Post election open thread–thank goodness! No more election commercials. Fimian is giving his good night speech. It is/was a very close race. Will there be a recount? Did he concede? Not really.
Fimian thanked Corey personally. Hmmmmm…is Corey Fimian’s new bff?
I expect there will be a post mortum. I would be interested to hear what ideas people have rather than what they hate.
Connolly is in the lead but not by much.
FIRST!
And thank goodness that the election is over. No more freaking automated calls.
….wait for it……
waaaaiiiit foooor iiiiiiiiitttttttt
NOW!
2012 here we come!
I wouldn’t count on 2012. Your ‘side’ has just enough time to screw things up. Remember 2000-2004?????
What is it you hope to accomplish between now and then? that should be the goal. All I have heard is our govt. is broken. Well, now is the chance to fix it. That is what was expected from this congress. Now no less will be expected. Ready, set, go.
Am I being unfair?
YAY!!! No more stupid campaign ads one after the other.
I think we’ll be hearing RECOUNT when it comes to the 11th USCD. I woud hate to be left with the two choices they were. I feel for all my friends in the 11th. Two precincts with troubled machines and 26,000 absentee ballots need to be counted.
Glad you caught the Corey plug too, Moon.
Why does CNN make a big deal of zero African Americans in the Senate? Stirring the pot? Hoping to generate racial conflict?
I didn’t know that CNN was doing that. Do you think anyone will notice? Hell, the Senate barely has women.
And now let the lame duck session shenanigans begin!
I was approached by someone handing out a ballot near the polling place. I told him I was going to vote for the person whose party least bothered me at my house and called asking for money.
Pinko, sometimes I feel like voting for the candidate who least craps up the roadsides with signs.
The Robo-Calls, all for Fimian, were REALLY getting on my last nerve. Sorry, one was for some other candidate. I thought “well, if this is the first I’m hearing of you, you may have a problem.” The booger is you can’t tell these folks to “leave me alone or else.”
I am reposting this comment:
You know what I think, I think it’s all BS. What IF, the democrats walked away, licking their wounds, saying they were NOT liberal enough, JUST like the Republicans did in 2008 having lost to Obama. The TEA party rose because supposedly Republicans left their roots of fiscal conservatism. Its all just crazy. But you know what, Democrats won’t do that, they will not go into the abyss of liberalisim. The health care reform WAS compromised, there is NO PUBLIC OPTION. HELLO? THAT was the main tenant of the left.
When republicans talk about cutting the fat in washington, doesn’t anyone get they are talking about cutting jobs. We all LIVE in the lap of government spending that is why northern va never suffers the same as the rest of the country. My word for the day is HYPROCRISY.
the national unemployment rate is around 10%. government doesn’t have any money until it confiscates it from the people. let people keep their money and do with it as they please
Expect to be seeing more and more of Corey. He, wisely, kept quiet for the most part this fall and let people who were actually running have the spotlight. Now that the election is over Corey will see it as his time to reenter that spotlight. Watch for spin to conceal his lack of fiscal responsibility, and to position himself as the guardian of the Rule of Law on illegal immigration, even though he will do nothing against the interests of his corporate campaign donors.
The Corey “Truth Squad” research team has been in action and Corey himself would be surprised at everything we’ve come up with. We’ve got hard drives full of news reports going years into the past. Everything he wants voters to forget will be front and center again. Details of his campaign contributors going into far more depth than the raw data on http://www.vpap.org is prepared, and even more research will show some very surprising things that will amaze even those who already oppose him.
Many among the legions of conservatives, Republicans, conservationists, fiscal conservatives and many others who have felt his knife slipping into their backs are ready to go.
So what is your pleasure? What would YOU spend your money on? Building bridges, direct air traffic, send money to those who suffer natural disasters, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. etc.?
e, and if you house catches fire, are you ok with no fire and rescue coming
?
@Need to Know
He’s another one–always sending emails and posts, asking for money for his campaign. The question is, if you need MY little bit of money, why should I trust you to be the guardian of my tax dollars?
@Posting as Pinko
Good observation. As will become ever more clear as we approach the 2011 election, Corey is not someone whom we should trust as the guardian of our tax dollars.
Connolly won is the unofficial report.
It was very close. Hope that doesn’t mean it will get nastier than it already is.
OMG, you mean I just voted — and those damn Republicans really want no government at all! Get out the truth squads !!!
The stop signal was loud and clear last night. A lot of good sand has now been thrown on the slippery slope to European socialism. Give thanks America – give thanks..
As a student of the game, I’d like to call your attention to the impact of GOP gains at the state level, across the nation. This year the US redistricts, and the state houses / governors do the redistricting. Look for many of the GOP gains from last night to be solidified, and some of the marginal/competitive districts (such as VA-11) currently held by the Democrats to be targeted. Understanding this concept is key to understanding just how steep the hill will be for Democrats in 2012. The sharper prognosticators from both sides agree on this, from everything I have read.
So who all is crying over Fimian? (speaking of flawed candidates)
Hi Steve,
Please translate into non-political talk for those of us who aren’t party affiliated.
Are we speaking of gerrymander?
Mr. Thomas, don’t give them all our secrets!! 🙂
@Steve Thomas
Hi Steve. As one of the Republicans on Moonhowlings I’m happy about last night! With only a very few notable exeptions I support our Republican candidates and am looking to take the Senate and White House in 2012.
Moon Howler: “gerrymander”….Winner Winner Chicken Dinner!
Locally, look for VA-1 (Moran) to actually re-drawn as more democratic, and VA-11 less democratic, mostly because an analysis of the vote totals would show the GOP would have to move the dial much further to pick off Moran, but Connolly’s margin (barring a surprise in the recount) is less than 1000 votes. Shuffle a few precincts between VA-1, 10, & 11, and Connolly will most likely be defeated in 2012.
Also, due to the census results, NoVA will most likely pick up a seat, while Downstate loses a seat. The net change for GOP vs. DNC may be zero, but it would be a whole new landscape in NoVA. Same thing applies to the HOD, and VA Senate.
IMHO, the DNC and elected leadership made a serious strategic error in trying to drive too far, too fast. They failed to steward the political capital they enjoyed in 2008/2009, and focused too much on their short-game. The echos of last night’s returns will still be heard 10 years from now, and will be especially loud in 2012.
Of course, there is always the potential for the GOP to make the same tactical errors as the DNC with regards to policy, but this will not negate the impacts of redistricting.
Moran is the 8th District, and we are committed to keeping it the outpost of progressive politics.
Fellow Republicans: No secrets to give away here. The Census and the election are completed, and the damage (much self inflicted) is done. There are folks on the Democrat side who saw this coming a mile away, but the leadership refused to listen.
That’s not to say the Democrats were completely asleep at the switch. They did have a “local strategy”. They targeted the State Secretary seats in several swing states, the last two cycles. Drawing on the experiences of 2000, they wanted to be in a position to be able to influnce the election certification process. Al Franken’s election, (recount notwithstanding) was legally certified by the MN SecState, as quickly as possible. Shortly thereafter it was learned that several hundred convicts were illegally allowed to vote, and those votes were counted included in Franken’s totals. Because it was a hand/sight recount, it was verified that these votes were indeed cast for Franken, and not Coleman, but this was after Franken was legally declared the winner, giving the DNC a fillibuster proof majority.
I believe the strategy “cute”, but very short-sighted, with only a short-term benefit.
One of my favorite quotes, by General Omar Bradley :” Amateurs study strategy. Professionals study logistics” comes to mind. However, in the realm of politics, “Ideologues study issues. Serious Students study demographics.” would be a more accurate statement.
All I can think of is this song “round and round, what comes around goes around”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0u8teXR8VE4
Elena,
I’m more of a WHO fan: Meet the new boss…same as the old boss..
I didn’t mean that the Tea Party or the Republicans would be starting. I meant that EVERY politician interested in being elected was starting tomorrow.
Sucks, doesn’t it?
Firedancer, you are correct. Thanks for pointing that out. Had VA-1 on the brain. Moran will be around, for as long as he wants to be around. That is a fact.
If your looking at it logistically, the country is doomed no matter which head of the two headed R/D beast is in control.
When all the college kids graduate with an obsolete skill set into a world of outsourcing only to find a shortage of work and an overwhelming amount of debt what are they going to do?
How are your unemployed, homeless, uninsured, uneducated children going to support you in your old age and pay off their debt?
It does not matter which fool is driving this crazy runaway train, unless we jump off now we’re gonna fly off the end of the track in 2012.
Steve,
I have to admit, I never liked the Who. “who are you, who who, who,who” always gave me a headache 🙂
Pelosi’s “leadership” was no good for America. Anything else can’t be worse. Sadly, Reid survived his reelection.
If Obama chooses to govern from the center, it could be a boon for America and a boon for him politically. He’s shown no hints of that in two years though.
Just wondering, in order to govern from the middle it requires both sides walking towards that direction, I saw NONE of that from the right. In fact, any Republican who moves towards the center is labeled a RINO.
@Elena, You are exactly right. All the moving towards the middle is not being done by Conservatives. Anyone who approaches cmpromise is called a RINO. What I find the most ludicrous is that those conservative applying the labels feel like they are on the moral high road and the rest of us, even us centrists and progressives are supposed to accommodate them. It isn’t going to happen. I need to see feet approaching the middle as I approach. The middle isn’t going to move. The feet are.
Unless you call whoring the government out to the drug companies to facilitate “health care insurance reform” governing.
I agree Elena. The Republicans clearly place party first, country second. They still seem less threatening to most Americans than the Democrats, who place idealized versions of reality and self-image first, country second.
@Rick, I don’t see them as less threatening at all.
All I need to hear is that the government shouldn’t have stepped in to stop the free fall of the economy fall 2008 to drive that point home. People who think that need to watch a few more great depression documentaries on the history channel and PBS.
Steve, was having some of those discussions on a private email thread with some like minded friends. We were also discussing “what’s next?” and how the governors and state legislatures all factor in to this election and upcoming ones. I think your post was clearer than our thread and came to much the same conclusion.
We can celebrate the day but there is much work to be done to restore what’s been done and we have to hold all politicians -D and -R to their words.
That and we still have a lame duck session and our economy just inflated itself another 500 billion today.
Well, the market seems to like the turn of events. As soon as Uncle Ben gave the bulls another 110 billion per month allowance traders took a few hits from the QE2 bong and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5akEgsZSfhg
Finally cleared the resistance at S&P 1195. Next stop, 1220.
the democrats never compromise. the reason why the term dino (democrat in name only) is never employed is because all democrats are forced to toe the hard left party line. it’s always the republicans who “reach across the aisle”, or some such drivel, hoping to ingratiate themselves with the other side.
the democrats place party first, second, and third. to hell with the country.
and what’s this about governing from the middle? have you ever checked out a book from the library with the title “greatest moderates of all time”? the only thing in the middle is roadkill
@e
Well, I guess I am a dead possom then. Thanks. Elena should go back into break and water mode for you.
By the time people have books written about them, most people have moved past labels.
@Elena
As usual, the left is perfectly guilty of whatever they accuse others of. There has been ZERO attempts to walk to the center from the left for the last four years of Pelosi/Reid congress. What is it with lefties that they have to accuse everyone else of what they are guilty of? Can’t figure it out, but it’s like a natural law.
Well, look at it this way, we could be dealing with Chuckles Schumer. Silver lining? I don’t see Obama pulling a Clinton. Despite what folks have been told to believe, Obama doesn’t have 1/1000th of the sense God gave Bill Clinton. Get him in front of people sans teleprompter if you need proof.
@marinm
I was watching Rove and Jaun Williams discuss it last night. Dick Morris was talking about this 6 months ago.
What’s next
Off topic, but I think it would be great if Rove and Williams had a weekly show, together. Watching them debate each other was informative, and entertaining.
I would not call sense one of the gifts assigned to Mr. Clinton. Charisma, yes. Empathy, yes. Sense? But then, who can judge any living president? It takes time and distance.
I must be tired today. All this talk of walking has me thinking of Mel Brooks’ “walk this way” joke.
@cindy b
No, No…..THIS Way!
@Elena The WHO ROCKS!!!!! What’s wrong with you, Elena? 🙂
@Slowpoke Rodriguez
You didn’t have to answer the phone. Most listed the caller as unknown.
@George S. Harris
Yes, but that didn’t stop the phone from making that “ringing” sound.
I can make mine stop ringing by just pushing the end button. Of course if you have more than one phone, you have to do it to all of them. Or you can answer and immediately hang up.
I think Clinton has sense…as much as anyone else. No one is that successful without common sense. I think Clinton used to be naive and lack political paranoia, but that is different.
the bill clinton presidential library and massage parlor certainly contributes to little rock’s cultural scene
So Obama is willing to tweak the health care law around the edges, huh? A wise man once said…”You can’t polish a turd.”
Still touting his beacon on the hill: http://www.theworld.org/2010/10/29/immigration-laws-impact-on-virginia-county/
The Democrats have no one to blame but themselves. Many of the voters they energized in 2008 with the promise of change expressed their disapproval with the change that never came by staying home. I know at least a half-dozen people that were enthused in ’08 and on the couch in ‘10. It’s also reflected in voter demographics. In 2008, the percentage of voters under 30 exceeded the percentage of voters over 65; the exact opposite this time around as fewer young people voted. The Republicans did best among men, whites, and older voters while the Democrats won among women, minorities, and the under 30 group. The 23% of voters that identified with the Tea Party were even older, whiter, and more male than Republicans in general. To the extent there is a bright side, the groups in the Democratic camp will continue to grow between now and 2012 while the demographics that tilt Republican/Tea Party must inevitably decline. (And Sarah Palin needs to have a talk with the Speaker-Elect about what it means to “man up” – he was going Glenn Beck moist during his talk last night.)