Of course democrats stand practically no chance of winning back the house this year.

[cali]

thinking of the whole pragmatist/puritan split. It's fantasy land to think that's happening, whereas it's politics to simply claim it.

all you have to do as look at the districts, pay a modicum of attention to the general trends in specific regions, understand how gerrymandered the map is.

Not happening. I have one caveat, but it's not only unlikely, it's weak: It is that if something monumental happens that effects virtually all republicans in a politically disastrous way.

Reality.

[Lurks Often]

1. Making the popcorn now

[yeoman6987]

18. Get out the vote

I know it is going to be an uphill battle to take back the House, but heck we just had the House in 2010. It's not like it has been decades or something. Get Democrats to the polls is the only way to win. If we don't get the House, it is IMPARATIVE that we keep the Senate. We need to get people to the polls, pick them up, convince them, whatever it takes.

[msanthrope]

24. And PROTECT the vote. If every purist whiner on DU would kindly get off their

asses and resign from the 101st Chairborne, and agreed to be an election monitor, and agreed to help protect the vote.....jeebus, what could get done in even the reddest districts!

[yeoman6987]

31. Very good points!

Yep we need to get off our ass (myself included) and start volunteering in all aspects of the election.

[msanthrope]

35. The only way to break gerrymandering is sheer numbers. If we don't mobilize,

we get the government we deserve.

[aquart]

76. Yep. It really helps to vote instead of pout in census years.

And in every other damn year.

[Bluenorthwest]

40. We vote by mail, no 'polling places' to monitor, no lines to oppress voters, we get large

turn out and lots of Democratic victory. I hope some of the more strident folks in States that still make voters line up and show ID and cast their votes on video game screens get the gumption to make some changes to their electoral laws, which are made by each State, rather than engage in whining about the problems each and every election cycle.

[Lydia Leftcoast]

49. Do they still have the voters' pamphlet in Oregon?

I think that's a great tool for voter education about the candidates and issues.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

61. I hate to admit it, but I, like many DUers don't really know the best things we can do to help

our cause. And DU does not do much to change this. Look at ourActivist forum. There hasn't even been a post since January 17 and poor participation even when there are OPs. DU could do a lot more to encourage our members to group action.

[wildbilln864]

70. even with rigged voting machines...

or is that too CT?

[questionseverything]

80. i like to call em inaccurate

reporting pages too

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7875

Results Drastically Changed

The election numbers have radically changed in Monroe County since the May 18th election. At least as reported on the SoS website, and as confirmed by local officials.

It's not all that unusual for the unofficial numbers to move a bit following election day, as absentee and provisional ballots are counted and added in to the totals, and as precinct numbers are double-checked for accuracy in the post-election canvass. It is, however, unusual, for vote totals to get a great deal smaller rather than larger in the days following the election. And that's what seems to have happened in Monroe County --- radically so.

Somehow, more than a thousand votes disappeared entirely, as the election results in the Dem and GOP Senate primaries have almost entirely changed.

[wildbilln864]

84. yes as long as there are rigged voting machines and bought & paid for politicians...

there can be no democracy!

[Lurks Often]

36. We can yell GOTV all we want

and we may even make some gains in the House, but I agree with the OP that it is unrealistic to expect to gain back control of the House. Historically mid-term elections rarely favor the party in the White House:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_midterm_election

Based on the past 100 years at the link, no party that controlled the White House picked up more then 9 seats in the House. If historical trends remain reasonably accurate we'll be lucky to keep the Senate.

Additionally, the retirement of prominent, high ranking Democrats in the House and/or Senate, suggests to me that they don't expect to regain control of the House. Why would someone in line for majority chairman of an important committee or sub-committee retire if they thought their party was going to regain control of the House?

[RoverSuswade]

45. Amen brother!

About every day on Hardball Tweety devotes mega-minutes on WHO WILL BE PRESIDENT IN 2017! Hell it doesn't matter. If the pubs have veto-proof majorities in the House & Senate (which could happen). It boggles my mind that the republican-tea-church party has elaborate methods for getting their people to the polls in midterm elections to "vote against the devil-loving democrats." Pastors rail about it the Sunday before election and that sends the congregation to the polls on Tuesday. The result is a "GOP sweep" as it's usually called. You never hear the liberal talking heads encouraging voter drives, organizations that help get voters to the polls, etc: All the flyers I get at home are from republicans saying what a great job the GOP is doing for you. The Democratic National Committee needs help.

[Scuba]

2. We'll be very, very fortunate to hold the Senate. We have no message except "not the Republican".

[aquart]

78. Thank you for your concern.

[Scuba]

81. Be sure to check back in November. I hope you can say I was wrong.

[ProSense]

3. Thanks for saying that. I really do

"Not happening. I have one caveat, but it's not only unlikely, it's weak: It is that if something monumental happens that effects virtually all republicans in a politically disastrous way.

Reality."

...hope something "effects" Republicans.

Hope. Reality!

[BootinUp]

4. Yeah, why waste any effort

[MineralMan]

5. I disagree.

Rather than trying to depress the vote, why not promote this, cali?

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[11 Bravo]

33. If you think about it, the answer to your question may become clear.

[MineralMan]

34. I like to give the benefit of the doubt.

It can be difficult, though.

[JNelson6563]

54. Yes, in light of such consistency.

[MineralMan]

56. Good point.

[Capt. Obvious]

6. If we don't win

it's the left wing's fault.

[HappyMe]

7. We have to at least try.

Raising the white flag now is pointless.

[JaneyVee]

8. Or if people actually voted their own best interests.

[LonePirate]

9. Agreed. We are not retaking the House this year. Boehner won't risk his job by repeating last year.

With each passing year, those gerrymandered Republican districts become a little less red. A +12 Republican district in 2012 may only be +9 or +10 district now. That will only put a few seats in play which is offset by the reduced turnout of a non-presidential election. At least 2014 will not be the disastrous wipeout that was 2010.

Clinton running in 2016 is a game changer, though. She will sweep an extra 25 or more Democrats into the House so we can send the Republicans back to minority status in the House, possibly forever given changing demographics.

[democratisphere]

10. Agreed. I can not even imagine a Congress with a House and Senate controlled by RepubliCONS.

Democrats need new representation in Congress, the old guard just is not getting it done.

[liberal N proud]

11. Gerrymandering took care of that for decades.

[MineralMan]

23. Not everywhere. Minnesota had a Republican state legislature

in 2010. Redistricting took place. In 2012, we elected a Democratic state legislature. Both houses. Not every state enables gerrymandering.

[JNelson6563]

55. Uh, redistricting is every 10 years.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if *we* got to draw the lines next time around? Here's the catch, we have to bust ass every two years from now till then to be in that position.

Sad to see so very many DUers so eager to curl up and accept defeat without even a fight.

Julie

[MineralMan]

59. Exactly. The state legislators who won in 2010

were the ones who got to do the redistricting. Even in Minnesota, the Republicans gained majorities in both state houses. We took them back in 2012, but Minnesota has a great redistricting system, so there was no gerrymandering. Every election matters, and every election deserves our best GOTV efforts.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[Fumesucker]

12. something monumental happens that effects virtually all republicans in a politically disastrous way

That would be the Democratic wing of the Democratic party becomes ascendant over the accommodationists.

Tolkien would be spinning in his grave.

[Laelth]

65. That would help, yes. n/t

-Laelth

[FSogol]

13. Unrec for Defeatist Attitudes.

When people work together, amazing things can happen. Ignore the malcontents and Eeyores and GOTV

[Le Taz Hot]

14. I can't speak for the rest of the country but I know

California has at least two Congressional Seats that are turnable: CA-21 and another one I, of course, can't remember right now. Menopausal moment. Think I'll go to the California forum and start a thread about this.

[MineralMan]

15. So does Minnesota. There are two Congressional Districts

that can be turned. We'll be working on that here, instead of making stupid statement that depress the Democratic turnout.

That's a promise.

[Le Taz Hot]

17. Now, now, MM.

Cali's may be popular on DU but I'm pretty sure she doesn't have the power to depress voter turnout. I believe a little perspective is called for here, wouldn't you agree?

[MineralMan]

21. No, I wouldn't agree.

A strong GOTV effort depends on all Democratic activists working toward a high turnout. Discouraging Democrats from working toward that effort does depress the turnout.

If we turn out Democratic voters in numbers that are not typical of mid-term elections, we can, indeed, retake the House.

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[Le Taz Hot]

25. If you feel that way, I would think a counter

thread would be in order.

Btw, I'm an activist but not a "Democratic activist." Alienating your allies in an election year probably isn't a good idea.

[MineralMan]

29. I think I'll just comment in this thread.

I sometimes do counter threads, though. Not this time, I think.

[JNelson6563]

57. If you want to connect with real activists

try Kos.

Julie

[MineralMan]

73. Thanks for the suggestion, but I think I'll just

keep beating my head against the wall right here.

[msanthrope]

16. Is that your pre-emptive excuse for not joining a campaign? How about protecting

the franchise???

Jeebus.... have you ever been to a Ward meeting???

[MineralMan]

22. Exactly. Everyone needs to get involved to prevent

cali's prediction from coming true. I'm in!

GOTV 2014 and Beyond!

[msanthrope]

26. Even in the reddest districts!!! nt

[FSogol]

28. Agreed. People are getting sick of the GOP and the tea idiots. Look at Virginia. n/t

[msanthrope]

32. We have a chance at Texas. Texas! Even the reddest districts will have votes for Davis

that need to be counted.

[MineralMan]

30. We wouldn't win them all, of course.

Giving up, though, is not an option. Giving up guarantees that we lose.

Some red districts are vulnerable, if there is a very successful GOTV effort.

[cali]

71. we don't have wards here, I always work on campaigns and this is Vermont

We elect actual Progressives. Democrats and VT Progressive Party members. We hold both houses of the VT legislature with supermajorities. there is exactly no competition for our AL House seat. It's safely held by a Progressive, Peter Welch.

[questionseverything]

82. not every rep seat is because of gerrymandering

il-13 was actually the downstate dem carve out

spreads over 14 counties ,includes 4 universities

I think I found the candidate I want to work for (unless I find he supports the illegal nsa stuff)

http://georgegollin.com/

HEALTH CARE
Despite the problems with the rollout, I support the Affordable Care Act – Obamacare – as a good start on solving a problem we’ve been grappling with for decades: ensuring that the basic right of health care is universally available in our country.

The poor execution of the Federal portal website is unacceptable, and points to the need for more technical and scientific expertise in government. We need a focused and effective effort to fix the problems. Calls by Republicans – and unfortunately some Democrats – to scrap or delay Obamacare are not helpful. We are Americans: we don’t throw up our hands when we face a setback, we buckle down and fix it.

Looking forward, in Congress I’ll work to expand coverage, including provisions to allow those 55 and over to “buy in” to Medicare and a public option for those under 55.

Further reductions in cost, as well as improvements in the availability of quality medical care, are possible through eventual adoption of an expanded Medicare for All system. Medicare is by far the most efficient health care financing system in America today.

Such a change would have the added benefit of spurring growth by separating health care from employment, allowing those who wish to start new businesses to do so without fear of changes in their coverage.

- See more at: http://georgegollin.com/issues/health-care/#sthash.ofz4Rwqp.dpuf

/////////////////////////////

he is a long shot because the party establishment wants this law and order type but it is worth a try

[JaneyVee]

19. Shouldn't "democrats" be capitalized?

[malaise]

20. Obama wasn't winning in 2012 either

[Capt. Obvious]

41. Said who? George Will?

*

*The is trademarked by the BOG. Any use of the without expressed written permission and implied permission is prohibited.

[Bobbie Jo]

43. What is with

your bizarre obsession with all things BOG?

Seriously.

[dionysus]

92. a bad case of ODS...

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

27. Republican voters are too stupid to be effected...

There is nothing - not one thing - that could happen that would make the GOP base desert their candidate. You could present videotape of Ted Cruz ass-fucking an illegal immigrant abortionist, and the sheep would still turn out and vote for him. They just don't care, which is why some of the most deplorable people you've ever encountered manage to get elected to office on the Republican Ticket.

Independent voters? They're like herding cats. Anything that would happen might drive some to the Democrats, but possibly just as many would (showing their true colors) vote Republican.

Not saying that I'm pessimistic about 2014. If we turn out, we can win.

[warrant46]

62. Especially in Wisconsin

Where we have Scott Walker,with the help of the Koch Bros and the catlick and other fundy churches who would elect Ed Gein if he were a repuke.

A state that has voted in Every election since 1988 for a Democrat to be President

that currently has 5 U.S. congress RePuke reps out of 8 due to gerrymandering

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

74. Ron Johnson, then Tammy Baldwin

The who friggin' state is bi-polar or something.

[warrant46]

85. Those 2 are at total opposite ends of the spectrum

Now we will have to deal with Walker again---too bad the Party is putting up Burke to take on the Darth Koch hand puppet Walker

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

89. I can honestly say...

That if you went out to a Waupaca County diary farm and scooped up a bucket of warm, steaming cow flop off the floor, I would vote for the bucket of shit over Walker. Not having a governor at all would be preferable to having this tool in Madison.

[warrant46]

90. Waupaca County

Totally repuke they would vote for Hitler if he had an (R) next to his name

Good Comeback though

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

94. Ah, they're not so bad...

Of course, this comes from the guy who lives in Waukesha County...

[Atman]

37. Wanna get involved? Looking for people ready to work 2014.

Facebook friend, friend from political ad agency...you might recognize the name from NPR. I received this this morning, but I'm already committed.


"We're looking to bring on a couple smart, hard-working, detail-oriented folks with at least a cycle of campaign experience. Shoot me an email if you know someone who should be our next hire."

Not going to post the particulars here because of the shitty lurkers we have, but PM me if you really, REALLY have experience and are looking to work the 2014 elections.

[woo me with science]

38. K&R Corporate politicians prefer and orchestrate a closely divided government.

Corporate Republicans and corporate Democrats will collude, again, to ensure a government closely divided between Reds and Blues. Too much apparent power on either side would create a very uncomfortable situation in which corporate politicians would be expected to start responding to the will of the People.

We have seen this game before:

Perhaps the administration is not really all that into having progressive majorities in Congress.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=337938

Only as many Democrats as are needed to support corporate policy, will do so (The Democratic Party's Deceitful Game)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=4312538

For so long we mysteriously fell short of Democratic votes for filibuster reform.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021809132

[polichick]

63. Hardly - but plenty of Dem "leaders" have gone anti-democratic.

[Laelth]

67. +1. n/t

-Laelth

[JI7]

68. like when Kucinich supported the republican redistricting in his state

[libtodeath]

39. I actually believe that by fall it could be very doable

People hate what the repukes stand for,we just have to make sure every one wears the GOP brand like badge.

[Chorophyll]

42. So...

Should I stick my head in the oven now, or take the easy way out and just not bother to vote or support any candidates?

[Bluenorthwest]

44. When folks tell me they can see the future I always laugh out loud

The day of Chris Christie's reelection, folks on DU saw him as so popular, so undefeatable that they expected him to be the nominee for his Party, they were certain there was no reason to strongly oppose his election, no reason to strongly support his Democratic opponent, 'he's too good, she's a bad candidate we know the future'. Democrats endorsed that fucker. 'Deep pockets' excused themselves from backing the Democrat because Christie was a 'strong train running' they said. A month later Christie was in ruins.
John Edwards was a 'man of the people' extremely honest, opposed to marriage equality because 'well, I'm the son of a Deacon, traditional marriage is just a part of me, one man and one woman is how I see it'. Yeah.
Hillary Clinton, the 08 nomination was hers for the taking.
Obama? America, they said, was not 'ready'. Not a chance.
Marriage equality? Oh my God. The 'pragmatic' preached that we had to do Civil Unions 'for a few decades' because marriage equality was impossible for a generation. At least. God is in the mix, after all. They knew. They could see. Pragmatically and all.
Marijuana reform? 'It will never be legal in my lifetime' is perhaps the single most oft repeated prediction of my lifetime. Shout out to Denver.

I could spend hours like this.

[RoverSuswade]

46. Thanks for the reminder of how quickly the worm can roll over.

Hell, with Twitter, Fuckbook, and YouTube - it only takes ONE HOUR to destroy a person. No one is safe.

[durablend]

87. Christie's in ruins?

He's been arrested and frog-marched out of office?

I don't see him going anywhere.

[Marr]

47. Actually, I don't think a political disaster for the GOP would do it. The only thing

that could flip a map this gerrymandered is a positive agenda that the GOP is seen as preventing-- and I don't mean some vague bullshit about "jobs". I mean something concrete and specific. But I doubt that our establishment Democrats have enough credibility left to inspire that sort of hope. People just aren't as stupid as Third Way types like to think, and they do notice when they're sold out repeatedly.

Our party had such an opportunity with health care, but they chose to bail out the insurance industry and hand guaranteed to profits to billionaires instead. If they'd been publicly pushing for Single Payer, educating the public and just pushing it all the time, the map would've changed over the course of an election cycle or two.

[bvar22]

60. I agree with you... and so does Harry Truman.

[font size=2]
"I've seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the Fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign."
---President Harry Truman

QED:2010[/font]

[Laelth]

69. Hear, hear! Well said, Marr. n/t

-Laelth

[aquart]

79. You mean, like shutting down the government?

That sort of thing?

[bemildred]

48. Nah, we're going to kick their asses, just like last time.

(I like bald assertions of omniscience too.)

[Iggo]

50. You mean to tell me 2014 comes BEFORE 2016?!?!?!?!!

Why was I not alerted?!?!?!?!?!

[Jamastiene]

52. Gerrymandering REALLY needs to be tackled.

It is keeping the country "represented" by more right wing politicians than we really want, in an awful lot of cases. Most people only look at the overall "red state" and "blue state" maps. They aren't paying attention to the local level, in districts that have been redrawn to favor the Republicans, especially in "blue" enclaves, where we are stuck with Republican Congressmen now because our districts have been redrawn so sharply. In my district, we have been gerrymandered to the point that we are now stuck with a Republican Congressman even though we have CONSISTENTLY voted "blue" for decades (in my county, it goes back further than even that). It is one issue that is destroying the country quietly right under our noses.

[global1]

53. Many Of My Repug Friends Have Become Too Embarrassed To Admit Now That They Are Repugs .....

given all the crazies they have in the Party. Many have begun to realize that they can't stand behind the Party because they wind up shooting themselves in the foot and really vote against themselves by voting Repug. Many of them have started to identify themselves as Independents and some have said that they will even sit out the 2014 elections because they just can't continue to vote against themselves. Some have said that they'd even vote Dem.

Just like for years the Repug's MO was to get as many one issue voters to vote Repug and peel off votes that way - that same strategy has started to erode and it's starting to work against them. Many of those one issue voters are now looking at the bigger picture. In fact - the Dems could possibly use the same one issue strategy now to get people to vote Dem.

When I think about all the things that Repugs are against - it's a wonder that anyone would continue to vote Repug.

- they are against raising the minimum wage
- they are against continuing unemployment insurance
- they are against affordable health care
- they are against LGBT issues
- they are against doing anything to do with immigration
- they are against women's issues - equal pay; right to choose; etc
- they are taking away people's right to vote
- they are denying climate change
- they don't care about the environment
- they are for big business, corporate welfare, etc
- they want to change Social Security, Medicare, and basically any programs that help the poor, the elderly, the student, the hungry
- they shut down the government
- they haven't done anything to help create jobs
- they aren't for shoring up our crumbling infrastructure
- they aren't for renewable energy
- they have stonewalled just about everything

We can probably go on and on to add to this list that they are against - and we could probably start to put a list together of what they are for - and we'd find out that what they are for only benefits the rich and the corporations.

I ask the question - given such a list - who wants to still be called a Repug? Who wants to vote for such a party that literally is against or negative on anything that can really help the common American and jump start this economy again and are for only those things that benefit the wealthy?

If we can't - as Dems - take these issues and parlay them into winning back the House and maintaining and increasing our numbers in the Senate - then - yeah - we might as well give up right now. But I say - No - don't give up.

Cuz People - it's ours for the taking now - we need to take these issues and talk them up and start changing the psyche of the current Repug voter.

We need to get all Dem voters out to vote and we need to bring along a bunch of current Repug voters that are now questioning their alliance with the Repugs. Yeah - districts might be gerrymandered - but many Repug voters in those districts are ripe for the taking.

We have acknowledged that there are States in this country that are on the cusp of turning Blue - because the composition of voters are changing.

Let's face it many of the staunch Repugs - are old, white, rich and their numbers are dwindling.

We can do this people. Just don't throw in the towel just yet and don't sit it out because you think that we can't do it.

That's what the media is trying to do now. They are trying to create this sense of hopelessness in Dem voters to get them to sit out 2014. We can't let MSM and the Corporations continue to do this to us.

GOTV - and get out as many of your friends, family and associates to vote as well. Hell - talk this up with your Repug friends and make them see the light.

I recently heard Charley Crist talk about his change from being a Repug. One of the things that stuck with me is that he voted Repug because his folks were Repugs. As he really started to analyze and dig into his beliefs and feelings - he had to make the change. How many other people out their vote the Repug persuasion because their folks did?

Recently - I've seen other prominent Repugs - make the change too. It's doable people - we can do this.

Don't give up.

[Laelth]

72. Excellent post. Thanks. n/t

-Laelth

[L0oniX]

58. Abandon all hope here: So we will be depending on Obama to veto every POS repuke bill.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

64. so therefore, don't try.

gotcha.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

66. DUers better start paying attention to Kay Hagan (D-NC)...

and other tight Senate races. Can she pull it off? Perhaps. But it's going to be a Koch-fueled battle royale...

[Coyotl]

75. BS. Pure, stinking, rotten, steaming Bull.

[iamthebandfanman]

77. so then why should any of us try ??

lets just lose more and more seats and act like the house will never matter again in the history of American politics.

I don't care what the political landscape looks like at the moment due to redistricting.. that kind of defeatist attitude, regardless the mountain needed to be climbed, is unhealthy :p

[Notafraidtoo]

83. Will be nice due to demographics

When Republicans cant win a majority anywhere anymore. I see a future of wilderness for the party of hate, with the absence of the southern strategy they have been relying on for 40 years what can they possibly do to win majority's, even their gerrymandering is weakening.

[LiberalAndProud]

86. Then I'll have to settle for a sliver of the pie.

Nebraska's 2nd congressional district encompasses the core of the Omaha metropolitan area. It includes all of Douglas County, which includes Omaha, and the urbanized areas of Sarpy County. In the United States House of Representatives, it is currently represented by Lee Terry, a Republican.

-snip-
In 2011, Nebraska lawmakers moved Offutt Air Force Base and the town of Bellevue — an area with a large minority population — out of the Omaha-based 2nd District and shifted in the Republican-heavy Omaha suburbs in Sarpy County. The move was correctly expected to dilute the city's urban Democratic vote,[4] a practice called Gerrymandering among its critics.

Nebraska State Senator Bob Krist of Omaha had said in defense of the redistricting that the switch would help ensure the future of Offutt by engaging two congressmen in the recurring fight to keep the base off a closing list.[5]


In the 2008 United States presidential election, ...
Obama's victory in the 2nd district meant that Nebraska's electoral delegation was split for the first time ever. It also marked the first Nebraskan electoral vote for a Democrat since 1964.[2] By contrast, in 2012 Gov. Mitt Romney won the 2nd district, as well as the overall statewide vote and the electoral votes of the first and third districts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebraska%27s_2nd_congressional_district

Gerrymandering is a ... (I need a different word)

[JoePhilly]

91. Pragmatists don't give up ... purists do.

Pragmatists keep working. They get as much as they can, then go for more. And even if it is unlikely that we'll take the House, we'll work to take back as many seats as we can. And we'll do it again in the next cycle. And the next.

Meanwhile, the purists will sit over on the sidelines whining that progress isn't happening fast enough. They'll threaten to stay home. They claim that TPTB control everything and that we might as well all just give up.

They'll keep their outrage meter pegged at 11, and there constructive action meter pegged at zero.

If pouting generated an income, they'd be in the 1% by now.

[Number23]

97. "If pouting generated an income, they'd be in the 1% by now."

Every word, truth. Well done

[struggle4progress]

93. "It's hopeless! Obama sucks! Democrats suck! Give up! Vote third party!"

[bluestate10]

95. Your consistent pessimism toward Democrats come through again.

My sense is that Democrats have an excellent chance or winning an enormous percentage of purple districts. Those districts alone will provide Democrats with the majority. And with few BlueDog Democrats in the caucus, that majority should be sufficient for Democrats to give the President support and help vault the country farther forward.

[Hippo_Tron]

96. The ACA ensured a decade or more of Republican congressional control

The good news is that a lot of people will benefit from the ACA. The bad news is that it will be impossible to pass anything progressives want until 2022 or possibly even later. The other good news is that we're making some good strides on certain things in spite of congress.