Republicans Take Control of US Senate

gong

Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by gong »

Alex wrote:I think the real hat being worn is the RACIST hat. The Old White guard can't stand the thought of a Black Man in THEIR Whitehouse!!!
I am a little bit confused here. Up2u suggested that elections were not about Obama and you seem to suggest exactly opposite. By the way, the only black senator has just been elected by "racist' South Carolina and he happens to be Republican.

For those here who spew here their hate and intolerance to other people views, you should ask yourself a simple question: What is your progressiveness?
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

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gong wrote:What is your progressiveness?
Mine is very simple. I want equal rights for all. I want lower taxes. I want better exchange rates. I want stem cell research. I want right to die. I want religion kept out of politics. I want Medicare and Obamacare to apply to expats. I want global warming to be recognized and stopped. I want research for stopping possible catastrophic meteor and comet impacts.

As for most else in the USA, in all honesty I couldn't care less and have zero interest beyond gossipy curiosity and anything that affects me personally. I don't live there anymore. I live in Thailand.
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

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Up2u wrote:This election was not about Obama although the Republican strategy of making it about the President was successful.
Voters who feel unhappy with the incumbent president and his policies often use the midterm election to vent their anger; seeing the opposition figuring out that they can cash in on that is hardly earth-shattering news. Since the good citizens cannot vote in a new president for another two years, what else can they do at this point if they feel they need to stop the incumbent from doing more harm?

One could argue that it wasn't so much the GOP having a brilliant strategy than the President angering a good part of the electorate that has produced this result. That explains why a number of traditional strongholds of the Democrats voted Republican this time around, and some in a pretty spectacular way. I don't follow you that local issues should have dominated instead, members of Congress make federal law. Now that both the House and the Senate are in the GOP's clutches, the President cannot push his policies much further and this was clearly understood. For whatever has an effect on the local economy specifically, usually both Democrats and Republicans defend the interests of their constituency, so I can forgive the voters for often not seeing much of a difference between candidates in that department and focusing on the big issues instead.

Just to spell it out very clearly, I'm unhappy with the outcome of this election (much of what I've written might indicate the opposite to those who like it simple), but I think it's the President's fault in the first place. The conception, communication and implementation of his key policies have been a nightmare throughout his "reign". He does strike me as someone who might need that reminder that he's merely an elected official more often than others did. Whether that's true or not, he's officially a lame duck now and this election was the last one that mattered to his presidency.
Undaunted

Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by Undaunted »

Amazing the combined number of democratic seats lost in both houses during Obama's presidency!
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

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rocket wrote:Obamacare is not liked by many.
My personal objection to Obamacare is, like Medicare, it's applicable only within the USA and its territories. Expats like me, who no longer live or have residency in the USA, but paid taxes just like everyone else all these years and still do, are ineligible for any of it. I don't want to see it repealed. I just want to be able to get it too and be able to use it where I live, anywhere in the world I choose to live. I don't see any valid justification for why I can't. As an American Citizen I feel I'm being cheated out of it.

One thing I've learned from the Obama administration: The way things work in the USA these days, if a president can't get backing from Congress, then his policies and what he's trying to do is dead in the water.
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by Up2u »

Alex wrote:
Up2u wrote:This election was not about Obama although the Republican strategy of making it about the President was successful.
Voters who feel unhappy with the incumbent president and his policies often use the midterm election to vent their anger; seeing the opposition figuring out that they can cash in on that is hardly earth-shattering news. Since the good citizens cannot vote in a new president for another two years, what else can they do at this point if they feel they need to stop the incumbent from doing more harm?
Let's remember this mandate as the Republicans are calling their midterm victory was the vote of 1/3 of the American electorate. Trying to win Iowa, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, etcis a challenge for any Democrat especially in an off year election. If Joni Ernst and Perdue are the answer to America's problems then I am glad I live in Thailand. I hope Obama grows some balls for a change and fights for what he believes, using presidential powers on immigration would be a start.
gong

Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by gong »

Gaybutton wrote:
gong wrote:What is your progressiveness?
Mine is very simple. I want equal rights for all. I want lower taxes. I want better exchange rates. I want stem cell research. I want right to die. I want religion kept out of politics. I want Medicare and Obamacare to apply to expats. I want global warming to be recognized and stopped. I want research for stopping possible catastrophic meteor and comet impacts.

As for most else in the USA, in all honesty I couldn't care less and have zero interest beyond gossipy curiosity and anything that affects me personally. I don't live there anymore. I live in Thailand.
In other words, you indicate from what you can benefit directly and the heck with anything else. Hardly a progressive agenda. But it is hardly a Democratic agenda either (lower taxes) or anybody else agenda (Medicare and Obamacare for expats). As for stopping meteor and comet impacts I,I am with you on that one but the only politician who cares about it was Newt Gingrich (who wanted a permanent US base on the moon).
By the way, who is here aware about openly gay Repubican congress candidate who is in close race in San Diego?
In my opinion, it is not a question whether Obama good or bad President, the right question is whether he is an appropriate President for the present moment. Just to give you one example. Here in Pattaya I have an opportunity to watch 24 hour Russian channel news. Here is an example of their news:
1. Russia launched two ballistic missiles (the best in the world in their opinion)
2. Meeting chaired by Putin about sales of Russian weapons abroad (very good sales in his opinion).
3. The rest is devoted to Ukrain and it is just permanent lies.
Then there is a discussion of a group of Russian experts full of hatred and chauvinism. I have not seen anything like that even during Soviet Union days. And this agenda has a full support of vast majority of population. I agree with Garry Kasparov who is of the opinion that Putin is much more dangerous that Brezhnew era Soviet rulers (and stole much more than they).
Is Obama the right person to confront it? Can he deal with can of worms in middle East? Is he capable to protect America against ebola threat? My answer to all this questions that Romney would be much more up to the task then Obama.
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

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gong wrote:
Gaybutton wrote:As for most else in the USA, in all honesty I couldn't care less and have zero interest beyond gossipy curiosity and anything that affects me personally. I don't live there anymore. I live in Thailand.
In other words, you indicate from what you can benefit directly and the heck with anything else.
Not in other words. Those are the perfect words. As I said, I don't live in the USA anymore and it's extremely unlikely I ever will again. I care about as much for USA politics that have nothing to do with me or my life as I care about the politics of Bulgaria, which also has nothing to do with me or my life - not one bit. Would you prefer that I lie and say I do care? Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?
gong

Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by gong »

Gaybutton wrote:
gong wrote:
Gaybutton wrote: Would you prefer that I lie and say I do care? Am I supposed to be ashamed of that?
No. What I am saying is that your agenda is hardly a progressive one(in political sense of the word). But even from purely pragmatic viewpoint as US citizen you depend on what is going on in America much more than in Bulgaria (e.g. as US passport holder you may be an object of terrorist attack with higher probability than Bulgarian passport holder. In case there are problems in Thailand my guess you will return to US rather than Bulgaria etc).
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Re: Republicans Take Control of US Senate

Post by Alex »

Up2u wrote:Let's remember this mandate as the Republicans are calling their midterm victory was the vote of 1/3 of the American electorate.
Let's remember that the entire House was also up for election, not just 1/3 of the Senate. Looking at the House specifically, I think I've read that you'd have to go back to President Truman to find a similar result. I'd call that a loud and clear message.
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