This is all about the 2010 election and the true results of that election. I know it was almost 4 months ago and I may be late with this post, but I feel the need to speak out.
You constantly hear our elected Republican officials speak about how the people have spoken. The Tea Party members are constantly justifying their plans to force their beliefs on the American people by stating the people have voted. The people have spoken and they want the kind of change the Tea party embraces..
Well, I am here to say BS. The people did not vote in 2010. The people are not represented by the likes of the Tea Party. Unfortunately the people decided to stay home and not vote in the 2010 election. Which if you really think about it is a statement in its self. They are probably tired of the constant crooks and political representatives that don’t represent the common person. They don’t represent the majority of the country. We have 3 branches of government in this country. They are supposed to provide a form of checks and balances. However, what do you do when all 3 branches have become corrupted? When all 3 branches no longer care about the American people and only care about themselves and the corporate money they get in election campaign funds?
So, what does this mean? It means we have these 40 Tea Party candidates in the House of Representatives. It means we have 80 freshmen Representatives. They also won 5 seats in the Senate. As far as incumbents are concerned the Tea Party mostly took over the seats from Blue Dog Democrats. As we all know Blue Dogs are just Republicans in Democratic clothing. So with a truthful look at the results the republicans only won 40 additional seats. The non Tea Party freshman.
Lets look at this from a percentage standpoint. I’ll take the Senate first. The tea Party won a 5% voice in the Senate and they are Freshman. Basically this means they have absolutely no power as they probably won’t be appointed to the really powerful committees. Lets face it the Senate is nothing more than a good ole boys club. They will become nothing more than patsy votes for the Republican party while they continue their push to make sure nothing comes out of the Senate without a super majority vote of 61 votes. Everybody kept saying that the Democrats did nothing since 2007 when they gained a majority. But the only place they had a majority with any power was the House. While there, they sent 300+ very good bills to the Senate to be passed. But because the Republicans played games and filibustered, though they were never forced into a true filibuster, they managed to kill every single bill. The Democrats never had a super majority in the Senate. There was a couple of months where they actually had 59 votes, but for most of those 4 years they only had 57 votes. A super majority takes 61 votes to drive things past childish Republicans playing the NO game. So what we are left with is 5 Tea Party Senators that can’t do more than be a pest and at best get their votes bought by one party or the other.
On to the House. Here we have 40 brand new representatives that were backed by the Tea Party. Again lets look at what that means in percentages. They now control 9.1% of the House. What exactly do they think they will do with all that power? They are freshman, they won’t get appointed to any high power committees. So again they are nothing more than a group of people that can be pests and have their votes bought. So now the house is controlled by the Republicans and they can start passing the kind of bills that they want. However, they still have to deal with a Democratic controlled Senate. I hope the Democrats stand up and do the same thing that the Republicans have done for the past 4 years.
So what we have here is a mid term election that had approximately 42% of voters speaking their mind. While the Tea Party did make some in roads into our government I don’t think it was anywhere near enough to allow them to be so smug. Lets not forget all 435 Representatives were voted on and the Republicans netted 63 seats. That is 14.4%. Yes it gave them a majority, but a lot of Democrats were voted for in this election. In the Senate the Democrats lost 6 seats or 6%. They still maintain a majority. Yes it is a tiny majority of 2 seats, but still a majority. None of the races were blowouts most were won by a couple of percentage points or less. So we have 42% of the country voting, races won by a small amount. Just for the sake of an argument lets say they received 25% of the votes where they won. So 25% is the people speaking out? 25% is the majority has spoken? Lets not forget that the 25% was not in 100% of the races. So now we can probably reduce it to 20% or less.
These people don’t speak for me. These people never have spoken for me. I believe we need to continue to take this country forward. We don’t need to go backward as the Tea Party wants or as the trinity of opinionated boobs would like. This country was built on forward thinking, progressive actions.
I don’t vote.
Why in the world would I want to attach my name to this train wreck?
Vote or Die? No. Vote and still Die anyways.
Great post! The R’s would like the country to believe the lesson to take away from the elections is that the voters stand with their policies, but that simply isn’t true. Ignoring all the people who sat it out and ignoring the fact the the new TP members of Congress have little clout… that dog still won’t hunt.
It’s my personal belief that the main motivating force this past election (for those who did get off their bums and vote) was the economy. Yes, it IS recovering… but most of us know at least one person who is out of work and cannot find adequate employment. And, let’s face it, most people are seriously ill-informed on the causes and solutions to our dismal economic clime.
Fair or not, I believe the election can be summed up as: Economy bad + Dems in charge = Vote against Dems.
I think the establishment Rs know this very well and are trying to sell us all on the idea that the election was a vote FOR them when it was really a vote AGAINST the poor economy. If the econ is better in 2012 (and I think it will be) they have set themselves up nicely for another defeat.
The Democrats are supposed to be a big tent. If that’s the case, they need to start acting like one.
Yes, the conservative Democrats were the ones who suffered in the election, to be replaced, mostly, by Teabaggers; but that lost the South to the Democratic party. It lost the rural Midwest too.
Plain truth is this: Progressive politics don’t play well in certain parts of the country, and a Democrat in Georgia is not the same as a Democrat in Washington state. However, the Georgians are still Democrats and they shouldn’t be rated or judged as insufficient. Truth is, there are a lot of people in the South and the rural midwest who would be happy to vote Democratic and who would benefit from doing so… if the people who purport to call the shots in the Democratic party took the knives out of their ass and a leaf from Frank Luntz’s book and keep the message to these people simple and in analogies they would understand.
Forty years ago, the Democratic party kicked its old base to the curb, and the GOP picked them up, dusted them off and inculcated them against their own interests.
Now we can spend the rest of our days trying to make the 20% figure of admitted liberals that regularly crops up in poll after poll into something that its not, or we can reclaim the Democratic party for what it originally stood for – the working classes.
Marion, you are right about the all Dems are not the same everywhere. I have been a precinct committee person in three states. As a Trade Unionist and a lib, I have been in both the majority and the very small minority. You can’t put the ring in people’s nose and lead them around under fear of pain.
I agree with much of what you said but my very own family the older side of my father’s family really was part of the blame why America turned right. They went from having a bust of JFK to pictures of Reagan. White working class Americans started voting against their self interests because of the identity politics Nixon started and Reagan perfected. Since Dems lost that base they have been struggling since and the big tent working class part of Dems have become more of a multi cultural coalition of Dems.
I’m so sick of the two party zealots blaming people for not voting. Why stick with the sick old dog thats already the republican’s bitch? Soooo sick of seeing “compromises”. If you were against war… who would you have voted for in the last presidential election? The pro-war Democrat? how about the “lets kill everyone” republican? Either way is a losing situation!
No one wants to vote for Democrats anymore because they are to far to the right. No one can identify with them because the right side of the political spectrum already has Republicans! “You’re an extremist dude! totally let change happen man!” Put down the bong, and realize that anyone left of the center is an “extremist” these days. Ah McCarthyism its so nice to meet you!
I’d lay the blame on anyone that voted for either wing of the corporatist party. The whole election process is a circus, and should be brought under control with public financing and random distribution of private money for campaigns.
I for one am excited to see more republicans elected. People need to have a taste of the poison they are selling. Good thing the democrats will “stop” them! If things weren’t so gridlocked in D.C. People could figure out what the hell they are voting for. If filibusters worked as they were supposed to then everyone could see what the party of NO is doing.
That of course would require a independent media free from the requirement to make a profit. Anyone watch that show “Minute to win it”? Its stupid, and people act ridiculous for a minute to try and make money. IMO thats what concision is turning politics into. A old white man in a suit, trying to grab the money flying around in a tornado of sound-bites. Yeah thats something I can vote for. (Note: sarcasm!!!!)
“For the Ship with No Port, No Wind is Favorable.”
I’m tired of people who don’t vote complaining their voice isn’t heard to be honest.
At least vote for independent parties they are out there.
As for liking the fact that the GOP has more power. That’s the kind of nihilistic mood that has entered the progressive left that I utterly can’t stand.
The fact is if liberals for the last 30 years had voted for the most left leaning candidate the Democratic Party would be much further to the left now.
Careful, if he said he voted for Nader there would have been a hail of bullets.
So if I understand you correctly, anyone who doesn’t see it your way is a zealot, a McCarthyite, and the Republicans’ bitch.
In my lifetime we’ve seen civil rights legislation pass, EPA standards increased, equal pay legislation, the recent nascent beginnings of health coverage, and much more. These all were later strengthened, and of course, without vigilance, will all wither. My democratic party has never been perfect but it has been the only viable agent of positive change. There is a difference between the parties, and our work from the ground roots level on up give us the power to pick those who show up on the primary ballots. It always has and always will be a huge struggle. And I deeply regret my only third party vote which was for Nader. We got Bush.
@ManOpeace, if you’re only a one issue voter, and your issue is stopping all war, than yes–you have no one to vote for. And since you seem to be an all-or-nothing kind of voter, I don’t blame you for your apathy–because you will ALWAYS be disgruntled. Never mind that McCain would have had us bombing Iran by now–that doesn’t matter to you, because you want us out of Afghanistan yesterday (and so do I, BTW). But the difference between us is not just what we want–it’s that I can see the difference between a gradual drawdown in Afghanistan and escalation and engagement globally. It seems you can’t.
And while we are on the subject of nuance–no, that term is too nuanced–let’s call it a spectrum, let’s look at the Dems who have been excoriated as being DINO’s. They are not really Repubs–at least not in the current definition, because the term “Republican” now defines someone to the Right of Attila. I hate those Dems too, but I have the intellectual honesty to look up there voting records. Let’s look at some of the worst: Blanche Lincoln and Joe Lieberman. Here’s their voting records:
Blanche Lincoln (a partial list):
# Voted YES on $192B additional anti-recession stimulus spending.
# Voted YES on modifying bankruptcy rules to avoid mortgage foreclosures.
# Voted YES on additional $825 billion for economic recovery package.
# Voted YES on $60B stimulus package for jobs, infrastructure, & energy
Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.
Voted YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation
Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.
Voted YES on reducing oil usage by 40% by 2025 (instead of 5%).
Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform.
http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Blanche_Lambert_Lincoln.htm
Joe Lieberman:
Leave abortion decision to a woman, her doctor, and her god.
Reform mortgage rules to prevent foreclosure & bankruptcy.
# Flag burning is abhorrent, but not a constitutional issue.
# Allow driver’s license for immigrants.
# Support reparation legislations.
# Sunset the Patriot Act.
Support Equal Pay Act for women; plus loans & lawsuits.
Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.
# Re-introduce the Equal Rights Amendment.
Voted YES on repealing tax subsidy for companies which move US jobs offshore.
Voted against school prayer; for condom distribution.
Firmly opposed to Bush’s school voucher proposal.
50% Excess Profits Tax on oil companies’ undeserved profit.
Voted YES on banning drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
EPA must do better on mercury clean-up.
# Voted YES on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug.
# Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada.
http://www.ontheissues.org/Joseph_Lieberman.htm
Now, they both also voted for things I abhor. But I guarantee–it is a rare Republican who can match their voting records–and these are the DINO’s!
Don’t tell me there is NO DIFFERENCE! If there is no difference to you between freaking apologizing to BP and voting for green energy, then I can only conclude that there is no reasoning with you.
Cher, ya know I’m getting a tad tired of you always throwing up those pesky facts, they get in the way of peoples “beliefs.” Great job girl! My and Khirad’s representative is Gabby and yes, she is considered a “blue dog and shunned by some purist Dems around the country. If you look at her voting record and the district she represents she is absolutely a perfect match and a fighter for innovation in energy, social justice and womens right to choose. Her opponent last time around thought the tea party were weak and sellouts. Now who would you vote for and do you find a difference?
Thanks, bito. I just makes me furious. Look, Russ Feingold lost his seat. Alan Greyson lost.Dennis Kuchinich was not elected as the Dem candidate. I am sick to death of people ignoring those indisputable facts just becasue they are inconvenient. It is infinitely better to have a Blue Dog in a red or purple district than a Repub. And to those who get the idea that electing Repubs will teach the voters a lesson, let’s look at what really moves this country Left: A DEM PRESIDENT.
Looking at elections from the 20th century forward, I don’t think that claim holds water:
Theodore Roosevelt = Republican
Taft = Republican
Woodrow Wilson = Democratic
Harding = Republican
Coolidge = Republican
Hoover = Republican
FDR= Democratic
Truman = Democratic
Eisenhower = Republican
Kennedy = Democratic
LBJ = Democratic
Nixon = Republican
Ford = Republican
Carter = Democratic
Reagan = Republican
Bush = Republican
Clinton = Democratic
Bush = Republican
Obama = Democratic
That’s 11 Repubs and 8 Dems. It seems to me that allowing the Repubs to govern moves the country FARTHER to the Right.
After Democrats Kennedy and LBJ, Nixon would be considered a moderate Dem now– he was moved to the middle. After Reagan and Bush, Clinton could be considered a moderate Republican– he was moved to the Right. When does electing Repubs ever move the country farther Left??
I wish I could find the article but someone did a similar analysis when the narrative read the Tea Party Republicans foiled the Patriot Act. When in reality it was something like 5 teabaggers that voted against it which was a lower number than establishment Republicans and of course a far lower number than Democrats. Of course even the likes of Greenwald are falling in the trap because too many people think Libertarians really care about social liberties when all they really care about is getting rid of all taxes.
Will the TPers cause a rift in the GOP? It would serve the GOP right for backing these fanatics in the first place. Personally, I think the freshmen TPers will soon forget all of their rhetoric about small government and fiscal responsibilty, and be absorbed by the GOP.
You’re right. I figure within a year they will be so caught up in the money they can make they will completely forget their so called TP agenda.
“TP agenda”. Nice touch – I can see those guys out on the streets, papering the Dems’ trees at midnight!
Thanks for the laugh.
Took me a sec to get what you meant 😀
Nobody in Congress with “TP” by their names. Were, are, and always will be part and parcel of the GOP.
True, but they did run as strong supporters and members of the tea party movement. Like I said, it won’t be long before they forget all about their small government and fiscal responsibility rhetoric.
Maybe Ron Paul will run. He got “elected” at CPAC. It would be wonderful!
I guess that would be better than the other bozos on the right who are contemplating a run.
One that gets me to shaking my head is Allen West, R-Plantation, Florida – what a piece of work…
Mental instability is rampant among black republicans. He reminds me of the David Chappell character that played the blind black man who was a Klansman because he couldn’t see that he was black. It’s so nice not to have to use underscores before a word.
Oh good grief yes! Freedom of speech is a lovely thing.
LOL, the Chappell character, that’s who he reminds me of 😉
😆 Hi Smit. I have to see that!!
Hey 2belinda, I think I recognize your avatar from HP.
Good to see so many HP’ers here.
Indeed. I flew over last week. Everyone here has been so nice it’s a whole new life force.
He’s nuts.
I know exactly what you mean…if I hear the word “mandate” one more time! We are in trouble here in Wisconsin. Every time I pick up the paper there is an article about the damage the new Gov.(Walker) is unleashing and it is just grim. To make matters worse our legislature went completely repub. It is going to get really ugly around here I fear.
Basta, I’m just to your west and like WI, our legislature went Red last election. How the hell can states like MN (with two of the finest liberal US Senators) go red is simply mind boggling. And WI? I really don’t get it. Do we both live in states with that much anger and hatred? I just don’t know. I mean everyone always talks about MN Nice but it sure doesn’t feel nice right now. As for you guys, I really don’t understand what happened any more than you.
I do want to tell you I defended you and your cheesehead buddies pretty hard the other day 🙂
Something about bad cheese. I couldn’t take it…….
I think what’s important to watch is the Tea Party’s work to get positions at local levels – school boards & city councils and in local political parties. Sharon Angle arrived via a school board position, I think.
That was the Christian Coalition strategy that had some scary impact. The Tea Party is much more wise – they pretend they are NOT Dominionist Christians but they are. So while they appear secular, they are bringing both economic libertarianism AND theocratic perspectives to their public office. They must be stopped!
choicelady, I am off to bed and Wish you the Best. I hope to talk to you on another time….
Peace. 😎
And they start small and stay on message. What we’re seeing now is the result of 30 years’ inculcation.
And they borrowed a bit from the Left – it’s been the Tea Party who’ve followed the principles of Saul Alinsky in organising.
People got lazy jd. Thanks by the way. We seem to go back and forth. This time we went way back.
I’m in MN, I saw it happen over 30 years. Right wing conspiracy, anyone? This was planned from the get go. Talk radio shock jocks finessed their way into people’s consciousness. They started off spouting like juvenile delinquents, and got folks hooked on their little virtual boys clubs. Then they set to work in earnest, bending their audience’s minds to their will. Now, people I used to consider friends don’t even realize they’ve been brainwashed into dittoheads, they assume those toxic thoughts originated in the real world, rather than neocon think tanks years ago.
Propaganda works!
I agree with that. Here in MN it was so bloody awful, the election ads. I would stand in the living room screaming as ad after ad ran on endlessly decrying people and ignoring they have NO positions. I grew up with people actually putting their goals out there. I mean, I don’t know. I build furniture and I have to show people what I do not tell them how shitty my competition is. How far do I think I’d get if that’s all I did?
I really believe the two party system has to end. I know that’s extreme but if both existing parties move right or left then what choice do people really have? We can argue about who’s more right or more against the people and pro business but I fear we are talking differences that in many cases don’t exist between party leaders.
I’m not a political wonk. I just know the way things are simply sucks. I want my voice heard for a change
When progressives and liberals sit it out, then they DID decide by indecision. The Baggers and GOP who got elected because the progressives were “too good” to vote for some Dem DO represent those same worthless progressives who helped elect them.
In some states over half of the voters who voted Dem in 2008 sat it out in 2010. You get what you earn. Democracy is NOT a spectator sport.
You are preaching to the choir.
91% of voters under 30 in my state stayed home in 2010. Unbelievable.
But, you assume that there is a choice. I beg to differ – as the blogger mentioned, blue dog Dems were functional Republicans anyway. And Obama’s policies are significantly more right wing and PTB-friendly than he led us to believe in 2008. Obama’s abdication of his Progressive constituency is a big reason for our sitting out 2010, and probably will in 2012. We may despise Palin et al, but we know where they’re coming from. If you vote Dem, your vote is a long shot bet that – maybe – he’ll deign to meet his commitments after gaining office – but probably not. So why bother?
Until the Dems decide that they will make serious efforts to follow through on the promises they make on the campaign trail, their credibility with the voters will remain nil.
PS I’m just bringing up that position. I voted in 2010, but know others that didn’t. Governor Dayton won Minnesota by a few hundred votes over some used car salesman.
If you’re that much of a purist, then democracy is not for you. Democracy is debate and compromise. Let the perfect be the enemy of the good and throw the baby out with the bathwater. And you’ll have what Karl Rove wanted all along – an unbroken Republican hegemony.
They certainly don’t speak for me. It saddened me at the time over on HP when disgruntled progressives were posting things that were poisoning the well, at the most, discouraging political novices, many of the posters were political novices themselves, from voting. The non-voters placed the country in a precarious position. Those republican budget cuts are targeting the poor. We can’t afford to be one issue voters or become distracted and give up because we don’t get all we want.
Yes, you need to look at all the issues, not just pick the one that you are most passionate about.
That is exactly how the Republicans get votes against Abortion rights, or entitlements or gun laws just to name a few. The Tea Party people and the extreme right vote on single issues instead of looking at the overall standing of the candidate they are voting for.
True – but the conformity of the GOP views means if a candidate is good on abortion bans, he or she can be relied upon to be perfect on guns, God, and greed, too. It’s so NICE of the GOP to make thinking unnecessary!
Concise and accurate friend!
smit – very well said. You point up another issue about the group that calls itself “progressive” or “liberal” – if they have no skin in the game, if they are not poor or ill or infirm – they tend NOT to vote even when who is picked massively affects the well being of people with problems. That’s what my students in ’80 did – they were too good to vote for Carter, and while they did not vote for Reagan, they let that happen. No amount of discussion about the wildly dangerous impact this would have on people in need could convince them to care. They weren’t poor and likely never would be. So they opted out – on the backs of those in need. That is even MORE immoral than the ‘baggers who KNOW they hate the poor and say so. Failing to right a wrong when you can is the worst kind of treachery.
smit9187 – be careful there… I have a strong suspicion that many of the so-called “disgruntled Progressives” are anything but. My belief is that there is a determined effort by the right to suppress voting by any means. And part of the toolchest is to inject memes into the culture, one of which “it doesn’t matter who you vote for, they’re all bad!”
This meme causes well-intentioned but non-political potential voters to throw up thier hands and stay home. If that meme even affects 1% of the potential Dem voters, that’s a lot!
Most people pay no attention to issues until about two weeks before an election. However, they hear a meme like this for months.
8)
I totally agree.
It’s called ratfucking, and it’s Rove’s specialty. Huffington, Rove … connect the dots.
Interesting that when they win an election they expect us to roll over and just accept what they want to do but when we won the election they were kicking and screaming the entire time.
They really think they own the country.
You mean they don’t?
Exactly. That is a big part of the problem.