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If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress

by Scott Ott for ScrappleFace · 94 Comments · · Print This Story Print This Story

(2006-11-07) — As Americans went to the polls this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, announced that if Democrats don’t achieve a “clear, immediate, overwhelming victory” in the House and the Senate, she will lead them in a “responsible redeployment” from Congress.

“We don’t want to get tied up here for years in a sectarian battle that we can’t win,” Rep. Pelosi said. “Either we get what we want now, or we cut our losses and return to our home states.”

The woman who would be Speaker of the House if Democrats win the majority today, rejected critics who said her remarks were “just another example of cut and run from the Democrats.”

“When you’re in a quagmire,” she said, “with a long history of bitter partisan tensions, it’s foolish to think that if you stay just a little longer you can fix it. The smart and brave thing to do is get out of there”

A White House spokesman said President George W. Bush today offered the same advice to Rep. Pelosi and her colleagues that he’s offered about their strategy all year: “Stay the course.”

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Tags: Politics · U.S. News

94 responses so far ↓

  • 1 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:26 am

    God Bless America!

  • 2 Scott Ott // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:33 am

    If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress…

    by Scott Ott(2006-11-07) — As Americans went to the polls this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, announced that if Democrats don’t achieve a “clear, immediate, overwhelming victory” in the House and the Senate, she will lead th…

  • 3 Sandy Burglar // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:52 am

    It’s that time once again. 275 million decisions will be made today, some left, some right, some not to vote at all. Those 275 million choices will combine to forge the future of the planet for the next several generations.

    There’s no such thing as sitting this one out.

  • 4 bRight & Early » First Cup 11.07.06 // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:58 am

    [...] ScrappleFace (Scott Ott) If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress — “As Americans went to the polls this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, announced that if Democrats don’t achieve a “clear, immediate, overwhelming victory” in the House and the Senate, she will lead them in a “responsible redeployment” from Congress.” 2006(DIGG this story Below)Share and Enjoy:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]

  • 5 camojack // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:03 am

    “Stay the course.”

    Indeed. The only poll that matters happens today

  • 6 egospeak // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:13 am

    Well gang, it’s time. Our marching orders for the day:

    1. Vote early

    2. Vote conservative

    3. If no true conservative is running, vote Republican.

    4. Vote often.

    I’m only half kidding about #4

    Regards,

  • 7 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:20 am

    I think if all liberal DemDonks were to redeploy to Okinawa, it would be doing this country a great favor.

  • 8 onlineanalyst // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:22 am

    I expect that the Dhimmis will “redeploy” offshore in Cuba, where the model for their Utopian “paradise” flourishes. Nancy and Fidel can while away their time in fixed-stare contests.

    Onward… to vote for the good guys (the Right way or as close as possible) and to keep those polls under watch.

  • 9 Rock Slatestone // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:42 am

    Republican: “Get out and vote.” Democrats: “Get out and vote…and vote often.”

  • 10 gafisher // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:47 am

    As always, where Democ rats win it will be called a mandate, and where they “appear” to have lost it will be called a breakdown of the system.

  • 11 camojack // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:50 am

    Ele…phant power!

  • 12 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 8:06 am

    As I sat here this morning, ingesting powdered-sugar mini-donuts and hot, black coffee, checking my dozen or so blog feeds-one ear on Fox & Friends, I asked myself:

    While there are easily dozens-if not hundreds-of reasons to get out and vote-Republican-today, if someone were to ask me, “What is the most important reason in your own heart?” how would I answer.
    :shock:
    I am inclined to agree that this election is (primarily) a referendum on the War Against Terror but, perhaps, not in the sense generally portrayed by the MSM. While the Democrat party “supports” our troops as poor, dumb victims, I support them for who and what they are: Courageous, brilliant warriors on the front lines of a battle to hold back from our front yards and ultimately destroy the enemy of all civilization.

    I learned a bitter lesson in/from the late-60’s-early-70’s and, thanks be to God, I’ll not make it again. I’ll now vote against the Vietnamization of Iraq/Afghanistan.

    Yes, there is a felony in my background and while I was in a Texas prison (1999-2001) the prevailing rumor was that I would never be permitted to vote again. This was, perhaps, the consequence that brought me the most sadness, the heaviest weight of remorse-to be shunned so completely by the society that I truly love-even beyond my unemployability and pariah status.

    So, it was with great joy and gratitude-a few years later-that I found out otherwise. I praise Almighty God and thank Him today for this blessing, this opportunity to go out, do the right thing and atone for the actions/attitudes of my late-teens-early-20’s as well as those of my more recent adult life.

  • 13 Fred Sinclair // Nov 7, 2006 at 8:11 am

    I think if all liberal DemDonks were to redeploy to Okinawa, it would be doing this country a great favor.

    Comment by Darthmeister — November 7, 2006 @ 7:20 am

    Yeah, but what do tou have against the Okinawaians? I think that Caracas, Venezula would be nore to their liking, but I can only guess what they would do to Nancy Pelosi?

    Fred Sinclair, Heirborn Ranger

  • 14 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:13 am

    Check out the new Election 2006 topic at the Power Line Forum. There’s lots of good conversation going on, including this thread, where Electra speaks for a lot of conservatives this morning:

    I am a Reagan conservative, and I’ve been angry.
    My party hasn’t motivated me to vote, but the Democrats have. I have never been so energized to vote since Reagan ran for re-election.

    I can’t wait to get to the polls tomorrow and vote against every rotten democrat on our ballot—especially Ben Cardin. It will be an honor and a privilege to elect Michael Steele to the U.S. Senate.

  • 15 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:15 am

    Elephanteenth, camojack? Buwhahahaha!

  • 16 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:18 am

    The former commie thug Daniel Ortega apparently has won the Neekahrahgwan elections. Maybe the liberal DemDonks can redeploy to that worker’s paradise. And I bet the sales of Prozacâ„¢ in that backwater socialist utopia will skyrocket in the coming years.

  • 17 camojack // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:19 am

    Elephanteenth, camojack? Buwhahahaha!
    Comment by Darthmeister — November 7, 2006 @ 9:15 am

    Precisely. And now I must go…VOTE!!!

  • 18 Maggie // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:38 am

    This is a pop quiz(not a test)

    There has been a ‘loud silence’ coming from the Middle East terrorist camp.
    Hmmmmmm?
    Is it because, before the last election ,OBL sent a message to the US and the Republicans won?

    Could it be the terrorists prefer the Democrat party? Hmmmmmmm?(easy A)

  • 19 red satellites // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:41 am

    Good morning Scrapplers…

    Here in LA…we will vote in 95 degree weather! (And I’ve got my Tommy Bahama shirt on.)

    For a polling booth in Spanish…Press 1…

  • 20 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:44 am

    Don’t forget, registered conservatives vote today, liberals vote tomorrow and independents can vote on either day.

    This is to facilitate counting the votes so as to reduce the necessity of recounts.

  • 21 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:45 am

    …John Kerry ate my post.

  • 22 Hugh Hewitt // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:58 am

    Pelosi Mulls Redployment From Congress…

    From Scrappleface:

    As Americans went to the polls this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, announced that if Democrats don’t achieve a “clear, immediate, overwhelming victory” in the House and the Senate, she will lead them in a…

  • 23 Maggie // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:08 am

    Good Morning Red Satellites and Scrapplers.
    I cast my vote for Scott……..great job!

    btw….over 2000 formerly dead people have already voted in New York.

    “who you gonna call?”
    Ghost Busters.

  • 24 Maggie // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:09 am

    pop quiz

  • 25 conserve-a-tips // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:22 am

    good morning all. We were at the polls when they opened, along with a lot of other people.

    I did my civic duty when I saw that the Democrat had taken all of the Republican’s legal signs up and then had put his own signs beyond the legal area, all the way up to the polling place! In our state, no signs 300 ft from the polling place…so I told the inspector who said they had called the candidate.

    Having worked for the state election board I know that it is the sheriff who is to be called, so I went home after voting, got my camera and proceeded to different polling places. Sure enough, same thing at each one. I have pictures of his signs next to the “Vote Here” sign!! Two hours into the voting process those signs are still there. I have called the Republican candidate, told him that I have digital pictures and they are calling the sheriff and the state election board. I can’t believe that even the local elections have gotten so dirty. This could actually cause the Republican candidate to contest the election if he doesn’t win. Don’tcha just love politics?

  • 26 conserve-a-tips // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:24 am

    Maggie, I would like to know what the exit polls reveal about those dead voters. I would also like to know what issues are most important to them..I can’t imagine that it would be health care or social insecurity.

    BTW..Ghost Busters..cute

  • 27 Fly At Night » Blog Archive » House Predictions // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:29 am

    [...] - If Votes Fall Short, Dems To Redeploy From Congress —its a JOKE Gabe…   [Permalink]postCountTB(’435′); [...]

  • 28 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:44 am

    Hmmmm…Democrat political strategist Dick Morris tells NewsMax:

    1. Senator Allen is showing a last minute surge in Virginia, with the latest Gallup poll showing him at 49 percent and his opponent Jim Webb at 46 percent.

    2. With Allen likely victorious it becomes very difficult for the Democrats to get control of the Senate. The best they can hope for now is a 50-50 tie. “Independent” Joe Lieberman will play an influential role under such a circumstance.

    If the Democrats don’t take the Senate, their claim of a “blue tsunami” is an absolute lie. But what I don’t understand is how anyone can talk of a 50-50 tie when Jeffords and Lieberman (who will win … buwhahahahaha) are both Independents. It looks like the worst case scenario for Republicans is 50 - 48 - 2 in their favor, though the two Independents might caucus with the DemDonks but that wouldn’t make the “Democrats”. I still believe the Republicans will hold the Senate with 52-53 seats. Conservatives appear to be angry and energized.

  • 29 Mustard Seed // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:03 am

    I hope this does not upset any of our liberal friends but I just had to pass it on.

    20 Ways to Be a Good Liberal:

    1. You have to be against capital punishment, but support abortion on demand.

    2. You have to believe that businesses create oppression and governments create prosperity. (This one is really important)

    3. You have to believe that guns in the hands of law-abiding Americans are more of a threat than U.S. nuclear weapons technology in the hands of Chinese and North Korean communists and Iran.

    4. You have to believe that there was no art before federal funding.

    5. You have to believe that global temperatures are less affected by cyclical documented changes in the earth’s climate and more affected by soccer moms driving SUV’s.

    6. You have to believe that gender roles are artificial but being homosexual is natural.

    7. You have to believe that the AIDS virus is spread by a lack of federal funding.

    8. You have to believe that the same teacher who can’t teach 4th-graders how to read is somehow qualified to teach those same kids about sex.

    9. You have to believe that outdoors men don’t care about nature, but loony activists who have never been outside of San Francisco do.

    10. You have to believe that self-esteem is more important than actually doing something to earn it.

    11. You have to believe the NRA is bad because it supports certain parts of the constitution, while the ACLU is good because it supports certain parts of the Constitution.

    12. You have to believe that taxes are too low, but ATM fees are too high.

    13. You have to believe that Margaret Sanger and Gloria Steinem are more important to American history than Thomas Jefferson, Gen. Robert E. Lee, and Thomas Edison.

    14. You have to believe that standardized tests are racist, but racial quotas and set-asides are not.

    15. You have to believe that Hillary Clinton is normal and is a very nice person.

    16. You have to believe that the only reason socialism hasn’t worked anywhere it’s been tried is because the right people haven’t been in charge.

    17. You have to believe conservatives telling the truth belong in jail, but a liar and a sex offender belonged in the White House.

    18. You have to believe that homosexual parades displaying drag, transvestites, and bestiality should be constitutionally protected, and manger scenes at Christmas should be illegal.

    19. You have to believe that illegal Democratic Party funding by the Chinese Government is somehow in the best interest to the United States.

    20. You have to believe that this message is a part of a vast, right wing conspiracy.

  • 30 California Conservative » If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:49 am

    [...] Filed Under: Humor, Elections, DNC Breaking from conventional wisdom, chief political satirist Scott Ott offers this prediction: [...]

  • 31 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:01 pm

    Big day today fellow scrapplers!!!!

    You might be a republican if you agree with GW’s record:

    1: An unending deficit (this year, it’s $260 billion that has already added $1.5 trillion to the national debt.

    2: Subcontracting environmental, energy, labor and healthcare policymaking to corporate interests;

    3. Repeated efforts to suppress scientific truth.

    4. A set of fiscal and economic policies that have slowed growth, spurred inequality, replenished the ranks of the poor and uninsured and exacerbated the insecurities of the middle class

    5. A culture of corruption (Ney, Abramoff, Cunningham, Delay, etc)

    6. Exploiting fear of terrorism to cover for a terrible policy in Iraq.

    7. Waging a war that has pointlessly drained American military strength, undermined what had originally appeared to be success in Afghanistan, handed the mullahs in Iran a strategic victory, immunized North Korea from a forceful response to its nuclear tests and compromised American leadership in the democratic world.

    8. Intensified the danger of Islamic terrorism (see National Intelligence Estimate).

    9. Used torture and illegally spied on Americans.

    10. Blamed the “liberal media” for all of the above.

  • 32 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:18 pm

    Anyone who believes any of that is deluded, big time.

  • 33 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:22 pm

    Here is my prognostication:

    Dewine and Santorum lose.

    Steele and Corker win.

    Menedez wins in a mob fraud squeaker - he will later be forced to resign and esape a guilty verdict because of jury tampering.

    Talent wins. Allen wins.

    Burns wins.

    The nutleft base defeats Chafee.

    Dims pick up 2 seats in the Senate.

    The Republispends lose the House - Dim pickup 17 seats two to three of which are Conservative Dems.

    Historically for a sixth year election this is bad for the Dims, but of course the decomposing media will spin it the other way and call it the end of America’s tolerance of Conservatism.

    The result, Conservatives in the House down six votes will stand fast under new leadership helping them in 08. The nutjob leaders of the Dims in the House will get a lot of camera time over the next two years and several will be spitting mad on camera when the lose key votes -Iraq pullout for instance and tax cut rollbacks hurting them in 08.

    A success??? for the Dims - funding for the border fence will not be approved leading to some anti-illegal rioting and lynchings in response to criminal activity by illegals.

  • 34 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:25 pm

    Oh, and the most underreported story of the day will be - The GOP holds Delay’s seat - refuting the American voters is stupid mantra of the coffee clatch, Hollywood, and dead media crowd hence the forthcoming lack of coverage.

  • 35 red satellites // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:44 pm

    You might be a democrat if you agree with Pedro that:

    1. You were for the war before you were against it (See Congressional Voting Records)
    2. You were against global warming before you were for it. (See Senate votes on Kyoto Agreement during Clinton/Gore administration)
    3. You were for homosexuality before you were against it. (Reread Studds and Frank’s bios)
    4. You were for unilateral talks with North Korea before you were against it .(See Picture of Kim Jung and Madeleine Notat Albright with Champagne)
    5. You were for support of the troops before you were against them. (See John Kerry, Dick Durbin’s remarks)
    6. You were for the cold war before you were against it. (See Ted Kennedy’s memo to KGB head Viktor Chebrikov )
    7. You were for the UN humanitarianism before you were against it. (See death toll in Rwanda and Darfur)
    8. You were against energy independence before you were for it. (See voting record on ANWR last 30 years.)
    9. You were against Muslim terrorism before you were for it. (See first Patriot Act before revision).

    You guys are pathetic.

  • 36 Loki, E.NC.Z.B-K // Nov 7, 2006 at 12:50 pm

    Heard on Glenn that one of my fellow citizens of The Peoples Republic of Vermont was voting for Sanders (Our very own socialist for Senate!) because he was honest!

    I was preparing to vote, was all gung-ho. I then though “This guy is listening to Glenn and voting for THAT GUY. I am so *This post has been sanitized*!

    Well, at least he didn’t say “I’m voting for the “Anti-Bushist” (really, a legal party name in this state) or the “Impeach Bush Now” canidate (also, actually on the ballot).

    Well, I went anyway to vote for the guy who is gonna lose. Who knows? Maybe we’ll get lucky.

    Now why is it getting so darn warm over here? And what the heck am I doing in this Hand-Basket?

  • 37 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 1:23 pm

    AP - Indianapolis

    HAYSEEDS SCRATCHING HEADS OVER THIS ONE

    Today there have been reports that in heavily Republican areas that Republicans are trying to disenfranchise their own voters. Voting machines “inexplicably” malfunctions and some wouldn’t even booting up leaving many Republican voters to vote with paper ballots.

    “Yeah, I gits here in the mornin’ and tries to vote and the damn votin’ machines ain’t workin’. ‘Coursin there’s only Republicans that live out this way so’s I gots to scratch my haid ’bout why the Republican Party is makin’ it so dern hard for people like me to vote,” said one redneck Hoosier hick speaking out of the side of the mouth opposite the straw he was sucking on.

    In other news, apparently the FBI are uncovering a scheme by Democrat operatives to call up minorities and the elderly at odd hours of the night and leave anonymous messages asking them to vote on November 8th or if they did illegally vote they could be arrested. Apparently this was done so that the Democratic Party can legitimize its complaints about Republican voter intimidation.

  • 38 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 1:29 pm

    #33, Jericho, not bad. Sounds fairly reasonable to me though it may be completely wrong just as I may be completely wrong (I hope Repubs hold House by a squeaker and Senate Republicans hold 52 seats).

    I think we can all agree that nobody knows what will really happen, but some people will be partisan hack nutcases like Pedro and others like Jericho et al will be very reasonable in trying to sort through all the muddy waters. We see in a mirror dimly, do we not?

  • 39 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 1:40 pm

    Hank.

    Pedro = Liger.

    I hope you slept well last night…

  • 40 Possumtrot // Nov 7, 2006 at 1:45 pm

    Guess what? United Possums International soldiers on!

    It’s election day, and the Google monster didn’t eat my blog! Vote early, and often, as a previous post urged.

    I’m trying to ignore the rhetoric. Down h’yar, we call that whistling past the graveyard.

    Live and breathless from Scorpion Hill.

  • 41 J. Cougar Melancholy // Nov 7, 2006 at 3:35 pm

    (To the tune of “Dragnet Theme”)
    Dem De Dem Dem
    Dem De Dem Dem DEMS!

  • 42 Godfrey // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:02 pm

    I’m heading out to my polling place now (it was a late night). I’ve never been so ambivalent about the nationwide results: the Republicans deserve to lose but the Democrats don’t deserve to win.

    My greatest interest will be in some of the lunatic propositions on the ballot here in the PRC (Let’s mortgage our children’s paychecks to build that road!). The most important one to me is Prop. 90, which places huge limits on the Kelo decision.

    Other than that I’ll probably just vote Green.

    Just kidding.

  • 43 Beerme // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:09 pm

    Voted this morning. I also voted mostly Republican just because I know Dems would be worse :-(

    I did cast votes for Libertarian candidates for every regent post at all three of Michigan’s public universities, though! I also voted for equal rights in Michigan, against anti-hunting regulations and to stop government from taking private property and giving it to others for the “public benefit”.

    I wrote a short article about the voting experience at Beer and Firkins. Check it out.

  • 44 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:21 pm

    A poster at the Election 2006 site on the Power Line Forum recounts his experience in central Pennsylvania:

    I showed up at my polling location at 7:05 this morning. There was already a line and it didn’t seem to be moving.

    I asked a neighbor what the hold-up was and he informed me that one of the new voting machines was not initializing properly. The poll workers had asked everyone to wait outside until the problem could be rectified.

    After a few more minutes had passed, a woman who was standing in line walked up to the front of the line, opened the door to the polling location and demanded to know what was going on. She then hollered…

    “This is an outrage! This has Cheney written all over it!”

    So, there you have it. If the Dems lose, it’s because Dick Cheney was messing with the voting machines in central PA. BTW, I hope the Dems lose.

    My observation: Ya know, nutcases like this shouldn’t be allowed to vote.

  • 45 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:23 pm

    Lieger, you aren’t telling me anything I didn’t divine in the first place. You’ve posted as Pedro before on much earlier threads, I believe.

    Lieger, neverthink, bystander, Pedro … what’s the difference? They’re all from the same echo chamber and swilling the same kool-aidâ„¢.

  • 46 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:25 pm

    Some group going by the name of “Velvet Revolution” is saying that all voting problems are linked to the GOP.
    :shock:
    Democrats have accused Republicans of tricking voters into thinking the calls are from Democrats in the hopes that voters will be angered by the intrusion, and react by voting against the party they associate with the phone call.

    Uh-huh.
    Right.

  • 47 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:41 pm

    On Nightline last night, ABC’s Terry Moran was full of praise for [Barack Obama] the “American political phenomenon,” whom, according to Moran, millions see as “the savior of the Democratic Party.”

    If so, they’re doomed.

    Not that I care, except for the plus this gives the Republican party.

  • 48 Beerme // Nov 7, 2006 at 4:51 pm

    Darth,

    This morning when I was waiting in line at my very busy polling place (I hope that’s because of an increased Republican turnout), one of the women waiting in line looked at me and smiled. I said, that it seemed pretty busy and she replied, “Yes. It’s an important election…president.” I looked at her again and said, there is no vote for president today. She said, “No, I meant governor. It’s important though, because of the proposals”.

    I said, that I agreed. She went on to say that a lot of the problem was that people didn’t understand the proposals, implying that they were written that way to confuse the voters. This was a common Democrat complaint against the Michigan Civil Rights Initiative. Opponents claimed that Republicans promoted it in petitions as a “civil rights” issue, when it was actually an anti-affirmative action issue. Duh!

    So the bottom line is that she was a Dem and was expecting to vote for president but thought that other voters were confused…

  • 49 Godfrey // Nov 7, 2006 at 5:17 pm

    Beerme: I, too, was disappointed to learn that we weren’t voting for president today, which is what they told us at the shelter before we boarded the bus.

    I feel so manipulated.

  • 50 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 7, 2006 at 5:27 pm

    My voting experience this afternoon had a bit of comedy associated with it.

    The polling place is in one of the buildings on the grounds of St. Stephen United Methodist. As I was walking past one of the buildings, I saw a 600-pound man sitting on the doorstep-I didn’t think much about it.

    On my way back to my Dodge Pickup, he called out to me, extending his arm, “Sir, could you help me up, please?”

    His ride had arrived-one of those big vans from some nursing home or whatever.

    I said, “Sure,” and walked over to him. We locked right arms and I planted my feet firmly. I pulled. He pulled.

    I’m strong enough that he didn’t slam me into the ground, thank goodness.

    You see, I’m 5′ 6.25″ tall and weigh 135 pounds. I might as well have been trying to pull a tree out of the ground.

    The driver came over and rescued me.

  • 51 Maggie // Nov 7, 2006 at 5:39 pm

    C.A.T. re# 26
    Perhaps the dead have returned to protest the “death tax”.

  • 52 Godfrey // Nov 7, 2006 at 5:49 pm

    Beerme: read your blog post. I would have agreed with your position a few years ago (a protest vote is a wasted vote) but over the last little while I’ve come to realize that sometimes a non-protest vote is a wasted vote.

    In my case I voted about 80% Libertarian and 20% Republican this time around, about the opposite of my usual ratio. I decided to look at it this way: if I’m going to vote against my (generally libertarian) conscience for the sake of political expediency the Republican candidate I vote for (or the Democrat I vote against) for is darn well going to have to earn it.

    Therefore I only voted for Republicans I genuinely like (such as Tom McClintock) or against Democrats I really dislike (such as Cruz Bustamante). If I was ambivalent about a race I fell back on a Libertarian default-even in the big races (sorry, Arnold).

    It’s true that the Libertarian Party is so far behind the two majors that they have zero chance of winning. But it’s also true that they represent a very valid alternative to the two Babylonian whores we are currently stuck with. So for me an LP vote tells the GOP (especially if the vote is close) that they’d better remember their libertarian streak if they want my vote. The current Republican leadership has demonstrated an amazing (and heretofore usually Democratic) ability to morph into what they think their constituency desires, so hopefully, win or lose, the message won’t be lost on them in 2008.

    In fact I think a win for the Democrats might be very healthy for the Republicans in the long run, especially if the independent parties chew up a significant portion of the vote. It might make them remember why they gained power in the first place. If I’m going to put up with warrantless wiretaps and the blurring of the lines between church and state they’d better give me a little something in return. Otherwise they don’t deserve my vote…and they won’t get it.

  • 53 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 5:59 pm

    In fact I think a win for the Democrats might be very healthy for the Republicans in the long run.

    I understand your sentiment Godfrey, but the damage and divisiveness a Pelosi-led House could do to this nation isn’t worth the lesson learned. If the Republicans were to keep the House and the Senate on the strength of their conservative base, it could be argued just as strongly that the Republicans would recognize that they have been given a reprieve and a message TO GOVERN AS REPUBLICANS AND NOT AS TEPID, BIG-SPENDING RINOS.

    BTW, Republicans aren’t “blurring the lines between church and state”, they’ve always been blurred since the founding of this country and for good reason.

  • 54 Beerme // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:02 pm

    Godfrey,

    If I only voted for Republicans I really liked, I’d probably never vote :-)

    I see your point, though. In general, I look at it like this:

    Republicans have groups such as ATR, The Club for Growth and others that preach sensible libertarian,free-market approaches to government. They at least talk the talk. They enhance public understanding of issues like tax reform and the evils of minimum wage hikes. Democrats try to hype voter disenfranchisement and tin-foil hat Rovian/Machiavellian schemes to (Pinky and the Brain) “Try to take over the world”!

    For the most part, I’ll be happy to elect the former and try to shame them into doing what they say they want to…

    Believe it or not, there are some very good Republican politicians out there. I hope to see them shame their fellows into coming into the light!

  • 55 RedPepper // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:03 pm

    This one goes out ’specially for the New York voters who are pulling the lever for Elliot Spitzer today. Residents of other States, apply as you see fit to a candidate of your choice.

    Thought Of the Day:

    Marry In Haste … Repent At Leisure!

  • 56 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:15 pm

    More headline news:

    COOLING: October USA: All regions near to or below normal temperatures…
    More evidence of global warming!

    US ’suburbs more violent than Iraq’…
    We must cut-and-run and surrender to criminals. Resistance is futile because it only causes more violence.

    Accuser in Duke lacrosse case wanted money, man says…
    Say it ain’t so! Everyone knows those young men are guilty because the media and racially-sensitive liberals have already said they raped her.

    Ortega Seen Winning Nicaragua Election…
    And liberal Democrats see their influence extending beyond our orders!

  • 57 Darthmeister // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:17 pm

    Jeepers, that’s … “beyond our borders.”

  • 58 Godfrey // Nov 7, 2006 at 6:25 pm

    Hank: “the damage and divisiveness a Pelosi-led House could do to this nation isn’t worth the lesson learned”

    I disagree. Not that I’d relish the next two years if the left gains control of Congress, but I think it would teach a much stronger (and hopefully longer-lasting) lesson than if the Republicans once again emerge as winners. While I understand your point I think it is at odds with the last few election cycles: the Republicans have tended to consider a win a mandate. When they caved, they caved on the wrong issues (usually involving spending my money).

    But that’s not the only consideration. A more important election that this one is coming up in a few years. If they get paddled today they’re going to be a much better party in 2008, if only because they’re going to realize that they can’t just keep winning if they abandon their fundamental principles.

    How much “damage and divisiveness” would a Hillary-led White House bring about? One way or another, this is a lesson the GOP needs to learn.

    Republicans aren’t “blurring the lines between church and state”…

    Well, you know my position on that, and in any case that’s a discussion for another time. I only use it as an example of what I personally have sacrificed (ideologically) by supporting the Republicans…with the implicit understanding that my support would be reciprocated on issues that are important to me (i.e. the tax, regulation, government spending and illegal immigration fronts). If there’s no reciprocation, there’s no Godfrey vote in the (R) column.

    Beerme: There are indeed some good (even great) Republicans out there. I voted for them today. The ones that aren’t so great, however, had to do without my vote.

    I think we agree that the best tactic is to “shame” the GOP’ers into sticking to their principles. We just disagree on how to do it. It’s my feeling that if enough third party candidates get a vote it will dramatically change the way Republicans approach politics.

    Do you think it’s an accident that the Ross Perot-led electoral upheaval so closely preceded the Contract With America and the Republican sweep into power? A whole new approach was embraced after ‘92. Not because the Republicans almost lost power but because they did lose power.

    Sometimes that’s what it takes.

  • 59 Bill's Bites // Nov 7, 2006 at 7:01 pm

    If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress…

    If Votes Fall Short, Dems to Redeploy from Congress (2006-11-07) — As Americans went to the polls this morning, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, announced that if Democrats don’t achieve a “clear, immediate, overwhelming victory” in the…

  • 60 everthink // Nov 7, 2006 at 8:35 pm

    Scrapplers,

    Looks like the voters are angry at Bush, and they blame you! Stay inside, I think there could be lynchings, they don’t seem to understand why you call lies satire! I can help some of you, but it looks like Dorky’s “goose is cooked”.

    ET

  • 61 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 8:46 pm

    Fellow Scrapplers:

    I hate to say it, but it ain’t looking good for you. I’ll say a prayer for you tonight.

    Love,

    Liger.

    PS. Hi Everthink. A great day, yes?

  • 62 Effeminem // Nov 7, 2006 at 8:53 pm

    Who is Dorky? Oh, Hank. Meh, I don’t think dorky is a good insult. Maybe over-zealous.

    Well I woke up jest now and checked the CNN front page and saw that the Republicans were gonna lose 200 or so house seats. Then I looked at the actual stat breakdown and lo and behold, only one race is called so far. Whatever. electoral-vote.com predicts a dem takeover of the senate, which is worrying.

    Eh, I have stuff to do, so audi.

  • 63 Ms RightWing, Ink // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:37 pm

    Rep. governer candidate Ken Blackwell falls on his face in Ohio. Can’t say I didn’t see it coming. I think he intended on losing because I never saw one ad for him anywhere. Oh well, scum feeders will rule Ohio for a long time.

  • 64 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 9:56 pm

    Hey everthink,

    Please put the crow in the oven. Preheat at about 435 degrees. I think Darth is massaging the crow as we speak.

    Love,
    Liger

  • 65 everthink // Nov 7, 2006 at 10:17 pm

    Pedro, sí.

    Liger, it is a great day my compatriot!

    ET

    PS
    How about hearings in January?

  • 66 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:02 pm

    Why the call for Cardin in MD? Steele is up by two with 37% reporting. Another case of exceptional exit polling?

  • 67 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:07 pm

    If the Dims take the House. Yet to be decided, but likely it will be by about two to four seats. Yet at least two Dems will be Conservatives.

    Choosing to put on the Burka will be a tough sell. Those black pajamas we put on in the 1970’s didn’t wear well.

    Meanwhile Iraqi Baathists are being reached out to by the Shiites. Tribal Sunnis are fighting for Tribal Shia against Al Qaeda just like in the era before Hussein when the sects cooperated across tribal lines. And the event in January will be Saddam Hussien swinging not the impeachment of President Bush.

  • 68 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:09 pm

    Ooops. The democrats just took the house. Dang liberal media.

  • 69 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:09 pm

    The average opposition pick up in a sixth year election is 29 seats. A great day for the Dhimmis? Hmmm???? I still think it will only be 17 seats.

  • 70 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:10 pm

    Now Steele is up by four points with 44% reporting. When is the dead media gonna get up from their grave and take this one back?

  • 71 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:11 pm

    Kyl and Talent pulling away. Burns down by 10% but with only 2% in the dock.

  • 72 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:15 pm

    Allen up by 13k with nearly 97% in the dock.

  • 73 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:16 pm

    Baltimore districts reporting - Cardin closes two points still down by two, 45% reporting

  • 74 Pedro // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:17 pm

    If the Dims take the House. Yet to be decided, but likely it will be by about two to four seats. Yet at least two Dems will be Conservatives.

    Comment by Jericho — November 7, 2006 @

    The average opposition pick up in a sixth year election is 29 seats. A great day for the Dhimmis? Hmmm???? I still think it will only be 17 seats.

    Comment by Jericho — November 7, 2006 @ 11:09 pm

    That’s quite a reversal in 2 minutes. Flip flop much. Methinks you should lay off the booze tonight.

    Love,

    Liger

  • 75 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:18 pm

    Now 47% reporting in MD - Steele maintains two percent lead.

    Dead media is still dead.

  • 76 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:22 pm

    Whoopsie - Dim pickup in Senate slips back a seat? Steele maintains lead.

    Allen still leads by 8k with nearly 98% in the dock.

  • 77 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:28 pm

    48% reporting in MD. Steele maintains 2 percent lead.

  • 78 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:30 pm

    Allen lead slips to 5k.

  • 79 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:31 pm

    Talent and Kyl cruising to victory. Talent win due to Fox ad backfire?

  • 80 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:37 pm

    Cardin making comeback - now up by two.

  • 81 bystander // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:41 pm

    How swiftly the tune changes in the scrappledom orchestra to go with the wind.

    And I thought you guys were people with good old fashioned character !

    Crow dinner is being served in the West Wing !

  • 82 Jericho // Nov 7, 2006 at 11:45 pm

    Burns closing - down by 6 with 7% reporting. Steele down by two with 57% reporting.

  • 83 Pedro // Nov 8, 2006 at 12:19 am

    It’s so quiet in here, I can hear a mistress choking.

    It’s so quiet in here, I can hear the NSA wiretapping my phone.

  • 84 J. Cougar Melancholy // Nov 8, 2006 at 12:31 am

    Who let these donkeys loose in my House?!
    Looks like the American people want to see a change.
    And I voted Green Party for NY Gov. Silly me.

  • 85 J. Cougar Melancholy // Nov 8, 2006 at 12:59 am

    Oh heck! I guess the terrorists have won. Take away that extra setting at the table fer Jesus too.

  • 86 Godfrey // Nov 8, 2006 at 2:21 am

    Gee, thanks for the news ticker, Jericho. You must have a television.

  • 87 Pedro // Nov 8, 2006 at 2:29 am

    Godfrey.

    I don’t normally laugh at the postings here, unless out of disgust, but your post genuinely made me chuckle. Good one.

    Gallows humor, I suppose.

    Love,

    Liger

  • 88 Effeminem // Nov 8, 2006 at 2:42 am

    Um, trolls, anyone who can read a graph knew that the GOP was going to lose the house. Perhaps if you look at the past 15 threads you’ll notice that very few people here, if any, projected a Republican victory. Some of us actually voted democrat/libertarian or stayed home. Please constrain your gloating to the slight political advantage you have now gained, rather than some bizarre straw man in your tapioca-induced hallucinations. Tomorrow morning, I will still be stockpiling spam and goat embryos for the coming armageddon, and the dumb soldiers will still be stuck in Iraq.

  • 89 Godfrey // Nov 8, 2006 at 2:45 am

    Gallows humor? Contrary to what you might expect I am not particularly unhappy with today’s election; it’s what I’ve been predicting for weeks.

    I think this is a lesson for politicians on both sides. Hopefully they learn something from it.

  • 90 Darthmeister // Nov 8, 2006 at 4:33 am

    Interesting lessons we saw tonight. I wonder if the Donk leaderhsip will keep the lies they made to mainstream America, no impeachment and we will not be soaked by more taxes that will supposedly be aimed at “the rich”?

    First observation, partisan blue-state ideology triumphed over reason tonight.

    Second, blue states become more blue as they oust RINOS who, in most cases, competently served the interest of their blue constituents.

    Third, this is what an off-year, out-party in the sixth year of a two term president looks like though the Donks did a little worse in the House and a little better in the Senate than would normally be anticipated.

    Fourth, the liberal media demonstrates how formidable it still is when they become partisan cheerleaders and create a negative narrative three to six months before an election. Unfortunately the Democratic Party will NEVER experience the brunt of such a subtle Goebbels-like propaganda machine masterfully stoked by shrewd liberal editors.

    Many of the Donks’ pickups were by conservative candidates they ran outside their urban strongholds. It will be interesting to see if this means conservatives on both sides of the aisle will create a form of gridlock against an over-reaching liberal Congressional leadership that will certainly attempt to soak the American people with more taxes, relax and/or continue to ignore immigration laws that are already on the books, grow-government initiatives and the entitlement state, and starve our troops of money.

    Extremely close races where expected, though nominal Republicans got caught in the killing fields of resurgent blue statism.

    A lot of work ahead of us the next two years which will be made easier if the Donks arrogantly overplay their hand and create more divisiveness and gleefully manufacture more of a tax burden for the American people.

    We must continue to keep our humor and hope even though the Islamofascists will be emboldened by this recent ideological insanity of blue staters that these Americans will one day awaken from their self-immolating madness before the gathering jihadist storm actually reaches our shores … again.

    BTW, as we were coming home from our election “party” with friends, my wife and I received word that a dear family friend of ours died at the tender age of twenty-five. She was the daughter of Christian family whom my wife cared for several times a week for almost the last two years. She had been originally felled by brain cancer as one of our eldest son’s classmates in the first grade about eighteen years ago. Though the operation then had been successful, various complications occurred which resulted in more surgeries until she was bedridden about six years ago due to a fall where she hit her head very hard against the floor, causing her to also lose her sight. I would appreciate prayers of comfort for her three brothers and her parents. They are Christians and are bearing this with much grace at the moment. So we are doubly-saddened tonight.

  • 91 Darthmeister // Nov 8, 2006 at 4:46 am

    GOP loses but conservatism continues to win as indicated by the various referenda around the country and the conservatives elected as Democrats.

    Godfrey, the one lesson Republicans, particularly RINOs like Lincoln Chaffee, must learn is you can’t out-liberal a liberal Democrat. And with the exception of Ahnold who made his bed with California Dems, Republicans who ran away from conservatism got slaughtered.

    We conservatives were able to return Republican Tim Johnson to the U.S. House in a very blue state. I hope other Scrapplers had similar victories.

  • 92 camojack // Nov 8, 2006 at 6:42 am

    Yesterday’s word was vote. For the next 2 years, we will probably be seeing a lot more of its anagram: veto.

    Only time will tell…

  • 93 JamesonLewis3rd // Nov 8, 2006 at 6:48 am

    “…prepared to govern…in partnership, not partisanship.”~~Pelosi

    Yeah.
    Right.

  • 94 bystander // Nov 8, 2006 at 8:37 am

    “I think this is a lesson for politicians on both sides. Hopefully they learn something from it.”

    The most rational reasonable thought I have read here !

    Unfortunately, the evidence is not in favor of such hope, at least in the 73 years I have been on this planet !

    Many pols of all stripes start out as straight and well meaning, but there is something about the nature of the game that is like a cancer in the gut !

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