Good.

I'd say this is all but inevitable, but I've learned to never underestimate the stupidity of the American voter. When you have people in this country who still piss their beds with the fear of Communism, it's sometimes hard to see that the GOP will ever truly go away.

I went back to Omaha to visit my mom for Mother's Day. I was absolutely floored at how many TV ads all three candidates in Nebraska had bought and aired. There were a few commercial breaks on network TV shows where three political ads aired back-to-back-to-back, and I think there was one commercial break where the same ad aired twice, though not back-to-back.

thomps: Serious Black: I went back to Omaha to visit my mom for Mother's Day. I was absolutely floored at how many TV ads all three candidates in Nebraska had bought and aired. There were a few commercial breaks on network TV shows where three political ads aired back-to-back-to-back, and I think there was one commercial break where the same ad aired twice, though not back-to-back.

is there a strong democratic candidate or is the republican primary basically the general this year?

Bob Kerrey will be the Democratic candidate, but the consensus seems to be that Bruning or Stenberg would crush him by at least 15 points in the general election. Fischer would be the wildcard; she could be another Sharron Angle, or she could be a Rand Paul.

Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

I dunno. There are a lot of deep red states that will elect any Republican, no matter how derp-tastic, so if a crazy Tea Partier wins in the primary, he'll probably win in the general. In the short term, the Senate does not look very good for the Democrats; they may lose in come November even if Obama get re-elected.

In the long term, the entire country looks very good for the Democrats (in the House, Senate, Presidency, state Governors, state legislatures, everything), mainly due to increases in the number of Latino voters. Texas will be a blue state in 20 years due to this, for example.

xanadian: A Terrible Human: Good.

I'm also hoping that it will reform the GOP to the one this country once knew. Back before the 70s and the "moral majority" takeover.

Not a chance. Every loss reenforces their belief that they aren't being conservative enough.

Serious Black: Bob Kerrey will be the Democratic candidate, but the consensus seems to be that Bruning or Stenberg would crush him by at least 15 points in the general election. Fischer would be the wildcard; she could be another Sharron Angle, or she could be a Rand Paul.

Yup.

The Tea Party has essentially, again, taken what should have been a Republican majority in the Senate and returned it to the Democrats.

The Dems will certainly have a slimmer margin, meaning they'll get even less done, but given that the Democrats refuse to play the same obstructionism game as Republicans, it at least gives the chance of something moderate coming out... Even if unlikely.

Then again, maybe 2nd-term Obama, who won't need to worry about the next campaign, will match the Republican obstructionism and go full-on Teddy Roosevelt in recess appointments.

/Come on, do 194 in the split second between sessions and take the record!
//For the lulz...

Because People in power are Stupid: Why doesn't this young lady run for office?



.Perhaps she's too young for the senate but I sense she could carve out a place for herself among the tea party.

FTFY

neversubmit: Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

Did you miss the 2010 elections when the Blue Dogs got hit the hardest in Democrat losses?

Geotpf: I dunno. There are a lot of deep red states that will elect any Republican, no matter how derp-tastic, so if a crazy Tea Partier wins in the primary, he'll probably win in the general. In the short term, the Senate does not look very good for the Democrats; they may lose in come November even if Obama get re-elected.

In the long term, the entire country looks very good for the Democrats (in the House, Senate, Presidency, state Governors, state legislatures, everything), mainly due to increases in the number of Latino voters. Texas will be a blue state in 20 years due to this, for example.

The 2012 cycle doesn't have all that many GOP seats up for grabs.

2014 and 2016, though, it's gonna get real bumpy for them. And they show no signs of getting any less crazy before then.

Geotpf: In the long term, the entire country looks very good for the Democrats (in the House, Senate, Presidency, state Governors, state legislatures, everything), mainly due to increases in the number of Latino voters. Texas will be a blue state in 20 years due to this, for example.

Which is a testament to how much the Republicans hate on and campaign against brown people, since Latinos as a demographic tend to be more conservative than liberal...

Won't somebody please think of the rich white men???!!!!?!?

FlashHarry: i hope bruning goes down in the primary. he's such a farking asshole. he comes off as a high school bully. plus his ads basically talk about how much he hates obama and how many times he's sued him.

Ugh, I don't know if I can sit through 6 more months of Bruning ads.

EighthDay: neversubmit: Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

Did you miss the 2010 elections when the Blue Dogs got hit the hardest in Democrat losses?

No I helped them do it. However...

Blue Dog Democrats Ramp Up Fund-Raising for 2012 Election

After nearly half the coalition was wiped out in the 2010 elections, Blue Dog Democrats are becoming more and more of an endangered species. Just 25 Blue Dogs remain in office. But if money is any indication, those Blue Dogs that remain appear ready to put up a tough fight in 2012.

25 to go and they are not going easy

Geotpf: I dunno. There are a lot of deep red states that will elect any Republican, no matter how derp-tastic, so if a crazy Tea Partier wins in the primary, he'll probably win in the general. In the short term, the Senate does not look very good for the Democrats; they may lose in come November even if Obama get re-elected.

In the long term, the entire country looks very good for the Democrats (in the House, Senate, Presidency, state Governors, state legislatures, everything), mainly due to increases in the number of Latino voters. Texas will be a blue state in 20 years due to this, for example.

Even if Cruz is elected in November...or did you mean Mexican-American instead of Latino? In either case, as a Texan, I can assure you that Texas is too ignorant to flip and it's doing its dammedest to stay that way.

As appealing as it sounds, a strong opposition to the party in power makes for a better government.
Maybe the GOP will refocus on issues instead of contradicting-belligerence?

HotWingConspiracy: xanadian: A Terrible Human: Good.

I'm also hoping that it will reform the GOP to the one this country once knew. Back before the 70s and the "moral majority" takeover.

Not a chance. Every loss reenforces their belief that they aren't being conservative enough.

True, and eventually that will be what ultimately brings down the GOP.

neversubmit: After nearly half the coalition was wiped out in the 2010 elections, Blue Dog Democrats are becoming more and more of an endangered species. Just 25 Blue Dogs remain in office. But if money is any indication, those Blue Dogs that remain appear ready to put up a tough fight in 2012.

25 to go and they are not going easy

Good.

Democrats cannot afford to be a small-tent party.

Aarontology: You'd think they would have learned after it cost them Delaware and Nevada in 2010.

The damage Sharon Angle and the TeaTards caused here still reverberates today. The Nevada GOP is still in such a state of disarray that they get into fist fights over which Cracker Barrel to hold their meetings at.

TheOther: Even if Cruz is elected in November...or did you mean Mexican-American instead of Latino? In either case, as a Texan, I can assure you that Texas is too ignorant to flip and it's doing its dammedest to stay that way.

South and southwest regions of Texas - i.e. the college / latino sections - are starting to go Blue in the House. As that population grows and the Republicans continue to wage their campaigns against brown people and immigrants, that growing voting bloc will continue to support Democrats. Unless the Republicans can tap into that voter base, over the next few decades (not years), Texas will follow California from Red to Blue.

Geotpf: I dunno. There are a lot of deep red states that will elect any Republican, no matter how derp-tastic, so if a crazy Tea Partier wins in the primary, he'll probably win in the general. In the short term, the Senate does not look very good for the Democrats; they may lose in come November even if Obama get re-elected.

This. With all the voting id laws and redistricting, I wouldn't be surprised to see Obama win with HUGE margins while Republicans still keep the house, at least.

EighthDay: neversubmit: After nearly half the coalition was wiped out in the 2010 elections, Blue Dog Democrats are becoming more and more of an endangered species. Just 25 Blue Dogs remain in office. But if money is any indication, those Blue Dogs that remain appear ready to put up a tough fight in 2012.

25 to go and they are not going easy

Good.

Democrats cannot afford to be a small-tent party.

Democrats No one cannot afford to have asshats act in their name.

No one can afford to have asshats act in their name.

FIFM

The problem is people want all the incumbents out, not just the Tea Party and RINOs.

Have the incumbent Democrats in the Senate been winning their primaries?

I don't know. That's what a lot of people were saying in 2008, and then the Tea Party appeared.


neversubmit: Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

I'd prefer a Blue Dog to a Republican, because 1) face it, conservative voters will vote for conservative candidates, 2) lots of Hispanic voters (whom the Dems are counting on to beat the GOP) are relatively socially conservative, and 3) conservative Democrats will at least be useful against Republican filibusters. It's easier to negotiate with someone who belongs to the same club, as silly as it seems.

neversubmit: No one can afford to have asshats act in their name.

FIFM

I don't understand your point.

Blue Dogs are conservative Democrats. That doesn't necessarily make them asshats, even if you disagree with their policies. Now, if a particular Blue Dog is an asshat, then I agree with you, but I've heard plenty of people argue that more liberal Dems like Kucinich and Pelosi are also asshats, so again, I'm not sure what your point is. Being a Blue Dog is not inherently a bad thing.

The Democratic Party has never been the "all liberal, all the time" party. They lost the Dixiecrats around when the R's lost the Rockefeller Republicans, but the Blue Dogs gave them a much-needed conservative wing to help them gain / keep the majority in 2006-2008, which gave them control over the House / Senate and the different committees.

Tapping into the conservatives is a smart strategy.

Arkanaut: I don't know. That's what a lot of people were saying in 2008, and then the Tea Party appeared.


neversubmit: Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

I'd prefer a Blue Dog to a Republican, because 1) face it, conservative voters will vote for conservative candidates, 2) lots of Hispanic voters (whom the Dems are counting on to beat the GOP) are relatively socially conservative, and 3) conservative Democrats will at least be useful against Republican filibusters. It's easier to negotiate with someone who belongs to the same club, as silly as it seems.

Exactly my point but more concisely stated. Thank you. :)

Aarontology: You'd think they would have learned after it cost them Delaware and Nevada in 2010.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Yeah 2010 was just horrendous on Repubs after that Dem landslide.

neversubmit: EighthDay: neversubmit: Next to go the blue dog dixecrats

Did you miss the 2010 elections when the Blue Dogs got hit the hardest in Democrat losses?

No I helped them do it. However...

Blue Dog Democrats Ramp Up Fund-Raising for 2012 Election

After nearly half the coalition was wiped out in the 2010 elections, Blue Dog Democrats are becoming more and more of an endangered species. Just 25 Blue Dogs remain in office. But if money is any indication, those Blue Dogs that remain appear ready to put up a tough fight in 2012.

25 to go and they are not going easy

The thing is, those Blue Dogs aren't being replaced with liberal Democrats. They're being replaced with Tea Party Republicans.