It’s a bloodbath in the House. However, that is not yet been proven to be the case in the Senate. It’s still too early to say. Ohio looks pitiful in the House and Senate, but pretty good in the governor’s race, which is the most important. My initial assessment is that we’re getting killed in the midwest in any district that doesn’t have a substantial number of racial minorities. This is basically what I feared based on the resiliency of the Birth Certificate “secret Muslim” crap. This is a culture war, and we just took a standing-eight count. There are some surprises for the Republicans though. They might lose the state house in South Carolina, and there are a couple of House seats that might fall that people weren’t thinking about. Overall, though, we’re going to be in pitched combat over the next two years, fighting off a pit bull of hate.
About The Author
BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
74 Comments
Recent Posts
- Day 14: Louisiana Senator Approvingly Compares Trump to Stalin
- Day 13: Elon Musk Flexes His Muscles
- Day 12: While Elon Musk Takes Over, We Podcast With Driftglass and Blue Gal
- Day 11: Harm of Fascist Regime’s Foreign Aid Freeze Comes Into View
- Day 10: The Fascist Regime Blames a Plane Crash on Nonwhite People
We are so screwed Boo. Onorato isn’t even putting Corbett away in Allegheny County. Ugh!!
I saw the writing on the wall about a week ago. I’ve been so despondent that I’m pissing off the people I care about. But, strangely, because I knew this was coming I don’t feel as bad as I thought I would. I’m ready for the fight.
Keep the blog going Booman we are going to need you.
I know you need a fulltime job. But CG’s working right?
The House is far worse than I thought, but the Senate is looking about right where I figured.
Coincidentally, the House is where I care the least. I care more about governorships than the House. And I can’t believe a man who stole billions of dollars is going to win the Florida mansion.
Also, Feingold is taking this shit until tomorrow. It looks like the maps I remember from 2000 and 2004; razor thin presidential elections.
Don’t be fooled by the early countings.
Feingold is not conceding, and neither is Tom Barrett, who is losing to GOP boy wonder Scott Walker. If Walker wins, he’s going to have to eventually put a muzzle on his Lieutenant Governor, Rebecca Kleefisch. This woman is Palin Lite, and just as insensitive.
So far 45% of precincts reporting. It’s been past time to bail from this state. I’m still hoping my latest employment prospects take me outta here permanently.
Anyone know what’s happening in Cali? I hear Boxer is walloping Carly Fiorina. Not sure whether Jerry Brown is the answer for Cali, though.
Jerry Brown is a much better answer than Chuckie`s mom.
My general concept of this election is that we’re seeing the tail end of the white man’s domination of American politics, and he’s making the exit as ugly as possible. In the coming decades profound demographic change is going to make it difficult for the GOP to remain competitive– they know it, and this is their death spasm. We’re in for some ugly years in the immediate future, but I’ll take our future over theirs any day of the week.
Haha, that’s what Ruy Texeira was peddling a few years back. It’s still a +70% white country.
I just watched Michell Bachmann gloating on NBC. Now I need a shower.
BITCH.
Someone is going to have to take her down.
So glad I slept through that.
Outside of PA,
SC-02 200 of 361 precincts
Rob Miller (D) 59,311 50%
Joe “You Lie” Wilson (R) 55,663 47%
+ other candidates taking up the remainder.
Not to be. Joe “You Lie” Wilson is now ahead by 24,000 votes. Rats.
Foxx re-elected.
Wilson re-elected.
Brutal.
Jim Clyburn is the only Democratic member of the South Carolina Congressional delegation. And he is in a minority-majority district. If the Supreme Court reverses that decision, you might see white domination of the South again.
It’s looking like a total wipeout in the Philly suburbs. We’re going to lose two of the three seats we hold and fail to pick up the two seats we might have won. Pathetic.
What would you expect in places like Bucks County? That’s where I was born. Too many white suburbanite privileged people (like me).
Obviously turn out sucked this year .. 2012 should be a lot better
No, turn out was actually pretty good. It’s just the conservatives were so “excited” that it wiped out our turnout.
And yet in PA, Democrats hold a million voter registration advantage. From other stuff I’ve read, it seems like Indies bolted. At least for this election.
Not all those “Democrats” vote as Democrats.
When I voted this afternoon, our local Dem committeeman was looking utterly defeated, and the Republican committeeperson was beaming. Ugh.
Yeah, it’s ugly. The Dems will keep the Senate, but with enough Vichy Dems that they won’t have enough votes to change the rules and allow them to actually do anything.
One minor bright spot — the anti-tax initiatives in Colorado are getting flat out killed, which means even a sufficient number of Republicans joined the fight. There is a lesson here — if we are talking local taxes where people can see real benefits they will support them. The problem is with national taxes. Most of the money goes to so-called “defense” but Republicans imagine that all that money is actually going to “strapping young welfare bucks” driving Cadillacs. If somehow, some way, a political party could throw off the yoke of the military-industrial-media complex and create a sensible federal budget everyone would be much better off.
What about Sestak? He is up I saw is it supposed to stick?
It might. It’s going to be close.
Haley wins in SC.
Sestak holding a lead with 81%, still some Philly votes to come in (about 10%).
Tight Senate races, at least…
No, tighter now. Sestak still hanging by a thread…
Sestak getting in would be nice. Feingold sneaking back in too would be helpful here.
not surprised.
shoulda gone bold early, shoulda kneecapped the GOP instead of being hopeful, shoulda governed like a one-termer.
shoulda, coulda, woulda.
Yup.
Amateur pol at the helm.
So it goes.
AG
When Obama won, I tried to communicate that we needed to ditch Reid and Pelosi or lose congress. I had nothing against them I just understood what ‘change’ meant to Independents.
It meant different characters, not a change in character. Then mere fact that the Democrats couldn’t make a minor sacrifice to at least present a front of Change was the moment when the Dems shot themselves in the foot.
Heck, throw in some at least sensible committee assignments and tonight might never have happened. Why screw with your own legislative agenda by giving seats to people you know will ensure a terrible process?
Can anyone tell me what the Dems did to ‘change the tone’ in Washington? I don’t think bitching about the Repugs comes close to qualifying, but that’s what they did. One big, immediate, bold move (or two) would have at least appeared sincere.
The idea that the Democrats didn’t need any reform after such a big victory was understandable but fatal.
I told you so.
The problem never was Reid or Pelosi, it was the composition of the caucus and the fact that the way Democratic campaigns are financed gives individuals in Congress a lot of independence from party punishment.
Because the caucus is afraid to penalize asshats like HolyJoe or Blanche Lincoln. People are afraid of any kind of ideological purity, even if just for economic issues.
Blue Dogs went down tonight. So there is some saving grace.
In the Democratic Party, as Tip O’Neill said “All politics is local.” They are bound to their local constituencies and to their large donors. The leadership and the caucus can’t shake that. And when it does, these guys go down.
Except the donors aren’t local. Who the hell do you think funds the Blue Dogs? Corporate America, that’s who!!
Sometimes the image of change is what counts. Dems didn’t even try that. They thought that somehow they were actually the Change that they were waiting for (whose fault is that?). That is the point.
I agree that there seemed to be an almost purposeful self-defeat in committee assignments, but that was ACT II. The repercussion of that on the legislative process were indeed nasty, but were particularly unacceptable in the face of the perception that the Dems refused to look into the mirror from Day 1: Change starts at home.
In a anti-government atmosphere (which was perhaps even stronger 2 years ago), the argument that we are the Changed party (versus party of Change) is stronger, as we just saw in this past election.
Or we can repeat the incorrect assumptions that lost all these seats.
It doesn’t seem like the Dems have another chance to become the Changed party this time. As losers, they now risk being labeled as cowed followers instead of principled leaders. Because of this, I can’t call for Reid’s head this time, as I think the effect would be a wash.
Can’t wait to see Reid gone.
Pelosi next.
Grayson oughta move to NYC.
Feingold too.
At least the lines are being clearly drawn. More people who resemble Boehner vote in the US than those who resemble Obama.
So nu?
Next?
A left-wing reaction to the Tea Party?
Let us pray.
But don’t let’s hold our breaths.
The effete don’t effin’ fight.
Denmark looks better and better.
Cuba too.
AG
If only there were free mobility and jobs and an absence of work visas.
Most of us stuck having to fight where we are.
Do something real and the world clamors for your services.
Except of course for the US.
Sorry.
Just the facts. ma’am.
Just the facts.
AG
I ain’t a ma’am, AG, and I’ve been retired for two years from doing something real.
That’s a line from the original Dragnet series, which starred Jack Webb, as right-wing a nut as ever walked the boards and at the same time a true jazz lover and rabid anti-segregationist.
America. Go figure.
Sorry you’re retired. One of my real heroes. Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson…a truly great poker player who still plays that highly exhausting mental game at the highest levels against players 50 + 60 years his junior…said “We don’t stop playing because we get old; we get old because we stop playing.”
Yup.
AG
Toomey takes the lead, sigh
http://www.electionreturns.state.pa.us/
Feingold out, Kirk behind by about 16000.
I wish we had someone to lead us in the pitched combat.
Oh.
Nevermind.
Sorry.
He’s a Brit.
A Celtic Brit at that.
If only.
Yore friend,
Emily
So the Republicans will finally have some Responsibility, Accountability, for everything now. Rep. boner and Sarah Palin the new face of the Republican party.
Kansas is so f#$ing backwards it looks like they elected Kris Kobach as Sec. of State.
You really have to hand it to Obama. The GOP is on the threshold of having more House seats than they had since the invention of radio. 246 is the magic number. They already are guaranteed a much larger house majority than they had during the 1995-2007 era. In fact, if it wasn’t for one very unusual election in 1946 that suddenly, and very temporarily, gave the Republicans 246 seats Obama would already have the honor of presiding over the worst Democratic electoral showing since the start of the Great Depression.
Oh, I suppose he’ll be sad that he hasn’t lost the Senate yet, but give him time, give him time. It was hard to lose the Senate in 2010, despite his best efforts by appointing so many Democratic Senators to his cabinet and Vice Presidency, because even with all those seats left vulnerable the Republicans still had to defend the large majority of Senate seats up for election. But … there is still Hope for Change … in 2012 and 2014 the Dems will have to defend approximately 46 of the open 66 seats so there is a great chance that Obama can set a record with the worst loss of Senate seats to the GOP since the invention of radio in 2012.
Nope, all he needs to do is keep caving into GOP negotiation demands before negotiations begin, failing to stand up to Wall Street, and doing nothing measurable for the people who fought so hard to elect him in the first place and I’m sure he’ll make his mark on history.
Your last paragraph is channeling what I have said for the last year. Bipartisanshit led to this fucking debacle. Obama refused to push Democratic ideas and programs. No one stood up and said “We need a strong health care bill.” Then when they passed it they all ran away from it.
Given the possible Democratic losses in the House(it appears), maybe that means Hoyer won’t be Minority Leader. I’d take it as a positive if he was swept out too in a leadership shake-up.
“doing nothing measurable for the people who fought so hard to elect him in the first place”? Do you really believe that? Is Booman going to have to pull out his list again?
Fuck it. Idiots like you are getting the Congress you deserve. And the only reason I don’t give up is I have to live with that Congress, too.
Meh, I say let’s see what he does in response. My bet is that Boehner will have a direct line to the WH and he’ll shut the Dems out of negotiations. But hey, hopefully I’ll be proven wrong.
Just as long as you remember that “what Obama does” is not the same thing as “what Obama says.”
The margin in IL is smaller than the Green candidate is getting. Will someone shoot those fuckers?
As Scarlett O’Hara said:
Tomorrow, it will be time to look forward to 2012.
The Republicans in the House are guaranteed to overreach. We better have 435 candidates to pick up the pieces when ordinary Americans figure out that they’ve been scammed.
It is not time for casting blame. It is time to rearticulate the progressive democratic vision, package it a messaging, and start repeating it as talking points.
And figuring out how to end run the corporate media and all that anonymous corporate cash.
Good luck challenging all 435 districts. We got blasted in the House where all they did was play defense.
All it takes is people capable of winning who are willing to run, and people who will turn out 160,000 votes for them. And a communications strategy that end-runs the corporate media.
It’s the communications strategy that is the hard part.
Yes. Tomorrow we continue the fight for progressive values. And we never, ever, ever give up.
But when Obama says that we will now search for bipartisan things to pass tomorrow, it will take a mighty effort for me not to throw something at the TV
The worst part is he will mean it.
Which is why Obama refused to sign the purely partisan stimulus bill. And the purely partisan financial reform bill. And the purely partisan credit card reform act. And the purely partisan health care reform bill.
How much damage did he do by spending endless time negotiating over the health care bill. He is trying to work constructively with lunatics while they undermine him. You will excuse me if I don’t cheer that occurrence.
It was negotiating with the Democrats in Congress that was taking the time. The 20+ Blue Dogs who lost tonight, Blanche Lincoln, Baucus, Conrad, Landrieu, Lieberman, Nelson.
Those were the lunatics. The Republicans were incidental after Al Franken was seated in the Senate.
Obviously we live in alternate universes here.
Obama decided to let Congress lead. This is a good idea at the start. Then Baucus took all summer to get nothing. He allowed the TeaShits to gain more and more momentum.
Obama waited really late to articulate a vision. This was a crucial delay. While we sat around with our thumbs up our butts, the forces of evil were saying whatever they wanted to.
Then after they passed it, there was no strong consistent and persistent plan to sell it. Even today, even today, there is an EVEN SPLIT between pro and con. That could be 52 pro – 48 against IF THEY HAD SOLD IT. But nope, BIPARTISANSHIT means that you cannot criticize the other side and you cannot defend your own.
BIPARTISANSHIT is a large part of what just happened to us.
What we see is that a good compromise makes everyone unhappy is true. That “Good” in the compromise may not mean that the end result is “good” only that the compromise is good (i.e. a real compromise).
Unlike when he ran on it?
The silver lining here is that this electoral defeat can be laid at the feet of the Blue Dogs and the other Third Wayers who keep trying to move the Democratic party to the “center,” which always means moving further and further to the right.
These Blue Dogs and Third Wayers, when faced with an economic crisis and stark raving mad tea partiers, decided that the best approach was to do too little and to try to appease the lunatics by “moving to the center.” So, rather than having a bold economic and housing mortgage plan that would achieve a full economic recovery, the Democrats ended up going with measures that laudably avoided a full out depression, but failed to adequately jump start the economy or get people out from underwater. It is disappointing that President Obama went along with this approach on the economy and mortgage crisis, but my hope is that he will learn the correct lesson out of this election.
As a result of the inadequate approach to economic issues, our party has taken a beating at the polls. The biggest brunt of that beating has been focused on the Blue Dogs. 28 out of 56 House Blue Dogs have lost so far, with 11 seats still to be decided. In addition, the biggest Blue Dog in the Senate, Blanche Lincoln, got demolished.
The silver lining, therefore, is that with significantly fewer Blue Dogs and an electoral drubbing that is the result of their “move to the center” strategy, hopefully we’ll now have a Democratic caucus and President more open to being bold. Of course, that will occur only if we all work to make sure this is the lesson taken out of this election, rather than some garbage about voters rejecting progressive values that the media will claim.
It is late and I am tired, but I plan to write more on this at my blog tomorrow night.
The Republican tide swept the NC Legislature for the first time in over 100 years. These are the folks who will be redistricting.
White folks’ revenge on the country for electing Obama.
And the best white folks could do was retake only one branch of Congress. Kind of feeble, if you ask me.
It’ll definitely suck for the coming two years, but two-steps-forward-one-step-back, as they say. We’ve been through much worse – we can make it through this.
Feingold is the one we’ll miss, I think. I hope Obama appoints him to some kind of useful position.
A new majority leader in the Senate would be a good thing, too.
Have we?
Imagine this scenario: Using senate procedural tactics, Rand Paul prevents a vote in the Senate to raise the debt limit ceiling.
And then the ceiling is reached.
Bingo.
A small adjustment to Democratic/Progressive messaging: our counterparts are the Regressives and the tea party is a ‘set’: the Tea Party Set! Where did the terms left and right come from anyway? Right is, well, right and good—definitely not wrong—and left, well, left is the opposite—wrong.