staff | November 2, 2010
WASHINGTON — President Obama will reduce the scope of his legislative ambitions if Republicans seize control of the House today as is widely predicted, jettisoning proposals to control greenhouse gases and overhaul immigration laws in favor of more modest efforts such as improving education and highways, according to lawmakers, former White House officials, and political analysts.
Are they really going to "seize" it, or just win it in a vote?
Obama also is expected to engage in negotiations with Republicans on taxes and the federal deficit. As he develops his own 2012 reelection strategy, he will need to be seen as working credibly across the aisle, officials and analysts said.
“To win in 2012, it will be imperative that Obama get the economy back on track and generate jobs,’’ said Christopher N. Malagisi, a political science professor at American University. “He has to figure out how to win back independents if they have departed en masse in the midterms. Without both of those things happening, how can he win?’’
Half of the Democrats want him to face a primary challenge.
The GOP is expected to comfortably gain more than the 39 seats they need to secure control of the House, polls indicate. Although the Senate majority is more elusive — with Republicans expected to fall short of the 10 seats needed to take over the upper chamber — the GOP is likely to emerge emboldened and with enough clout to further stifle Obama’s agenda....
But even with such heated partisan rhetoric and warnings of gridlock, the president and his team will be betting that Republicans want to demonstrate they are capable of governing. That could carve out some middle ground on a few select domestic issues, Afghanistan, and foreign trade....
And ISRAEL, of course.
Some pressing issues, such as the expiring Bush tax cuts, are expected to be addressed in the lame-duck session, before newly elected legislators take their seats in January. If not, some sort of tax relief could be the first priority in the next Congress....
Watch the Democrats' petty vindictiveness after they lose, America.
Analysts said they expect modest agreement on other fronts. On the war in Afghanistan, for example, Obama could get significant Republican support if he decides to maintain large numbers of troops there.
That is NOT WHY we are VOTING IN Repugs!
This is the EXACT REASON we are turning Democrats out!
Don't you guys EVER LISTEN or LEARN?!!!
There are also a series of pending trade agreements — one with South Korea and another with Colombia — that have the support of both the White House and the GOP....
Yup, NOTHING WILL CHANGE and the SAME INTERESTS WILL BE SERVED!
Only the NAMES on the DOORS and the CHAIRS will CHANGE!
Other presidents in similar situations have retooled their strategy to amass some accomplishments. George W. Bush successfully secured passage of the No Child Left Behind education overhaul as well as some trade agreements with Democratic control of the Senate.
How come they never filibustered him?
President Clinton, after losing the House in 1994, reached major agreement with Congress on welfare reform.
Yeah, and when you think about it the Democrats would never have allowed a Republican president to do that.
That was when I turned on Bill Clinton way back when (voted Nader in 1996). Hacking away at poor people made the little lefty in me mad!
And Harry Truman, after reeling from the midterm elections of 1946, went on to achieve major foreign policy victories, including passage of the Marshall Plan to restore economic health to postwar Europe....
On energy and climate policy, Obama has a bit of added leverage: He could use his authority as head of the executive branch to make regulatory changes that he can’t get through Congress.
If Bush did such a thing he would have been a dictator (and I'm not defending that war criminal shit, either; just pointing out the hypocritical fooleys of AmeriKan politics).
The White House could instruct the Environmental Protection Agency to take more incremental steps to institute tougher industry standards. Similar action could be taken to increase investments in environmentally friendly technologies.
Related: Obama's EPA
EPA Running Off at the Mouth
And they lied about the oil?
Then they lie about everything.
Senator John F. Kerry, the Massachusetts Democrat who has been a leader in the Senate on the issues of climate change and energy, acknowledged in an interview that major GOP victories at the polls will prevent passage of broad climate-change legislation that includes control of carbon emissions. Scientists blame such emissions for warming the atmosphere.
PFFFFFFFFTTT!!
After two brutal winters here and a record-cold winter in the southern hemisphere.
“We’re going to have to do it on a step-by-step basis, mostly focusing on the energy components of the equation,’’ he said.
Related: Carbon Tax Morphs Into Energy Bill
You Republicans better FILIBUSTER that LAME-DUCK ATTEMPT at a CARBON TAX!
If the GOP wins control of both the House and the Senate today, Obama would probably rely heavily on his veto powers to stop some of the Republicans’ agenda.
GOOD!
Given what this government does when it comes together I think GRIDLOCK is GOOD!
In that case, “it’s a different game,’’ said Robert Reich, secretary of labor in the Clinton administration and a professor of public policy at the University of California Berkeley. “The game moves from offense to defense. He’ll be using his veto pen.’’
I'm SICK of politics being called a GAME when LIVES are at stake!
Politicians START WARS!
--more--"
And like I have been saying, NOTHING is going to CHANGE except the names on the doors!
"Health care repeal unlikely for GOP" by Ezra Klein, Washington Post | November 2, 2010
WASHINGTON —So what happens if Republicans will not pass any appropriations bills that fund the health care law and President Obama will not sign any appropriations bills that don’t? A government shutdown, of course.
Someone pinch me.
And there are reasons for both sides to fear that outcome.
Yup, so it was all campaign gas.
Republicans remember Newt Gingrich shutting down the government in 1994 and losing the subsequent public-relations battle. His overreach in that effort broke the GOP’s momentum.
Republicans are also aware that though the health care overhaul is unpopular, its component parts are quite popular. Simply repealing the entire act sounds better than allowing insurers to discriminate against children with preexisting conditions, or bringing back the days of lifetime limits on coverage, or telling insurers they do not have to cover dependents up to age 26.
Related: Obamacare the End of Employer-Based Health Plans
You are liking that hunk of s***, America?
Republicans, in fact, have struggled with this, implying that repeal would not actually mean the end of the bill’s popular provisions — even though they have not settled on a policy that would save those provisions.
Translation: It was just a campaign ruse; Repugs are also for the health insurance conglomerates.
Democrats, however, know that the health care overhaul remains unpopular, the economy is grim, and there is no guarantee that Republicans would not fare better this time.
Politicians of both parties are risk-averse, and the likeliest outcome is that this fight is effectively tabled — particularly if, as predicted, Democrats hold the Senate.
Republicans might mount a mostly symbolic vote on repealing the bill, and they could make a show of holding up appropriations in exchange for some smaller compromises on provisions that Democrats will not fight to the death over.
We are TIRED of the SYMBOLISM (and spinelessness of Democrats)!
But Republicans are more likely to try to persuade their base to take the longer view and see this battle as one that will really be decided in 2012.
That is the SAME FAILED CAMPAIGN STRATEGY the Democrats just employed!!
Then, they believe, Republicans will have a shot a the White House — and a president whose pen will be on their side.
Depends on who they throw up for selection.
--more--"
