Happy Time Change.
Government Shutdown
While Walberg’s [Tim Walberg (R-MI), a proud birther] threat is extreme, he is not the only Republican politician proposing a government shutdown. Newt Gingrich, architect of the government shutdown in the ’90s, has pledged that the new Republican Congress will close the government as a political tactic to force through their right-wing policies. Rep. Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) told a Republican audience recently that a government shut down — including a closure of the Veterans Administration — would be one of the goals of the new GOP caucus. As Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and other leading Republicans have made clear, they will force a “show down” with Obama by holding general government funding bills hostage until health reform is repealed.
The idea that Republicans did not receive a mandate isn’t just held by the president — it was a theme echoed throughout the night by Republican politicians and conservative pundits:
– Senator-elect Marco Rubio (R-FL): “We make a grave mistake if we believe that tonight these results are somehow an embrace of the Republican Party.”
– Fox News pundit Brit Hume: “The Republican Party is not the beneficiary of some mandate this time around.”
– Former chief economic policy adviser to John McCain’s presidential campaign Douglas Holtz-Eakin: “This isn’t a pro-Republican vote. This is a repudiation of what we’ve seen the past two years, it’s not an endorsement of Republican agendas.”
– RNC head Michael Steele: “There’s still the people who say, ‘well we’re not sure. We’re not sure about Republican leadership, we’re not sure about the direction.’”
– Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI): “This is not necessarily ‘we love Republicans.’ This is, ‘change course, the country’s on the wrong track.’”
Congressional Districts for the Next Ten Years
ThinkProgress » ThinkFast: November 4, 2010
After securing historic state level victories on Nov. 2, Republicans will have control of about 190 congressional districts and “will dominate the redrawing of congressional districts that begins next year.” Because of this “commanding advantage in the redistricting process,” 15 to 25 seats in the House are more likely to remain or switch to Republican.
Over a lifetime, we all back someone who loses. It’s an inescapable aspect of the game. My sympathy to those who lost and to their supporters. My hope for humility and restraint – graciousness — on the part of the winners and their supporters.
peace, mjh
Teddy Roosevelt was a Progressive, Not a Republican
"The old parties are husks, with no real soul within either, divided on artificial lines, boss-ridden and privilege-controlled, each a jumble of incongruous elements, and neither daring to speak out wisely and fearlessly on what should be said on the vital issues of the day." [mjh: Spoken more than 100 years ago!]
"Let individuals contribute as they desire; but let us prohibit in effective fashion all corporations from making contributions for any political purpose, directly or indirectly." [mjh: Struck down by the “Conservative” Supreme Court.]
"A typical vice of American politics is the avoidance of saying anything real on real issues."
"This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in." – Theodore Roosevelt
(Mind you, Teddy said and did a lot of things I don’t agree with. I just chafe when Republicans claim they are the party of Teddy or Lincoln — in name only.)
“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” – Groucho Marx
Hat tip to NewMexiKen. That one is a bit wordier than most Groucho quotes – almost like Mark Twain or Will Rogers.
NewMexiKen gathered some goodies here:
Trip to DC October, 2010
Merri and I returned to Alexandria and the DC-area in early October for the wedding of my Droog and our friend, Robert Coontz (who introduced us on October 30, 1981), and Jolene Jesse. We stayed nearly a week, most of that time as happy guests of our gracious host (and Droog), Fred Reiner.
These photos hint at the great time we had among old friends. It was a great visit.
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| Trip to DC 10/2010 |