BF2S Forums Well, looks like the Democrats have lost the midterms

Gay rights aren't a vote winner and never will be.

Whats next? 1 year of partisan logjam + 1 year of electioneering = 2 years of nothing?

The US needs politicians who will put the good of the country and the people before their own interests.

War Man wrote:

I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY!!! Wisconsin sure as hell looks good in red. It's good to be in a Republican state now and good that Wisconsin switched back to Republican after nearly 2 decades of being Democrat. So good the birthplace of the Republican party is back to being Republican. Although fox news is saying it's a surprise Ron Johnson beat Russ Feingold, it really isn't a surprise, we've just been ignored.

Yay Party A won.

Then what?

JohnG@lt wrote:

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

I don't smoke weed but even I would've voted in favor of it simply to destroy the cartels and gang violence in the cities.

I agree, although I've enjoyed the sweet leaf a few times. I'm also 100% behind your stance on gay rights.

The way things are run in this country can be a real fucking farce sometimes.

Well, here's how shit works. Even at the state level, legislators are terrified of pigeonholing themselves at that level with votes that would be unpopular nationally. Every last one them of them has one eye on national office. A vote in favor of gay rights, or god forbid, marijuana, and they instantly kill their national aspirations. Hard as hell to win an election when you automatically have half the nation voting against you. This is why unknowns like Obama can get elected to high office. No one had a voting record to attack.

I'm sure this is what many politicians say before they become politicians, but if I was in charge I wouldn't do that. I don't want someone running my state who is only using it as a stepping stone to the Federal level... I want someone who has the best interests of my state and its people at heart. Maryland's choices for governor were both somewhat shoddy, although if I could have voted I would have picked O'Malley because of his support for the Purple Line and his track record.

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

I agree, although I've enjoyed the sweet leaf a few times. I'm also 100% behind your stance on gay rights.

The way things are run in this country can be a real fucking farce sometimes.

Well, here's how shit works. Even at the state level, legislators are terrified of pigeonholing themselves at that level with votes that would be unpopular nationally. Every last one them of them has one eye on national office. A vote in favor of gay rights, or god forbid, marijuana, and they instantly kill their national aspirations. Hard as hell to win an election when you automatically have half the nation voting against you. This is why unknowns like Obama can get elected to high office. No one had a voting record to attack.

I'm sure this is what many politicians say before they become politicians, but if I was in charge I wouldn't do that. I don't want someone running my state who is only using it as a stepping stone to the Federal level... I want someone who has the best interests of my state and its people at heart. Maryland's choices for governor were both somewhat shoddy, although if I could have voted I would have picked O'Malley because of his support for the Purple Line and his track record.

O'Malley is godawful. Pitiful excuse for a candidate. Did he win re-election?

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

JohnG@lt wrote:

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

I'm sure this is what many politicians say before they become politicians, but if I was in charge I wouldn't do that. I don't want someone running my state who is only using it as a stepping stone to the Federal level... I want someone who has the best interests of my state and its people at heart. Maryland's choices for governor were both somewhat shoddy, although if I could have voted I would have picked O'Malley because of his support for the Purple Line and his track record.

O'Malley is godawful. Pitiful excuse for a candidate. Did he win re-election?

Yep. Why do you think he's godawful? I'm honestly not the most well-versed in Maryland politics but the state seems alright. And I want my god damn Purple Line.

I must say that his campaign seemed weak though. He just touted his track record (especially at UMD where he kept on going on about how he enacted a tuition freeze... great Marty, except we know that either you or Ehrlich would have to remove that freeze because otherwise the uni's budget would be fucked).

Wtf do you need the rail line for? It doesn't even go into DC or extend to Baltimore. Seems like a gigantic waste of money in a state that is already deep in debt with high taxation.

The people that would run the railroad would all be union employees which would jack up the long term costs of the project astronomically. Trust me, our own MTA is on the verge of bankrupting New York.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-11-02 21:06:49)

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

Because right now if you commute from the Bethesda area to the Silver Spring or College Park area, you either have to travel by car on very congested roads or take an unnecessarily long Metro ride (unnecessarily long because the Red Line goes through NW DC, downtown DC, then NE DC). There IS the Intercounty Connector, but that's further up-county and doesn't connect those areas. That one was brought about by Bobby, and it's an incredibly expensive project that will require putting in some of the most expensive tolls in the nation to pay for it.

And yes, I know the dangers of shitty unions. They're part of why WMATA is such a stain of a transit agency. I'm surprised more people don't die on the Metro because of incompetence.

And how would you suggest the state get out of debt? One thing we're definitely weak on is bringing big corporations... earlier this year I believe we lost a bid for having Lockheed or Northrop or some other war pig relocate its headquarters here... to Virginia :S

You simply can't compete with Virginia. You're too much of a blue state with all the entitlements (and taxes) associated with that. Why would anyone relocate to MD when VA offers lower tax rates? Education levels aren't enough since those highly educated college grads can simply relocate themselves twenty miles south and find work. The fact that you are not a Right to Work state is the icing on the cake.

Non Right-To-Work states are noncompetitive across the board and have been bleeding jobs for decades into those that have the law in place. It's the primary reason why manufacturing has migrated out of Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and California and into Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana and Virginia.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-11-02 21:19:53)

Hurricane2k9 wrote:

Interesting points John.

Blue state politics don't do a damn thing to attract jobs and are only saved if an overwhelming desire for employees to relocate to the state in question exists. Without the weather of California, or the allure of New York City, they do more to hinder job growth than help. Even Massachusetts, that shining beacon of liberalism in America, the state with the highest rated education system in America, is bleeding jobs every day because companies have decided that the easy access to quality (but unionized) labor doesn't offset the high tax burden or the added costs of union employees. This is especially true in manufacturing where the profit margins are so tiny to begin with.

Last edited by JohnG@lt (2010-11-02 21:31:38)

War Man wrote:

Just look at the map USA, it's so pretty in red.

Yawn.  Is it 2012 yet?

It's a good thing for politicians that Americans are essentially retarded.  No one can remember past the past year or two, to the fuckups of administrations past, and they act like one party is the fucking saving grace of our country, when they were the ones in the shitter not even half of a decade past.

Not that it really makes a difference these days.  Both parties remain utter cesspools of inadequacy, they just "achieve" it through different modi operandi.




And I completely agree that it's time for equality for gays.  Those are issues that are of the utmost importance for what they symbolize (personal freedom, right to happiness, etc.)   Hard to call yourself an American and argue against equal rights for gays, IMO. 

My biggest beef with Obama is that his administration acted hip and liberal to gain the coveted youth vote, and then predictably backpedalled on key youth voter issues (gay rights, interference with states' rights to drug policy differing from federal law, etc.)...oh well, like I said, predictable...

Last edited by -CARNIFEX-[LOC] (2010-11-02 23:00:21)

krazed wrote:

Dilbert_X wrote:

War Man wrote:

I AM SO FUCKING HAPPY!!! Wisconsin sure as hell looks good in red. It's good to be in a Republican state now and good that Wisconsin switched back to Republican after nearly 2 decades of being Democrat. So good the birthplace of the Republican party is back to being Republican. Although fox news is saying it's a surprise Ron Johnson beat Russ Feingold, it really isn't a surprise, we've just been ignored.

Yay Party A won.

Then what?

rejoice

Yeah, its such a good thing Party B didn't get in.

This really seems to be the most normal thing in the mid-term elections: People expect things to become better within two years, it doesn't happen, they get angry and vote for the other party. This is not really a bad thing, a healty Democracy needs a healty opposition.

But this time, as an observer from another country, I really think things will be different, the main problem being the hardcore conservatives. I only watched a few TV-spots, and real substance never was an issue in any of those (democrats and republicans likewise). No one ever said what they wanted, they only said what the other does wrong, and even more, personal insults. It's like watching wrestling without the fake beating.
The problem with the new right wing is in my opinion, that their political program so far only consisted of populistic catchphrases. Things like "restore honour" or "claim America back" may make you win an election, but it isn't politics. With their taking over the congress, their attitude will decide on the fate of America for a long time. There are 2 options: The first is, they convert the anger that drove them into a political program and work with the democrats. All they can do now is stop new laws but afaik they can't make their own.
The second option they have is a complete blockade of politics for at least 2 years. This will really damage the US for a long time. It's true that the creation of jobs lastly depends on the economy, but politics have to set the frame. This is done by laws and in the current situation, new laws are required. If the conservative block each and every law, America comes to a standstill.

What I can't understand is that some of you say that politics should have focused on gay rights instead of health care. Gay rights is populistic, and it can decide or influence elections, but it isn't even near to the roots of any problems the US have. Health care isn't the root either, but at least it's on the same tree. When will people finally understand that politics isn't about winning elections but about improving the life of the citizens?

11 Bravo wrote:

and 2 years ago the dems with the "change" slogans and all that other stuff?  your post makes no sense

I don't want to defend them, Obama's programme was in parts just as populistic. But so far I always had the impression that democrats as well as reublicans were willing to talk with the other party to make politics. The Tea Party sounds more like "they suck, we don't talk with them".

11 Bravo wrote:

ya but the tea party went after repubs also....

Maybe, but the current president is a democrat, so they have to talk with the democrats to make politics.

okay they did. but most of the "old repubs" were willing to talk. And it doesn't matter that they aren't a party, as long as enough stubborn mules sit in the congress, no politics will be made.