My take on the Republican "wave"...

[CosmicCowboy]

I think the liberals and the media are getting it wrong...The Tea Party is loud and gets the coverage but it's the solid center of fiscal conservatives that was the big difference in this election and will be more and more important in the future...

I went to a election watching party for a successful state legislative candidate Tuesday night and an interesting spontaneous conversation started about politics among 6 or 8 of us while we were waiting for results...There were some serious local heavy hitters in the conversation...I was definitely the lightweight of the crowd...

I was extremely surprised that we were all virtually unanimous in our take on the current Republican party...

We ALL were fiscal conservatives and social libertarians...by that, I mean that we believed in limiting the size and scope of government INCLUDING all the classic "republican" social issues...

Abortion? Republicans need to just shut up and get over it. Just quit talking about it...Gay Marriage?...big deal...we just don't ing care...

We all wanted smaller more responsive government that stays the out of our personal lives...

[Stringer_Bell]

I'm pretty sure 70% of the country feels the same way, live within your financial means and be socially acceptable of other lifestyles. My problem with the Tea Party Express and the GOP is that they and moan, rally up support and bring people into the fold, without having a plan - and for some reason people are proud to be a part of that. It's okay to spit acid at everything Liberal or in opposition to your POV, but at least have a plan. No one has any plans to help the American people, it's stupid but it's been the same cycle over and over for decades.

[Shelly]

I'm with you, CC

[ChumpDumper]

I'll believe it when I see it.

At the moment I expect more spending and intrusive government from the Republicans.

[Aggie Hoopsfan]

I'm with you. Hopefully the Rs in charge in D.C. are with us.

[Winehole23]

(The beards have all grown longer overnight.)

[Cry Havoc]

I'll believe it when I see it.

At the moment I expect more spending and intrusive government from the Republicans.

They're already talking about repealing Obama's new clean energy plans.

YAY! More dependence on foreign oil! Just the thing to pull this country out of debt!

[CosmicCowboy]

They're already talking about repealing Obama's new clean energy plans.

YAY! More dependence on foreign oil! Just the thing to pull this country out of debt!

Some of that clean energy stuff is just plain dumb. I mean, I appreciate him giving me $14,000 worth of free golf carts last year (that were made in Korea) but it was still stupid of them to offer it and I would have been stupid not to take it.

[Parker2112]

They're already talking about repealing Obama's new clean energy plans.

YAY! More dependence on foreign oil! Just the thing to pull this country out of debt!

My take on clean energy: We need it desperately, but at this point can we afford it?

Which leads me to the biggest question: Is this entire depression simply the result of a businesses anticipating new massive regs and freezing the game/raising unemployment/refusing to hire to keep voters in pain to avoid the onset of new govt demands?

Little Johnny sees the spoon full of syrup and kicks Mommy in the shin in the hopes that she will spill it and he wont have to swallow?

Ive heard this in bits and peices from the conservative crowd around here...anybody have an opinion?

[Darrin]

I think the liberals and the media are getting it wrong...The Tea Party is loud and gets the coverage but it's the solid center of fiscal conservatives that was the big difference in this election and will be more and more important in the future...

I went to a election watching party for a successful state legislative candidate Tuesday night and an interesting spontaneous conversation started about politics among 6 or 8 of us while we were waiting for results...There were some serious local heavy hitters in the conversation...I was definitely the lightweight of the crowd...

I was extremely surprised that we were all virtually unanimous in our take on the current Republican party...

We ALL were fiscal conservatives and social libertarians...by that, I mean that we believed in limiting the size and scope of government INCLUDING all the classic "republican" social issues...

Abortion? Republicans need to just shut up and get over it. Just quit talking about it...Gay Marriage?...big deal...we just don't ing care...

We all wanted smaller more responsive government that stays the out of our personal lives...

This is part of candidate Obama's appeal during 2008. He could unite the American people against the corporate interests in in American politics. It aligned Libertarians and Liberals at the same time. I am usually the lightweight in these conversations as well, although I am a liberal across the board.

In practice, what he has done is capitulate to Republicans that want to ruin him and have very little interest of the American people at heart. It's a party that has made the arguments we all agree on while protecting the interests of those that were put into office. I offer the Bush Tax Cuts as an example. Rand Paul said it clearer than just about anyone: "Picking on rich people when we sell them things or work for them hurts us all." There, for the rich's money is your job. To tax them means they will cut back and put you out of work instead of taking it out of their profits and profitability. Instead of having a problem with that when when we have budget shortfalls in States, falling revenues across the board, and the effect of the Bush Tax Cuts themselves on the econony (it wasn't a job creator nor did it grow the middle class), is insane. It's protecting a broken system.

If President Obama is able to see this, he has not indicated it. If President Obama is fighting against this wave of misinformation, recycled Repbulicans, and exploitation of outrage, I have yet to see his methods. That is why he's a bad leader. That's my take.

[Parker2112]

the thing about Libertarians being on board with Obama's taking on Corp America...thats not true.

Libertarians dont believe in powerful big govt to take on anyone.

When it comes to environmental issues, Libertarians believe that environmental damage should be dealt with pursuant to tort remedies in a court of law.

[Parker2112]

This is part of candidate Obama's appeal during 2008. He could unite the American people against the corporate interests in in American politics. It aligned Libertarians and Liberals at the same time. I am usually the lightweight in these conversations as well, although I am a liberal across the board.

In practice, what he has done is capitulate to Republicans that want to ruin him and have very little interest of the American people at heart. It's a party that has made the arguments we all agree on while protecting the interests of those that were put into office. I offer the Bush Tax Cuts as an example. Rand Paul said it clearer than just about anyone: "Picking on rich people when we sell them things or work for them hurts us all." There, for the rich's money is your job. To tax them means they will cut back and put you out of work instead of taking it out of their profits and profitability. Instead of having a problem with that when when we have budget shortfalls in States, falling revenues across the board, and the effect of the Bush Tax Cuts themselves on the econony (it wasn't a job creator nor did it grow the middle class), is insane. It's protecting a broken system.

If President Obama is able to see this, he has not indicated it. If President Obama is fighting against this wave of misinformation, recycled Repbulicans, and exploitation of outrage, I have yet to see his methods. That is why he's a bad leader. That's my take.

Very solid take otherwise.

[MannyIsGod]

Anecdotes aside exit polls continue to point to the economy. The way people involved in politics feel and the way the voting public feel are 2 different things. Trust me on this - I found out firsthand between 2008 and now.

What motivates people who inform themselves and the general voting public is not the same even if they come to the same decision.

[MannyIsGod]

This is part of candidate Obama's appeal during 2008. He could unite the American people against the corporate interests in in American politics. It aligned Libertarians and Liberals at the same time. I am usually the lightweight in these conversations as well, although I am a liberal across the board.

In practice, what he has done is capitulate to Republicans that want to ruin him and have very little interest of the American people at heart. It's a party that has made the arguments we all agree on while protecting the interests of those that were put into office. I offer the Bush Tax Cuts as an example. Rand Paul said it clearer than just about anyone: "Picking on rich people when we sell them things or work for them hurts us all." There, for the rich's money is your job. To tax them means they will cut back and put you out of work instead of taking it out of their profits and profitability. Instead of having a problem with that when when we have budget shortfalls in States, falling revenues across the board, and the effect of the Bush Tax Cuts themselves on the econony (it wasn't a job creator nor did it grow the middle class), is insane. It's protecting a broken system.

If President Obama is able to see this, he has not indicated it. If President Obama is fighting against this wave of misinformation, recycled Repbulicans, and exploitation of outrage, I have yet to see his methods. That is why he's a bad leader. That's my take.

Yup.

[Parker2112]

The about being "against corp interests" was a fraud, or else he had his hands tied on day 1 in office.

[Blake]

Little Johnny sees the spoon full of syrup and kicks Mommy in the shin in the hopes that she will spill it and he wont have to swallow?

are you the Little Johnny in this story?

[MannyIsGod]

You're hard pressed to find many educated people or informed people who aren't socially liberal. But too many people are stupid out there. Quite frankly, the GOP appeals to those people through being socially conservative and they aren't going to stop doing that in places such as the south.

Meet the new GOP - same as the old GOP.

[101A]

You're hard pressed to find many educated people or informed people who aren't socially liberal.

No, I'm not hard pressed to find people like that. By definition, however, I can only answer with anecdotal evidence; but that statement is very broad, and although the (highest) educated among us (academics specifically) tend to be more socially liberal; you made a statement encompassing ALL educated and ALL informed.

I don't believe that is accurate.

[Winehole23]

Which leads me to the biggest question: Is this entire depression simply the result of a businesses anticipating new massive regs and freezing the game/raising unemployment/refusing to hire to keep voters in pain to avoid the onset of new govt demands?

You and WC need to talk.

[Stringer_Bell]

This is part of candidate Obama's appeal during 2008. He could unite the American people against the corporate interests in in American politics. It aligned Libertarians and Liberals at the same time. I am usually the lightweight in these conversations as well, although I am a liberal across the board.

In practice, what he has done is capitulate to Republicans that want to ruin him and have very little interest of the American people at heart. It's a party that has made the arguments we all agree on while protecting the interests of those that were put into office. I offer the Bush Tax Cuts as an example. Rand Paul said it clearer than just about anyone: "Picking on rich people when we sell them things or work for them hurts us all." There, for the rich's money is your job. To tax them means they will cut back and put you out of work instead of taking it out of their profits and profitability. Instead of having a problem with that when when we have budget shortfalls in States, falling revenues across the board, and the effect of the Bush Tax Cuts themselves on the econony (it wasn't a job creator nor did it grow the middle class), is insane. It's protecting a broken system.

If President Obama is able to see this, he has not indicated it. If President Obama is fighting against this wave of misinformation, recycled Repbulicans, and exploitation of outrage, I have yet to see his methods. That is why he's a bad leader. That's my take.

Protecting a broken system, you said it.

[MannyIsGod]

No, I'm not hard pressed to find people like that. By definition, however, I can only answer with anecdotal evidence; but that statement is very broad, and although the (highest) educated among us (academics specifically) tend to be more socially liberal; you made a statement encompassing ALL educated and ALL informed.

I don't believe that is accurate.

Read my statement again. I didn't use the word all.

[Parker2112]

You and WC need to talk.

I see the signs on my gas pump, in store windows, etc.: Cap and Trade is going to be the death of us all! $10 gas! $5 bread!

There is some amount of coordination there. At least they went to the trouble of making signs. Did they coordinate a simultaneous economic slowdown to go with the signs?

[MannyIsGod]

The future speaker's announcement on wanting to spend time investigating scientific fraud tells me a lot about his seriousness and desire to focus on important issues.

[Parker2112]

The future speaker's announcement on wanting to spend time investigating scientific fraud tells me a lot about his seriousness and desire to focus on important issues.

Actually, it speaks on a coordinated effort to avoid burdensome new regs.

Which supports my conspiracy theory above.

[MannyIsGod]

There's no danger of new regs.